The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto: A Beginning
by General Grievous
Summary: [Naruto x World of Warcraft][Part 1] Naruto travels through a world filled with mystery, treachery and loads of different kinds of ramen. He sets out to become a legend. [NaruxOC]or[NaruxSaku] [New Story Up: The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto: Soul of Fire]
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft or any of its characters and such.**

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The forest hummed with life, birds chirping, squirrels chattering and bees buzzing. It was a beautiful afternoon, not a cloud in the sky. It wasn't too windy, or too humid, and it was clear that people all over the country had enjoyed such a day.

Uzumaki Naruto, 13 years old, was not one of those people.

He stood in the middle of a pond, clad in a tattered and soaked black t-shirt and orange pants in a similar state. He was sweating profusely, his normally spiky blonde hair now stuck to his head, and because it was unsupported by his forehead protector, also got in his eyes. Across from him stood a large, imposing looking man. The man had long, spiky white hair, was wearing one of the most ridiculous outfits one had ever seen, and had the most unbearably smug smile on his face. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and was looking straight at Naruto, grinning. This man's name was Jiraiya the Toad Sennin, or to Naruto, Ero-Sennin. Said man suddenly called out to the boy, laughing as he did,

"Hey brat! If you wanna beat that Uchiha kid, then you need to step it up a bit! My dead grandmother could perform this jutsu better than you!" Naruto scowled at the Toad Sennin, his eyes narrowing into slits. He did not take well to being insulted.

"Argh! Shut the hell up Ero-Sennin! I'm trying to concentrate! Did you harangue all of your students, or am I just a special case?" the boy shouted back.

"Hah! Do you even know what harangue means?" Jiraiya retorted, snickering when the boy shut glared at him, before taking a fighting stance once more. Jiraiya watched as Naruto ran through a string of hand seals, before shouting out.

"**Water Element: Water Barrier!**" The water that the boy was standing on began to bubble undulate. Suddenly it shot up, surrounding the blonde boy in a dome like barrier. Seconds later Jiraiya launched six shuriken at the barrier. The barrier deflected four of said shuriken, but two managed to slice through it, and judging by the yelp that came from inside the barrier, they had found their target. Seconds later the water dome collapsed in on itself, drenching Naruto in water and setting off another bout of laughter from the perverted Sennin. After he stopped laughing, he looked up into the sky, noting the position of the sun. It was getting late, so Jiraiya called out,

"Let's head in for the night, brat. It looks like you could use some rest." The man then abruptly turned and walked away, his footsteps making wet noises as he walked across the surface of the pond.

Sighing, Naruto followed his teacher back to the edge of the water, and into the surrounding forest. They walked for a few minutes without speaking, allowing the sounds of the forest to fill the silence. They soon reached their camp, which consisted of a single tent (where Jiraiya slept) and a fire pit with two logs on either side, so they sit near the flames to warm. Naruto immediately stripped off his shirt, and tossed it over one of the overhanging branches. He grabbed two pieces of wood from a pile near Jiraiya's tent and threw then on the dying fire, before sitting himself down on one of the two logs and basking in the warmth of flames. Jiraiya sat down on the other and immediately took out a notebook, in which he began to make notes and marks with a pencil, giggling every once and awhile. Naruto threw him a disgusted glare, before staring into the fire once more. He reflected on what had brought him there.

After Sasuke's defection to the Sound, Naruto had left with Ero-Sennin as soon as he had recovered from his injuries. Saying goodbye to the village that he loved had been hard, but with the knowledge that he would become strong enough to defeat and return Sasuke to Konoha, was more than enough to get him motivated. He still missed the place, but more importantly the people that lived within. He missed Iruka-sensei, the first person he had ever befriended, Kakashi-sensei, who despite his lack of teaching abilities, Naruto respected a great deal. He missed Tsunade-baba, the Godaime Hokage of the Leaf, whom he considered to be a sister of a sort. He missed all of his friends, Shikamaru, Chouji, Neji, Kiba, Lee and the rest, whom he couldn't wait to see again, and find out how strong they had become. The person he missed the most, however, had to be Sakura. He had found out just before he left that she was now training under Tsunade, and when he got back he knew that she would not only have become much stronger, but would have grown he more beautiful that he remembered. His crush on her hadn't died, but he had to put it aside in order to focus more on his training.

Training…Naruto had once jumped at the word, knowing it was the ticket to him achieving his dream of becoming Hokage.

Now, however, he dreaded it. Immediately after he had left, Ero-Sennin had subjected him to the most grueling training routine he had ever experienced in his life. He swore that the man was even more sadistic than his snake-faced former teammate, Orochimaru. They had begun with chakra control lessons, of which Naruto desperately needed, that involved Naruto trying to move and suspend things in air with his chakra. At the same time, however, he'd make Naruto stand in the middle of a lake, or on the trunk of a large tree.

He had never experienced something so agonizingly difficult and tedious in his life.

After the first day of doing it, he had fallen into the lake he had been standing in a total of 321 times, on several of those plunges he had been bitten by something which he still didn't know what it was. He had been ready to kill Ero-Sennin when he got back to camp, but his exhaustion had gotten the better of him, and he had slipped into blissful unconsciousness the moment he entered camp. Jiraiya hadn't stopped teasing him for a great while after that.

Naruto was now on the sixth month of his training, and he had improved a great deal (in his opinion) since he had started. Jiraiya had taught him several new jutsus; mostly fire based ones with a healthy dose of water and earth mixed in as well. Naruto's chakra control had increased as well, but he still was nowhere near the level that Jiraiya wanted him to be, so he still mixed in chakra control to the rest of his exercises.

Naruto would have continued to mull over thoughts of his training and occasionally Sakura, but he was interrupted by a command from Jiraiya,

"Hey brat! Get some firewood will ya?" He said looking up from his perverted work.

"Why can't you get it yourself? I'm busy!" the boy groused, who was surprised that the fire had died down already.

"Because I'm you sensei, brat, and if you refuse we can always go back to that "special" training that I designed for you." The man snapped, glaring at Naruto, "besides I need to finish editing my latest work!" He blushed a little at that but paid no heed to Naruto, who had paled slightly at the mention of the "special" training. I won't go into details, but it involved several large rocks, a piece of rope, and Naruto's tree climbing ability. Needless to say, Naruto never wanted to do it again.

So he got up, mumbling "Stupid Ero-Sennin," and grabbed his still drying shirt from the branch he hung it on, and left the campsite, still grumbling.

He walked through the forest, occasionally grabbing a piece of wood that he thought could be used, but soon found himself at the water's edge. He walked along it for a while, trying to spot any potential pieces of firewood near the edge of the forest.

A sudden glimmer caught his attention, however, and he turned to the pond. He walked over, squatting down low as he peered into the clear water, searching for the source of the glimmer.

He found it.

It was a small, silver pendant, roughly shaped like a clover, with a brilliant green gem imbedded in the center. It was attached to a silver chain, and both the silver and the green gem seemed to glow in the darkness. His curiosity peaked; Naruto picked it up to inspect it more thoroughly.

As he lifted it out of the water, he was only dimly aware that the wind seemed to pick up, throwing leaves around him up into the air. The darkening sky seemed to turn instantly to night, as the winds churned the water of the pond, sending small waves crashing against the shoreline.

It was at this point, that Uzumaki Naruto realized that some god must hate him, muttering to himself,

"Why me?"

Seconds later, Naruto vanished in a flash of red light and a swirl of leaves around him.

Back at the campsite, Jiraiya looked up at the darkened sky and muttered,

"What have you done this time brat?"


	2. A New World

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft of any of its characters and stuff. 

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Naruto awoke to the sound of birds chirping.

He groggily sat up, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light of his surroundings. His head ached, his butt hurt, and he wanted to go back to sleep.

_This must be what Ero-Sennin felt like after that festival we went to…the one he asked me never to mention again._ Naruto thought, dimly. He rubbed his eyes, and then began to take a look around him.

He suddenly realized that he wasn't in the forest near the pond that he had been before he had passed out.

His mind abruptly cleared and he jumped to his feet, looking around in every direction. He had never seen a forest like the one that he now resided in. His eyes widened as they took in his surroundings.

_Beautiful_… was the first thing that came to his mind. And for good reason. The forest seemed to hum with a mysterious, almost arcane presence. The ground was covered in a soft moss, and littered with leaves of all colors. He saw red, purple and green leaves, both on the ground and in the surrounding trees. These trees were large and wide, but also rather short and stumpy. The blue sky was visible between the wide, leaf-covered treetops. He saw many plants that he had never seen before in his life, and had a rather tempting urge to go up and pick one, but thought better.

Naruto also heard many sounds, ones that he wasn't accustomed to. In addition to the chirping of the birds, and a hoot from an owl, there were short bursts of a throaty, raspy call, which Naruto couldn't decipher. The trees also emitted groans and cracks as animals leapt from their branches, as if they were communicating in a language he could not understand.

And the smells…Naruto had gotten very sensitive to smell in the time he had spent with Ero-sennin, and he guessed that was because of the presence of the demon fox Kyuubi within him. He had already inherited a fraction of the demon's healing abilities, so Jiraiya had theorized that he would slowly attain other abilities from the demon as well. The smells of the forest were far different from the ones he had smelt back in Konoha and the surrounding territories. It was unnerving for him, as he had grown accustomed to these smells, and to have such an abrupt change was strange.

_Where the hell am I?_ He thought, still gazing at the surrounding forest. He then remembered the small pendant, and immediately opened his closed left hand to look at it. It still possessed the same glowing quality that it had when he had first seen it. He held it up closer to his face, and discovered that it had small, runic designs etched into not only the silvery pendant, but also the green jewel in the middle.

_What the hell is this thing? And why did it bring me here when I picked it up?_ He thought, turning the necklace around in his hands. He sighed and then shoved it into his pocket, before once more turning his attention to the surrounding area.

_I better try and find someone…_ He thought, and began to check his equipment. He silently thanked Ero-sennin for beating it into his head to bring his weapons pouch wherever he went, even if it was to the bathroom. He counted his kunai, finding that there were four left, along with fifteen shuriken, two smoke bombs and three explosive tags. He also had several blank scrolls, but that wouldn't do much in this case.

Finding that nothing was missing, he began to walk. He didn't have any idea where he was going, but he reasoned that going somewhere was better than just staying in one place. He periodically stopped to sniff the air, trying his best to identify any smells he recognized. He didn't have much training in the deciphering of smells, and wished that Kiba were around in order to locate civilization.

THAT FOOL COULDN'T FIND HIS WAY OUT OF A BATHROOM STALL, BRAT, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK HE COULD FIND CIVILIZATION HERE?

_That's true_, snorted Naruto, before he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes nearly popping out his head when he heard the voice.

_Kyuubi?_

**AT YOUR SERVICE, BRAT.** The demon retorted, sounding amused, whether it was at his own response or Naruto's brainless one, Naruto couldn't tell.

_How the hell are you speaking to me? Wait; scratch that, WHY the hell are you speaking to me?_

**I DON'T KNOW, FOR BOTH QUESTIONS. I HAVE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE, AND WHEN I AWOKE FROM THE SLEEP THAT PENDANT INDUCED, I FOUND THE BARS OF THE CAGE FARTHER APART, AND MY VOICE CARRIER FARTHER, IT SEEMS THAT I CAN NOW SPEAK TO YOU WHENEVER I WISH. **

_Shit…now I'm in a big, completely foreign forest, with a large, fuzzy bastard haranguing me in my thoughts, Kami must love me._

**THAT'S TWICE YOU'VE USED THE WORD "HARANGUE" IN A DAY, BRAT, DON'T USE IT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.**

_Shut up, fur ball._ _Do you have any idea where we are?_

**NO, I HAVE NEVER SET FOOT HERE IN MY LIFE, AND THAT I FIND IS SURPRISING IN ITSELF, CONSIDERING MY AGE. YOU ARE ALSO CORRECT IN THINKING THAT THIS PLACE IS FOREIGN, AS I DO NOT RECOGNIZE ANY SMELLS EITHER.**

_Crap…so where do we go from here, fox?_

**CONTINUE WITH WHAT YOU WERE DOING BEFORE, TALKING TO YOU IS RATHER BORING, AND SO I WILL SLEEP INSTEAD.**

The demon said nothing more, so Naruto continued to trudge on, even more confused, and truth be told, a little scared that the fox could now speak with him.

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Naruto didn't know how long he walked, but do to the fact that his legs were almost burning in pain, and he usually could walk a great distance without getting tired, it must have been pretty long. He was also very hungry, though he thought better about trying any of the brown, fuzzy looking fruits he saw occasionally hanging from the branches of a smaller tree, not wanting to risk eating something that he might regret. He saw a few squirrels here and there, but hadn't felt like trying to catch any at the time.

It was when he was beginning to consider keeling over from exhaustion that got his whiff of humans.

He'd know the smell of humans anywhere, considering he had lived around them all of his life. These humans, thankfully, smelt no different from the ones back in Konoha.

And they were close.

Naruto nearly jumped into the air, pumping his fist, but dismissed that idea when he remembered how tired he was. Turning in the direction of the human smell, he quickened his pace as much as possible, making a beeline for the source of the smell.

Ten minutes later Naruto emerged from the forest into a clearing, where he saw a cluster of houses in the middle. The sky was dark, but he could see smoke rising from the chimneys of said houses, and though they were made in a completely different style than the ones in Konoha, in an almost archaic fashion, he didn't care.

People meant food.

And food was good.

Not wanting to startle any of the villagers by sprinting into the village, he walked into what he assumed was the front of the village, as there were two posts on either side, each bearing a small banner with the drawing of a tree on it. He walked along the path between the two posts, and to his relief he saw lights in many of the houses. He sniffed the air, quickly locating the nearest source of food, and made a beeline for it.

He came upon a relatively large house, with two chimneys puffing out smoke, and a sign in front that read: "_Willow Inn_." Naruto relaxed again.

_At least they speak my language._ He thought. He entered the building without another thought.

The inside had everything an inn should have. It was cozy and inviting, with a small fireplace, complete with crackling fire. Tables and chairs surrounded the fireplace, and a desk sat at the front, an old woman with graying hair and spectacles was sitting at it, writing something down with what appeared to be a quill of some sort. She looked up when Naruto stepped in.

"Hello, dearie, how are you this fine evening?" She said in a friendly tone. Her eyes were warm and brown, and though Naruto hadn't been to Konoha in almost six months, he couldn't believe how big of a difference there was between the eyes of this woman and the villagers back home. It was staggering.

Shaking it off, and walking up to the desk, Naruto answered her question,

"I'm alright, 'mam, a little tired, but alright. I'd like to stay for the night and some food…but I have a slight problem…I don't have any money…" he said, looking down a little in embarrassment. To his surprise, the old women laughed and said,

"'Tis alright, dearie, you can stay for the night, I won't deny you a warm bed to sleep in. As for food, I just baked a loaf of bread, and if you'll wait a tic, I'll bring it up to your room. Alrighty then, take this," she handed Naruto a key, and pointed up the stairs on her right, "and head up there, second door on the left." Naruto was shocked at the kindness this woman showed, he had never seen anyone act like this back in the Fire Country!

Of course, Naruto also guessed that this woman didn't have to worry about enemy _nukenin_ busting into her house, so he figured that they must have been naturally more trustworthy than anyone back home.

Naruto, of course, had his morals, and said quickly,

"Thanks! Um…I'll pay you back! I promise!" he said. She laughed again, her warm brown eyes dancing with mirth.

"If you insist, dearie, now get to bed, you look like you need it." She shooed him off with a few waves of her hand, and Naruto walked up the creaky steps to the second floor. He quickly found his room, shoved the key in the lock and entered. He fell flat on the bed seconds after he entered, and the only thing that kept him awake was the prospect of food.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on his door and the old woman came in, a tray carrying a pitcher and a few slices of bread and cheese in her hands. She set the tray down on the bedside table, before turning to Naruto.

"Anything else, dearie?" she asked, smiling at him.

"Ah…no thanks, and thank you very much for the room and the food." He said, smiling at her. She smiled at him again before exiting the room, leaving Naruto alone.

The bread was fantastic, and the cheese was orgasmic. Naruto guessed that it tasted so good because he was so hungry, but he didn't care. The pitcher turned out to be filled with milk, which was refreshing beyond all measure. He ate everything on the tray, and without another thought, promptly fell asleep.

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It was morning when Naruto awoke, and it took him a few minutes to remember where he was. Waking up to a plethora of new scents and sounds was a bit disorienting for him, but he shook it off as he stood up.

**ABOUT TIME BRAT, I WAS GETTING BORED.** The demon fox Kyuubi growled inside his head.

_Shut up, bastard fox. _Naruto grumbled, his mood souring a little as he remembered the new situation with the fox.

**THE OLD HUMAN HAS BEEN IN HERE THREE MORE TIMES SINCE YOU FELL ASLEEP, YOU ARE A NINJA, IF YOU ARE NOT MORE ALERT, AND YOU COULD GET ME KILLED.**

_The world would be a better place without you, fox._ Naruto snapped back. A sudden scent interrupted his tirade, and he saw that the woman had placed another pitcher of milk and several slices of bread and cheese on the table. He smiled a bit, and ate his fill of the delicious food.

**I WOULD RATHER EAT A RAW BOAR; THEY ARE PARTICULARLY GOOD AFTER AN APPETIZER OF HUMAN CHILDREN.**

_Do you have a volume control or something? _Naruto grumbled, trying to tune out the demon's commentary. Any further conservation was cut off by a knock on the door. Seconds later the old woman walked in, her warm brown eyes affixed on Naruto.

"Have a nice rest, dearie?" she asked, smiling warmly.

"Yes, mam'." He responded. He then said, "about me paying you back…do you know where I can find a job?" the woman looked slightly surprised that Naruto had offered to pay her back, but responded in a nonetheless cheerful tone,

"You're an odd one, I don't think I've had anyone who'd willingly want to pay me back after I offered all that for free." The boy responded in a slightly embarrassed tone,

"Hehe…I promised, right? I don't go back on my word." He boasted, grinning and throwing his chest out. She chuckled at the sight, before turning away and motioning him to follow. They went downstairs and out into the street. The sun was shining brilliantly in the sky, and this only enhanced the mysterious quality of the forest. The woman pointed down the street to a small house near the end.

"See that house, right there? That house belongs to an herbalist, young Jon Raikmore. He's been looking for someone to help him gather herbs, and pays well, or so I've heard. You could probably get a job or two out of him. He's a bit lonely, of course, ever since his wife died, but he's the man to see about a job right now." Naruto grinned and thanked the old woman, promising to return and give her the payment. He then set off towards the herbalist's house.

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When Naruto entered the house, he was met with a particularly strong, and rather unpleasant, smell. It was like a mixture of rotten eggs and lemon juice. He nearly gagged at the smell, and pinched his nose shut to ward it off.

"Oh, I didn't realize I had a customer!" came a soft voice to Naruto's left. He jumped in surprise, and whipped around to see a rather tired looking young man standing in a doorway. He had short brown hair, and dull blue eyes with dark bags underneath.

**WHAT KIND OF NINJA ARE YOU?** Mocked Kyuubi.

_Shut up, fox._ The boy groused. He then addressed the young man, who he assumed was Jon Raikmore.

"Uh…yes, I need a job for a little, so I can pay back this nice lady who let me stay for free at her in, and to buy some supplies. She told me that you could give me one…can you?" The man looked a little surprised, but that died quickly and he nodded.

"Of course. I do give out jobs, and you're in luck, I have need of someone's help right now." Jon then turned and walked into the room behind him, motioning for Naruto to follow.

When Naruto entered the room, his jaw dropped at the amount of books that where piled from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Naruto wondered how Jon moved around in the room without getting squashed by the towers of heavy looking books. Said man was currently hunched over a book on a desk near the middle of the room. He waved Naruto over.

"I'm looking for a special type of flower, known as silverleaf. Its quite common in these parts, and this is what it looks like." He pointed a picture in the book, and said, "get me several bunches of this, and I'll pay you a silver or two. If you can get it done before nightfall, I may have some other work for you." Naruto nodded, and turned to go, but was stopped by Jon's voice.

"Boy, what is your name?" Naruto looked a little surprised, and realized he hadn't told anyone his name since he arrived.

"Uzumaki Naruto," he said. Jon looked at him carefully, before turning back to the book.

"An odd name. It sounds Pandaren."

Naruto walked out, feeling slightly confused.

_What's a Pandaren?_

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Gathering the silverleaf was more difficult than Naruto had expected, as a lot of the plants looked the same. After he found his first plant, however, it became gradually easier. It seemed to grow next to the larger trees, usually ones with reddish leaves growing on them.

It took him roughly two or three hours to gather a suitable amount of silverleaf, and thankfully he didn't have to go to far from the village. He figured it would have taken him longer if he hadn't possessed ninja speed, or a strong sense of smell, and when he returned to Jon's shop, slightly dirty, but grinning broadly and clutching a bunch of silverleaf flowers in his arms. Jon inspected the flowers before he smiled slightly as well.

"Thank you, Uzumaki, you work fast, and this has been a great help. How would you like to work here part time? Unless you have somewhere else to go, I could use the help around the shop." Naruto paused at this, he had been planning on getting some supplies and then setting off to find out how he could get back, but he thought that maybe he could get some information in the village, and he could definitely use the money.

"Sure, I don't have anything else to do," he said, grinning. Jon smiled back.

"And by the way…Naruto's my given name, Uzumaki is my family name…"

"Eh? Then why didn't you say your name was Naruto Uzumaki? You're a weird kid."

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This continued for a week. Naruto would get up at dawn in the morning, train a little near the forest, and then head to Jon's to get a list of herbs he needed to gather or medicines he needed to deliver. At the end of the day, Jon would pay him and he would return to the inn, eat dinner, and go back to sleep.

That of course, couldn't last forever.

And almost a week after he had arrived, trouble struck.

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So? What do you think?

I realize the chapters aren't that long, but they should come out at a pretty reasonable rate.

I won't be able to update for about a week, as I am going on vacation.

The action will begin next chapter: The curse of the Furbolgs! Naruto's journey truly begins!


	3. The Curse of the Furbolg

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft, that said, here's a message from our sponsors:**

**Drugs are bad!**

**Thank you.**

Thank you for all of your reviews, they are very exciting to get! I will try my best to make most of this coincide with the Warcraft universe, but I will no doubt be making a bunch of changes to it. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

I think I might change the rating, just to be safe.

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Naruto was on his way to Jon's when he felt it.

The temperature of the air seemed to drop drastically. The sky seemed to darken slightly and the forest grew almost menacing. He stopped at the sudden change in atmosphere, and wondered what the hell was happening.

**SOMETHING IS WRONG, BRAT.**

_Thank you captain obvious, but what is it?_

**I DO NOT KNOW, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD ASK THE HUMAN YOU ARE WORKING FOR.**

Naruto nodded to himself, and hurried towards Jon's house. He noticed that people were leaving their houses, and all had worried looks on their faces. None of them spared him a second glance as he ran to the herbalist's house.

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When he reached the house, Jon was standing outside looking up at the sky with the same worried expression on his face as he had seen on the villagers.

"Hey, Jon! What's going on?" Naruto asked skidding to a stop as he reached the herbalist.

"It feels like…but it can't be…" he muttered, almost to himself.

"Feels like what? What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto demanded.

"I will explain later, I have to see something," Jon said, and walked past Naruto towards the largest house in the village, the house of the town elder. Naruto followed him swiftly, and the two soon reached the large house.

Instead of going inside, however, Jon moved around to the back of the house, Naruto following him, and what he saw shocked him.

Several yards behind the massive house, was a massive tree. But it was the most unique and beautiful tree he had ever seen. Its trunk was a dark blue color, and its leaves were a pure silver color, that shimmered in the light of the sky. Its branches were twisted and gnarled, however, and they seemed out of place on the rest of the tree. The tree was growing out of a strange pool, which glowed an unearthly blue. The silvery leaves of the tree littered the ground, and lay on the surface of pool as well. There was a crowd of people around the tree, all looking very grave. Naruto turned to Jon in wonder, and asked,

"What is that?" Jon turned to look at him, as if realizing for the first time Naruto was there, and answered him, his voice grave.

"That is what protects us." He said simply, watching the tree again. Naruto scowled at him, and so Jon elaborated.

"Many, many years ago, when this village was still new, a night elf druid arrived here. This was before the elves abandoned us for their own land, back when the Alliance was still whole." Naruto didn't know what he was talking about, but then again he didn't want Jon to know that he was from another world, so he nodded his head for Jon to continue.

"Our village gave shelter to this druid, feeding him and providing him a warm place to stay. He was grateful for it, so he gave us a parting gift. He used his power to create a pool in the heart of our village, and then placed within it a small drop of glowing liquid. As our ancestors watched, the glow quickly spread to the rest of the pool, and in the center he placed a small seed. The seed grew into a massive tree, the very one you see here. He told our ancestors that as long as the tree stood, and we continued to offer our hospitality, the tree would protect our village from any evil creatures that would seek to harm us. It was fortunate that he arrived, as well, because something evil appeared in our forest years later, something that we could not stop."

His face got a pained look on it, one Naruto knew well, it was the same look that accompanied the hateful glares back in Konoha, one of remembrance, of sorrow, one of loss. He shifted uneasily at the look, but the asked,

"What was it?" Jon broke out of his trance, and sighed.

"Some years after the druid had gifted us with the tree, a group of beings known as furbolg arrived in this forest. Furbolg are not native to Elwynn Forest; they are beings that make their home in the forests of Ashenvale and Teldrassil, the lands of the elves. They were said to be a once peaceful race, but the legendary Burning Legion corrupted them. A small faction of them made their way across the continent to Elwynn, and has been here ever since. At first, they didn't bother our village, but soon they began trying to attack us at every chance they got. The tree protected our village directly from attack, but people who wandered out of the range of the trees protection were seldom seen again." Once again, the hurt look crossed his face, and Naruto knew he had lost someone to the furbolg. Naruto then asked him,

"But why is everyone here then? If the tree protects you then why are you looking at like its going to die?" he had a bad feeling in his stomach as he said this, and he prayed that it was just indigestion. Jon sighed, and spoke,

"The feeling you got earlier was the power of the tree fading. It doesn't seem to be totally gone yet, but when it is, we are likely doomed." He turned once more to the tree, and spoke no more.

Naruto frowned, staring at Jon in confusion.

"You sound like you have already lost." Naruto said, irritated. Jon looked at him, and said calmly,

"We have. We have no militia, and it would take the soldiers of Stormwind many days to arrive here, and we would be dead by then. We will likely have to leave." Naruto stared at the man, as if he had grown a second head.

"You're just giving up?" Naruto asked. Naruto generally didn't hate many things, and the things that he did hate usually involved snakes, arrogant geniuses and lousy ramen. But one thing he hated with a passion was people giving up. He had hated the fact that Inari and his fellow townspeople had given up and just accepted Gatou's tyranny. He had hated the fact that Shikamaru had given up to Temari in the finals of the Chuunin exam. It made him grate his teeth in anger that people could just accept their fate, and note fight for themselves.

Jon heard him and said heatedly,

"What would you have us do? We are farmers and gatherers, we have no weapons and none of us has any experience in fighting. How could we possibly fight these monsters?" Naruto gave him a cold glare that he flinched slightly at.

"So what if you aren't fighters? You said it yourself they weren't very smart, and you could fight them with your brains! You just automatically think you'll fail, but you haven't even tried!" Shouted Naruto, gathering the attention of several others in the crowd. Jon glared angrily at Naruto and bellowed,

"Those monsters killed my wife! They butchered her like a piece of livestock! They would do the same to us! WE CAN'T FIGHT THEM!" Naruto crossed his arms, staring at the man with disgust.

"Coward, you just want to save your own skins."

Apparently, the others who had overheard the argument took offence to that, and began shouting at the boy.

"You're crazy, brat!"

"We would be massacred! You can't expect us to try and fight those monsters!"

"We have families! How can you expect us to fight and die when we have to think about them?"

"We must leave!"

Naruto grew increasingly angry at these remarks, and shouted,

"SHUT UP! You plan to uproot your families' lives and go on a journey that you probably wouldn't survive anyway? You're cowards! People like you disgust me!" The boy turned, and stomped off, not wanting to deal with the responses.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**DO YOU SEE WHY I HATE YOUR KIND, BRAT? THEY ARE DISGUSTINGLY WEAK AND DESERVE TO DIE.**

_Shut up, fox. _Naruto hissed mentally. He was sitting on the outskirts of the village, staring into the blackness of the forest. It was twilight, and he could see that people were already starting to pack there things down in the village. He scowled at the thought,

_Cowards._

_DO NOT BE ANGRY WITH THEM, CHILD, THEY CANNOT BE BLAMED FOR THEIR FEARS._ Naruto jolted as the unfamiliar voice rang inside his head, and he looked around in confusion.

"Who is it? Who's there?" he asked, drawing a kunai for good measure.

_A FRIEND, CHILD. I AM SPEAKING TO YOU INSIDE YOUR HEAD, NOT UNLIKE THE FOX SPIRIT DOES._ Naruto blinked, and frowned.

"You know the Kyuubi?" he said aloud.

_NO, I CAN, HOWEVER, DETECT HIS PRESENCE WITHIN YOU, AS COULD MOST OF THE FOREST._ Naruto nodded, and then asked,

"Who are you?"

_GO TO THE TREE AND YOU SHALL KNOW._ Naruto didn't have to ask what tree it was.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

When he arrived at the tree, it was deserted. The crowd had dispersed, likely to go pack. He stood in front of the great tree and then called out in his mind this time.

_You there?_

_YES_

_So what are you? And why are you talking to me?_

I AM THE TREE, CHILD. I AM THE PROTECTOR OF THIS VILLAGE AND FOREST. I HAVE A REQUEST FOR YOU, NARUTO UZUMAKI.

_What is it?_

_I ASK YOU TO TRAVEL TO THE FURBOLG'S CAMP, AND RETRIEVE SOMETHING FOR ME._

_Retrieve what?_

_A GEM. AN EMERALD OF THE BRIGHTEST GREEN THAT CAN HELP BREAK THE CURSE THAT WAS BEEN PLACED ON ME._

_So that's why you can't protect the village anymore? Some curse?_

_INDEED. THE LEADER OF THE FURBOLG TRIBE IS KNOWN AS FEROCITAS THE DREAM EATER. HE WAS ONCE A POWERFUL MYSTIC WHO PLAGUED THE ELVES IN TELDRASSIL, BUT HE FLED HERE. HE IS IN POSSESSION OF A POWER THAT IS NOT HIS OWN, THAT WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY AN EVIL FORCE. THAT IS HOW HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO CURSE ME, POISONING THE FOREST'S SPIRIT WITH THIS EVIL POWER. HE MUST BE DESTROYED. THE EMERALD HE POSSESSES ONCE BELONGED TO A POWERFUL DRUID, AND IT MAY BE ABLE TO BREAK THE CURSE. I IMPLORE YOU TO HELP ME._

Naruto didn't need to be asked to help, as he had already considered it. He grinned and said,

"Implore no more, ' cause Uzumaki Naruto is on the job!"

_THANK YOU, CHILD. IN RETURN, I CAN GIVE YOU INFORMATION ON WHY YOU ARE HERE, AND PERHAPS HOW TO GET HOME TO YOUR WORLD. _Naruto grinned wider, and nodded his head.

"Right then! Let's go!"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto jumped quickly from tree to tree for about a half and hour after leaving the village, the tree having given him the location of the furbolg's camp. On the way, he was thinking about what he should do. On one hand, he could charge in like he usually would, and fight tooth and nail for the emerald, but Ero-sennin had told him that tactics like that would usually get him killed. On the other hand, stealth was certainly not Naruto's strong point.

**I WOULD SAY THAT EITHER WOULD GET YOU KILLED BRAT.**

_Where have you been? You were silent the whole time I was talking with the tree._

**UNLIKE YOURSELF BRAT, I HAVE MANNERS, AND WHEN ANOTHER DENIZEN OF THE FOREST IS SPEAKING, IT IS IMPOLITE TO INTERRUPT. **Naruto scoffed,

_Jeez, a demon with manners? I'm beginning to think that anything's possible in this world._

**SHUT UP AND GET READY, YOU ARE NEARING THE BEASTS' CAMP.**

Naruto sniffed the air, and the smell of blood, fur and feces met his nostrils, causing him to gag slightly. He stopped jumping just short of a clearing. He crouched low, and peered into the camp from the branches of the tree.

What he saw was something he wouldn't forget.

The camp of furbolg was relatively large, and Naruto felt a slight pang of guilt for yelling at Jon, as they did have a reason for being afraid. It was a series of tents made from what appeared to be leather, with markings painted on the side. They were all spread around a large, yet crude house made of uneven, broken logs and dried grass.

It wasn't this that bothered Naruto so much; it was the creatures that populated the area that did.

They were, to put it bluntly, the most disgusting creatures he had seen. They went hand in hand with Orochimaru in the level of disgust that was generated when he saw them. They were big, about six or seven feet tall, with white fur surrounding their whole bodies. They had huge, bear-like faces and claws, and were all clad in dirty brown loincloths. Some carried crudely made axes; others poorly made staves or clubs. Each seemed to have a snarl on their face at all times, and talked in low, guttural growls as they picked apart the carcasses of deer, squirrels or other forest denizens. They ate the meat raw; devouring it in large, messy gulps, blood staining their white fur. Naruto got sick just watching them eat.

**THEY ARE LUCKY, ABLE TO EAT WHENEVER THEY WANT.** Kyuubi groused.

_Stop complaining, baby._

**I LOATHE YOU.**

Naruto said nothing more, and continued to watch the disgusting creatures; before he tried to re-conjure his battle plans within his mind. All thoughts of a direct assault were banished when he saw a furbolg push over a tree with ease and scoop up some bugs that had made their home beneath said tree. Unfortunately, he had no camouflage techniques in his arsenal, and wondered what he should do.

**WHATEVER IT IS, DO IT QUICK, IF THEY CATCH YOUR SENT, YOU ARE DONE FOR.**

Naruto blinked, and realized the Kyuubi was right, so he took his thinking up a level, and suddenly had an idea. Ero-sennin has told him the element of surprise was the best thing for a ninja to have, and that using it properly led to confusion on the enemy's part. Naruto would do just that, confuse them.

Forming a seal, Naruto whispered, "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu**," creating ten clones, and then sent them to form a circle around the clearing. When they had all arrived in their proper places, he dug into his weapons pouch and pulled out an explosive note. Attaching it to a kunai, he aimed and hurtled it into the camp, aiming directly for the large cabin. As soon as he heard the distinct **thunk** in the wood, he readied his clones for action.

**BOOM!**

The explosion lit the camp with a bright, orange light; it blew apart the cabin, and sent several furbolg sprawling. Just as he suspected, the whole camp went into a frenzy, letting out roars of anger and bloodlust. Whilst they were still flailing around in confusion, Naruto took the initiative. His clones leapt from their positions, and hurtled shuriken into the mass of furry bodies. Several went down, and the rest charged forward to beat the clones into submission. Naruto, of course, wasn't about to let them, so he guided the clones back into the forest, the furbolg hot on their trails. He didn't know the range of his kage bunshins, so he would just have them flee until they disappeared.

The camp was relatively empty now, with only about six furbolg crouching around the smoldering ruins of the cabin, howling. Naruto moved from his position and jumped into the camp, alerting the furbolg to his presence. They didn't move, however, and for a second Naruto wondered why, that question was soon answered.

Out from the burning ruins of the cabin, a shadowy figure came. Naruto quickly identified its lumbering posture and large size as a furbolg, but realized quickly it was larger than any of the others. Naruto watched in horror as it stepped from the fire, almost completely untouched by the flames. The furbolg was large, with pitch-black fur and in its hands it clutched a large staff. A green stone hung around its neck.

Naruto knew at once that this was Ferocitas the Dream Eater.

The monstrous furbolg stomped forward, growling lowly. The six smaller furbolg moved with it, and they made their way towards Naruto. He tensed, his hands near his weapon pouch and his eyes trained on Ferocitas. The giant furbolg stopped a few yards from Naruto, and it seemed to grin. Then, to Naruto's astonishment, it spoke in a low, growling voice.

**"YoU ArE a TrIcKy LitTle HuMAn. YoU ShAlL Be the FiRsT OnE I EaT. HaHAHaHAhAHa!"**

"Jeez, not even I speak that bad." Naruto muttered, before grinning at the creature and shouting, "sorry, I don't taste very good, my kunai here, however, might be more to your liking! Enjoy fur breath!" He quickly drew a kunai and hurtled it at Ferocitas. It imbedded itself in its right shoulder, and the furbolg leader cried out in agony. It ripped the kunai out and pointed a claw at Naruto, roaring,

"**KiLl HiM! BrINg mE HiS HeAd!" **The other furbolg roared, and charged the boy, bearing their teeth and brandishing their crude weapons. Naruto jumped back and formed a seal, shouting "**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"** He created five clones and rushed forward with them, drawing a kunai and launching himself at the nearest furbolg. He slashed the kunai across the monster's ribcage, eliciting a howl from creature. He avoided a swing from the creature's axe and jumped over the beast, imbedding his kunai in the top of the furbolg's spinal cord and then dragging it downwards. Hot blood exploded from the wound, and the furbolg died instantly. His clones weren't fairing as well, as two had already been destroyed. There were still 4 furbolg plus Ferocitas left, and Naruto didn't want to take his time, lest the camp return en masse.

Wanting to end it quickly, Naruto began a rush of seals, and shouted, "**Katon: Housenka (Mythical Fire Flower) no Jutsu!"** Five, basketball-sized fireballs erupted from his mouth and sped towards the remaining furbolg. Two of them found targets, the other three missing. The two furbolg that had been struck flailed around in agony as the flames consumed them, but eventually they stopped moving. The remaining furbolg charged at Naruto, hoping to gang up on him. Naruto, however, didn't let them. He performed another set of seals, and then shouted, "**Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu (Inner Decapitation) no Jutsu!"** Two of the three remaining clones suddenly dove underground, and seconds later they had pulled both furbolg into the ground, leaving only their heads visible. Naruto and the remaining clone moved forward and decapitated the furbolg, blood shot like a geyser from the stumps of the creatures' heads. The two that had buried themselves using the Shinjuu Zanshu erupted from the ground on both of Naruto's sides, both grinning like foxes.

Ero-sennin had witnessed Naruto's expertise with the Kage Bunshin no jutsu and had decided to take the technique another step further. Combined with the chakra control techniques he had learned, Naruto was able to subtly direct his already molded chakra into his clones, and as a result, have them launch the intended technique. He could even have two clones launch the same technique, though the power would be noticeably less, it didn't matter for something like Shinjuu Zanshu, which relied on the user's strength, and didn't matter how much chakra was put into it.

He silently thanked Ero-sennin for teaching him that, and then turned to stare at Ferocitas, who had remained motionless for the whole fight. The large furbolg grinned, and growled,

"**YoU are InTerEsTing, HuMan, BuT I WiLl KiLL you AnYWays!"** Ferocitas then swung its staff and moved its hand in a strange fashion, before forming what was unmistakably a hand seal, a strange one, but a hand seal nonetheless. The creature then bellowed, "**FelRot ViNeS!" **There was a brief rumbling sound, and suddenly huge vines erupted from the ground, entangling Naruto and his clones. The boy quickly disabled the clones before the vines could close anymore around them, and leapt out of the way. Ferocitas scowled, and then swung its staff at Naruto, who was still in mid-air. The staff connected with his side, and Naruto was flung back from the force of the strike.

_Damn, this bastard hits as hard as Oba-chan!_

Naruto lifted himself to his feet, and rubbed his side. The monstrous furbolg advanced on him, forming another, yet different series of seals, and growled, "**FelRot WiTheR!" **A poisonous green mist shot from Ferocitas' hand and straight at Naruto, who leapt out of the way. Thinking he was out of danger, he shot forward, only to have a searing pain explode into his back. He gasped, and stumbled. He moved his hand to wear the pain was emanating and felt a sticky wetness, when he drew his hand back in front of his face, he saw that it was blood.

**IT IS A CORROSIVE POISON; BRAT THAT LIKELY SEEKS OUT THE NEAREST SOURCE OF CHAKRA. I WILL GET RID OF IT, DESTROY THIS FOOL.**

_Thanks…I guess._

The pain dulled and eventually disappeared, and Naruto stood up once more, shocking Ferocitas.

"**HoW? My FelRot WiTheR ShOulD be EatIng YouR FlEsh now! YoU ShOuLd not Be StAndinG!"** Naruto grinned, and stuck out a hand, smirking as he said,

"But I am, furry bastard, now lets see how you handle this." A blue sphere of light began to form in Naruto's right hand, a churning ball of chakra that was called the Rasengan. Thanks to the chakra control training, Naruto could now form it in one hand, rather than two. When he had fully formed it, he rushed forward, shouting,

"Take this! Rasengan!" He slammed the glowing sphere of chakra into Ferocitas, who had clumsily attempted to block with its staff. The sphere blasted through the staff, and smashed into the furbolg leader's chest. It buried itself in, ripping away flesh and bone and cartilage like they were nothing. The Rasengan then blasted Ferocitas away from Naruto, sending it flying into the ruins of its cabin, where it lay, unmoving. Naruto lowered his hand, breathing heavily.

He moved into the cabin ruins and towards Ferocitas' body. Naruto was shocked he saw the creature was still alive, albeit barely. Ferocitas looked at Naruto, its eyes glazing over, and it spoke in low gurgle.

**"YoU WiLl NoT SaVE the SpIRit, BoY, IT IS AlReaDy GoNe. HiS CurSe is ImpOsSible to BreAk, AHaHAhAhAHAhaH!" **Ferocitas died quickly after that. Naruto scowled, and walked over to the body, ripping the emerald off the leather cord that bound it to the creature's neck. He grinned, reveling in the fact that he had done what the tree had asked, then sniffed the air, and realized that he had to get back, unless he wanted to be ripped apart by the returning furbolg.

Turning away from the ruins, he jumped away from the camp, heading for the village.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

When Naruto emerged from the forest, he was tired and especially hungry. His whole body ached, but he wouldn't stop until he had delivered the emerald to the tree. He rushed through the village, passing several people, who gave him odd and surprised looks. He ran behind the elder's house, and found that Jon and several other people, including the elder himself, were watching the tree. Naruto walked wearily up to it, and the people present looked at him in surprise. He was covered in bruises and scratches, and blood as well. Jon moved forward, saying,

"Naruto? What happened to you?" The boy didn't spare him a glance as he walked in front of the tree. He held the emerald up and spoke, loudly and clearly.

"I brought the emerald!" There was silence for a second, and the tree spoke, not just to Naruto, but also to everyone.

_THANK YOU, CHILD. I AM…WEAK, AND YOU HAVE BROUGHT IT…JUST IN TIME. I HAVE…LITTLE…TIME LEFT, AND SO I WILL TELL YOU…WHAT I HAVE PROMISED. GO TO THE GREAT CITY…STORMWIND…AND SPEAK WITH THE PRINCESS. SHE WILL…HELP YOU. WEAR THE PENDANT YOU RECEIVED, AND SHE…WILL SPEAK…WITH YOU. THANK YOU…FOR YOUR HELP. WHEN I HAVE…DIED…PLACE THE EMERALD WITHIN THE POOL…GOODBYE, YOUNG HERO._

Naruto gasped when the tree gave a great shudder. Its leaves suddenly began to drop off, and its dark blue bark turned black. When it was leafless and dead, Naruto walked forward, placing the emerald in the pool, and stepping back. There was a bright glow, and Naruto watched as the tree began to sink within into the pool, until it was gone. Then, in a bright flash of green light, the emerald rose to the surface of the water. It began to disintegrate, and Naruto saw that something was inside it. When the last of the green had disappeared, a small object was all that remained. From behind Naruto, the elder moved to the edge of the pool, and gasped.

"A seed…" he whispered.

And so it was.

The tree would rise once more.

Naruto could already feel the protective barrier rise up once more.

A great cheer erupted from the group around the pool, and Jon moved forward, standing at Naruto's side, slack-jawed. Naruto grinned up at him.

"If a kid like me could do this, then what makes you think you couldn't?" Jon blinked at Naruto, and smiled down at him.

"Thank you, Naruto."

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The following day, the villagers had gathered outside near the entrance of the village, smiling and waving to the boy who had saved them. Naruto stood in front of the village elder, wearing a satchel, loaded with food and supplies. The old man smiled down at him and said,

"We cannot repay you for what you have done. You have shown us that we cannot rely on the protection of the tree forever, and must learn to fight for ourselves. You have also saved our village. Thank you." Naruto grinned at the man, and said cheerfully,

"Don't worry about it." Naruto turned to Jon, who handed him two bottles. "What's this?" Naruto asked.

"Two healing potions, they could be useful for the trip." Naruto smiled and took the bottles, tucking him into the satchel. Jon then said,

"If you're ever in town kid, come by my house, and I'll get you another job." Naruto grinned and saluted him. He turned to go, but suddenly remembered something.

"Ah! The old lady!" He dug rummaged around in his pocket, pulling out a leather bag (he sighed, as he still missed Gama-chan), and pulled out two silver, before rushing into the crowd. He found the old woman easily by her scent, and handed the money to her, grinning as he said, "Told ya' I'd pay you back! I don't go back on my word." He turned and rushed back to the front of the crowd, stopped, waved one final time, before walking through the gates, following the road all the way into the forest.

When he was out of sight, the old lady from the inn walked forward, smiling, and stopped next to Jon.

"What a strange lad, eh?" Jon smiled, keeping his eyes focused on the road and forest.

"You bet he is, but I think we'll be hearing more about him." The old woman chuckled.

"Of course we will, he's Naruto Uzumaki."

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

So, how'd you like it?

This little chapter was mainly meant to introduce the world and set up the journey Naruto's going to be going on.

Please give me any feedback, especially about the battle scenes, since there is going to be a lot more of that coming up.

Next: Naruto journeys towards Stormwind, and we meet the Princess!


	4. Princess Kira

I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft yet if I did I would no doubt have had this made into an anime already.

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Princess Kira Wrynn was bored.

Very bored.

She was sitting on her bed in the palace of Stormwind, gazing out the large window on the great city. She found herself doing this often, simply because she had nothing better to do.

The castle had become boring to her.

This wasn't surprising, seeing as how she had inhabited it since she was born, and throughout her thirteen years of life she had explored practically every nook and cranny of it. When she was little, it was not an uncommon site to see her and her handmaid, Kylia, sneaking through the corridors, or pilfering loaves of bread or pieces of chicken from the kitchen. Kylia had usually been an unwilling accomplice in the escapades, and every time tried to talk Kira out of it, but when she couldn't, went along to make sure she wasn't hurt. This usually ended with both of them being caught, generally because of Kylia's clumsy nature. Kira knew the girl always meant well, but she couldn't move a foot without bumping into something, or tripping over another thing, or knocking something down.

Kira smiled as she remembered those times.

Back then, everything was simple, and she never worried about what she did. She had had all the innocence and playfulness and child should have. She had been invincible.

But, as she grew, she began to listen, and the sense of invulnerability had begun to fade. It first began with her hearing the stories that the guardsmen told in their mess hall, which she had frequented when she was child, despite her father's obvious displeasure at her doing so. The stories at first seemed like distant, worlds away problems, which you would never believe could happen to you. You would be sympathetic, but just brush it off later, worrying about your own life.

Then, one night, she heard that the family of one guardsman had been butchered in their house. Eaten alive by the monstrous entities that plagued the north to this very day.

The Scourge. 

She had gone to her father that very night, in tears, and told him the story she had heard. He had of course, heard it before, but when he found out his daughter new of it, he knew he had to explain.

That was the day her innocence had begun to die.

She had been just over seven years old at the time.

Shortly after, her father had gone to the ancient archbishop, Benedictus, and requested that he begin to train her. The old man had heartily agreed, and soon after Kira had begun the rigorous and taxing training to make her into a Priestess.

Just like her mother.

At that point, Kira was broken out of her musings, by a knock on the door. She turned swiftly, and saw Kylia enter the room, a tray bearing bread, milk and cheese in her hands. Kira smiled at her handmaid and best friend, and spoke,

"Hello Kylia." The small, dark-haired girl smiled at Kira, and set the tray down on the bedside table, near where Kira was sitting. Kylia was thin and quite pale, which accentuated her pitch-black hair and soft, blue eyes. She was in almost stark contrast to Kira herself, whose skin was tanned bronze, and whose hair was a shade of brilliant golden blonde. Her eyes were a striking violet, which her father said she inherited from her mother.

"Good day, my lady." She responded, demurely. Kira rolled her eyes, and said,

"We're best friends, Kylia, you'd think you'd be able say my name at this point." She picked up a piece of bread, slapped a piece of cheese on it, and began to eat. Kylia, meanwhile, blushed and looked down.

"It would be improper, my lady," she responded. Kira snorted, but said nothing as she ate. She gestured for Kylia to join her in eating, but the girl declined, saying that she had already eaten.

When Kira finished, Kylia spoke once more.

"His holiness, Archbishop Benedictus wishes to see you, my lady." Kira looked surprised, frowning as she said,

"Why? My lesson isn't until tomorrow…" she looked at Kylia, who shrugged embarrassed, and said,

"I am not privy to his holiness' thoughts, as you are, my lady." Kira smiled, and stood, preparing to follow the smaller girl out.

"You should be glad of that, Kylia," she said laughing. She then walked past Kylia as they entered the corridor, and as she walked away from her room, she called over her shoulder, "You'd better start calling me Kira, or I'll have to burn it into your brain myself."

She walked away, smirking as she thought of the smaller girl's reaction.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Archbishop Benedictus was not the kindly old man you would expect him to be.

He stood tall, even at the age of one hundred and four, without any of the signs that usually accompanied old age. His shoulders were as broad as a soldier's, he did not hunch over, but stood up straight, and his wrinkled, weathered face had every year etched into it. His eyes were a piercing gold, and he wore robes to match them. His hair was whitewashed with age, and he had a trimmed, dapper beard. He was an impressive figure to behold, and it was impossible to not notice when he entered a room.

He was not an unkind man, merely wizened and humbled by ages of war and death. Yet despite all that, he had a powerful spirit, and the people of Stormwind looked up to him as much as they did King Anduin himself.

He also had a rather strange view on women.

But that shall be explained later.

Kira entered chapel, and she was instantly aware of the ancient Priests' presence. It was a bond that they shared, and had shared since the first day he started to train her in the arts of the Priesthood of Stormwind.

The chapel she stood in was one that Benedictus had added in the years following Kira's training. It was designed so that she didn't have to cross half the city to enter the Great Cathedral, and allowed them to study in peace, without the interruptions that the Cathedral would certainly bring.

Kira walked towards the place where she new the old man would be, at the altar, likely reading some sort of manuscript. Sure enough, as she walked down the aisle, she saw a crop of gold up near the great stone altar, and hurried up, ready to announce herself.

Then she heard the snoring.

Sweat dropping, she walked up to the unconscious priest, who was slumped in his chair, a large book lay open in his lap, and he had a contented smile on his face.

_Well, _she thought, shaking her head, _he is old, so this isn't surprising…_ She suddenly got an excellent idea for a prank, and with a grin, she searched the altar for a pen. Finding one, she dipped it in the ink it came with and made her way to the old man, grinning.

Inches away from the Benedictus' face, his eyes shot open, and she dropped the pen in surprise.

"I wasn't born yesterday, my dear." He said, yawning, before fixing the girl with his penetrating stare.

Kira flushed a little, and then muttered, "I'll get you yet, old man."

He chuckled, then stood up and stretched, before replacing the book on the altar, and returning to his seat.

"I suppose you are wondering what on earth you are doing here on your free day, correct?" he asked.

"Correct," she mimicked.

"Little snot…" he mumbled affectionately, before speaking again, his face serious. "I called you here because I feel that a great change is coming, one that will involve you, Kira. I am not here to mince words, so I will get to the point, if anything changes in the near future, such as the arrival of someone, or something, do not be afraid, it is there to help. Second, be wary of your father, and do not speak to him of the matters we speak of here."

Here, Kira frowned, and said, "Why, father would know what to do about it, wouldn't he? He needs to know anything that could be beneficial in the war…doesn't he?"

Benedictus sighed; he knew perfectly well of the devotion Kira had to her father, since her mother had died when she was only a toddler. Getting her to keep a secret from her father was incredibly difficult, and the King new as such. Anduin had never really trusted Benedictus', as in the king's youth, the Archbishop had staged a small coup, that had displaced the King's guardian, High Lord Bolvar Fordragon, for a small period, as he had believed that the fool wasn't doing an adequate job in keeping the people of Stormwind protected. After the coup had been defeated, and Bolvar had returned to power, Benedictus' hadn't been punished, but afterwards, Bolvar had likely filled King Anduin's head with foolish tales of how the ancient Archbishop couldn't be trusted. When King Anduin had taken the thrown for himself, he rarely had consulted Benedictus, on any sort of matter, and only after High Lord Bolvar had died in the service of protecting Kira's mother had the King begun to trust him again, likely out of necessity. The old man knew that the king made Kira speak to him of every thing she learned, probably under the pretense of sounding interested in his daughter's training.

Shaking his head, Benedictus looked her square in the eye, dead serious. "I believe your father may play a large part in the upcoming change as well, I'd rather not let this change be a negative, for him or for you. Therefore I would like to keep it a secret from him, if only for now. Can you do that?"

Kira looked torn for a second, but sighed and nodded.

He smiled, "Good, now, tell me, since we last met, have you met a boy that you like?" he asked grinning slyly.

Kira blushed fiercely, and snapped, "No! Why are you asking me that anyways?"

The old man laughed, then schooled his features once more and said, dead seriously, "If you meet a boy early, then the chance of you becoming a serpent-like harlot are greatly lessoned, you'd best remember that."

Kira scowled, and new that Benedictus' saw this in every woman. Kira had no idea why he viewed women as both "snake-like" and vile, but with the exception of her mother, and herself (though he argued that she was still a girl and could be saved yet), he never had a kind thing to say about women.

Benedictus snorted at her scowl before saying, "Now, let's get in some studying shall we? You might as well work since you're here."

Kira muttered something, but took up a chair, and began to listen.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto was dead tired as he trudged through the forest, traveling along the road, which supposedly led to the great city of Stormwind.

_If it's so great, then why is it in the middle of a goddamn forest?_ He thought annoyed.

He had been traveling for almost two days, and even at shinobi speed, it was quite the journey. He had no idea how far away it was, but it had to be quite the distance if he still hadn't reached it. He hadn't met much on the way that had posed a threat. He had come across a couple of wolves that scampered off when he approached but otherwise he had encountered nothing.

He was both grateful and angry for this reason.

On one hand, he had no idea what the creatures in this world were like, and if they were anything like those furbolg, then it was a blessing that he hadn't met anything else.

On the other hand, he was bored to near tears.

The day passed on, and as darkness approached, Naruto decided to stop for the night, settling down in a tree near the road. He ate some bread that had been packed into his things, sipped some water, and then settled down to get some sleep.

And sleep he did.

At least until, about an hour before dawn, he awoke to a strange sound.

A sound that sounded not unlike laughing.

The pitch was quite high, so it was somewhat of a girly cackle, rather than a full-blown guffaw. He then began to hear the rustling of bushes as they brushed up against something, or rather, something brushed up against them.

Whatever it was, he could hear several of them moving.

He tensed, all grogginess gone, and stood up peering down through the branches to the ground. He saw several dark shapes moving at the base of the tree and near the road. They were circling the tree, pausing every once and a while, and Naruto could hear the telltale sniffling of an animal.

They were predators searching for something.

_Me most likely_. He thought, drawing a kunai. But he then grinned, _finally, some action!_

Naruto jumped.

He landed right at the base of the tree, right next to one of the shadows, and slashed it with his kunai. It went down with a squeal, and instantly the others turned towards Naruto.

In the pale moonlight, Naruto could finally see them.

They were small, but not the most pleasant looking creatures. They had dog-like faces and snouts, brownish fur covering their bodies. They were covered in small, black spots, and shaggy black hair sprouted from their backs. Some wore ripped trousers, and carried small weapons, such as daggers. Others simply bared their teeth, and raised their clawed hands, giggling in anticipation for a meal.

Naruto grinned, an excited rush running through his body. He could feel the Kyuubi eager for battle as well.

He wasn't going to disappoint.

One of the creatures shot forwards, raising a rusty knife as it went. It struck out at Naruto, who dodged easily and drove his kunai into the creatures' stomach. He spun as another attempted to claw him from behind, and slashed its throat, spilling its blood out onto the ground. He leapt upwards, avoiding several more strikes and landed on the underside of a branch, using his chakra to stick to it. Then, he ran through a string of hand seals, and sucking in a large breath, he bellowed out, **"Katon: Goukakyuu (Grand fireball) no jutsu!**" He exhaled a massive ball of fire, which flew into the mass of dog-creatures and exploded, sending them flying. Some got up, others remained on the ground, never to get up again.

The surviving ones, instinctually knowing that they stood no chance, began to flee, but Naruto decided to not give them the chance. He summoned a large group of clones, which bounded off in front of the fleeing creatures, cutting them off. The beasts fought fiercely, cutting, clawing, biting, and bashing clones as much as they could, but Naruto and his clones quickly overpowered the creatures, destroying them utterly.

Naruto returned to his tree, a whole lot happier.

He didn't go back to sleep, and left soon after breaking his fast.

He vowed to get to Stormwind that day.

He left, moving through the trees at a quickening pace, leaving the dead bodies of the creatures behind.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Really sorry about the wait, I was gone all of July, and I had other things to do the rest of time, and I'll admit that this is hard to write, because I find it's hard to write things other than action.

To answer some of the reviewer's questions, here's teen-idol and whore Paris Hilton!

Hey everybodie! it's paris hilton here, like, answering some of, **cough cough**, yer revuews!

**Occisor**- like, general grievous, like, plays on the, um…**Burning Blade** server, **Horde** side, and his caracters name is um…**Myrdraxxis**, a rogue.

**Dairokkan**- oh yeah, he's um, like **cough cough** (drinks some more booze, and adjusts her slutty outfit to look more slutty). Going to be um…meeting lots of heroes and bosses…like to um… name a, like, few: ( to those who have never played WoW, ignore this) the Lich King, Onyxia, Nefarian…etc. they will, all, um…like have there…own um like story arc…umm kay.

Let's hear it for Paris Hilton, the stupid, spoiled whore!

As for pairings, they will be much later, and I am planning on a threesome of Naruto x Sakura x Kira. I don't know why I am doing a threesome, but I think I can pull it off, and those are the only pairings I have planned as of yet.

Read and review, and I'll really try to get the next one out much faster. I apologize again for the wait, and the shortness of my chapters, I wish I could write long, epic ones, but I think I might have ADD or something.

-General Grievous.


	5. Hogger and Arrival

**Disclaimer: If I had a nickel for every time I owned Naruto and World of Warcraft I'd have a piece of lint, a grocery store receipt and a mechanical pencil without any lead.**

I changed the rating as some may have noticed, mostly out of fear, but the violence level will also go up as the story progresses, as will the erm…sensuality.

**Thanks for the reviews, people, and here's yet another installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_**

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Since his encounters with the creatures, Naruto hadn't stopped in his journey along the dusty forest path that leads to Stormwind. He bounded from tree to tree, eyes set dead ahead, searching for any sign of civilization. The blonde was glad of his incredible stamina, as it allowed him to travel for long periods without stopping to rest.

**YOU CAN THANK ME FOR THAT, BRAT.** The Kyuubi rumbled from the depths of Naruto's mind. The fox rarely spoke to Naruto anymore, only speaking up if he had something to insult or berate Naruto about. The blonde found it increasingly annoying, but had eventually settled to just ignore the creature, unless it had some sound advice, though it rarely did.

Naruto finally did stop, around noon, near a large tree. Sitting down in the shade, he took out some meat that had been packed, and a canteen of water. He began to eat, staring up through the trees absent-mindedly. His mind began to wander, and instinctively, he began to think of Konoha. He wondered if Ero-sennin had returned yet, to inform Obaa-chan of his disappearance, and he wondered what the woman's reaction would be.

_She'll probably beat the crap outta' him for losing me,_ he thought, grinning a bit. Thoughts of the buxom Hokage led to thoughts of Sakura, and he wondered how she would take the news.

_Would she be sad? Or maybe happy that I'm gone so I'm not in the way of Sasuke anymore?_ He shook that thought away, and settled on her being sad. His thoughts began to drift away from her, (thought they were never very far from the pink-haired kunoichi anyways) and he thought of the other members of the Rookie Nine, and Team Gai.

_They are all getting stronger…_he thought. He had to get home quick, so he could finish his training to fulfill his promise to Sakura.

Naruto finished his meager meal, and wondered briefly if ramen existed in this world.

_If it doesn't, then these people are savages…_ he thought. He hadn't had a decent bowl of ramen since he had left Konoha. Anything that wasn't Ichiraku ramen wasn't, as far as Naruto was concerned, real ramen. This had earned him quite a few enemies in the form of ramen chefs who took great offence to their ramen being compared to instant ramen. Ero-sennin had begun refusing to take him to ramen restaurants because one way or another, Naruto pissed off the chef when he found out the ramen sucked.

Packing his canteen away he got up and made to leave, when he heard a familiar sound reach his ears.

It was the giggling laughter that had accompanied the creatures from earlier that morning.

He drew a kunai, and looked around, trying to locate the source. But the laughter seemed to come from all sides, and Naruto sniffed the air. The scent of the creatures, a musky smell was blended with blood and the smell of a wet dog was everywhere. He backed up until he was standing in the middle of the road, and then he spotted them.

They emerged from both sides of the road, all clutching small weapons, daggers, clubs, broken tree branches, anything that could be used as a weapon. All of them had shit-eating grins on their spotted faces, some drooled, others grinned and all of them were giggling.

Naruto fell into a ready stance, smirking a little.

"Back again, freaks?" he said, brandishing his kunai. One of the creatures howled and the others answered with laughing barks. Naruto didn't understand it, but from what he could tell, one had insulted him.

He would be the one to go down first.

He rushed the creature, and dodged its dagger-thrust, slashing it across the face with his kunai, and then kicking it in the chest. It flew backwards, smashing into a tree and falling limp.

The others immediately swarmed Naruto, thrusting with daggers, swinging clubs, and slashing with small axes. Naruto's teeth clenched as he felt a few stinging blows fall on him, but he was able to avoid most, slashing, kicking and punching at any of the creatures that came within his field of vision.

Naruto grunted as he received another cut to his left arm, and realized that standing in the middle of the crowd of hostile creatures wasn't the bet of ideas. He gathered chakra into his legs, and leapt high into the air. He whipped out four shuriken, and hurtled them downwards, while performing several seals and shouted,

"**Shuriken Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"** The four shuriken suddenly became several dozen and they plowed into the mass of monsters, cutting down several and wounding many. He landed on the edge of a branch and began to perform the seals of Goukakyuu no jutsu, when he felt a blinding pain in his left shoulder, causing his sealing to be interrupted. He looked and saw a small, wooden shaft had been imbedded in his shoulder. A crossbow bolt.

He grimaced, and ripped the shaft out, seeking out the one that had fired it. He spotted it near the back of the mass, shadowed by the very same tree he had been resting under just minutes earlier. He leapt from his branch, speeding towards the creature, which was busy trying to reload the crossbow.

Naruto didn't give him the chance.

He drove a kunai into the creature's stomach, then, still gripping it tightly, wrenched it sideways, slicing through the creature's abdominal muscles and stomach. The kunai popped out from the side, and the monster's entrails spilled out onto the ground, the rest of the creature quickly joining them.

Naruto spun as the group of creatures rushed to meet him, then, to his surprise, stop. They backed away slightly, before they began to laugh again.

Naruto was puzzled. _Are they afraid of me? Or are they just stupid?_ He would have thought more, but suddenly he felt a presence behind him.

And smelled it too.

And boy did it _smell_.

He whipped around, only to narrowly avoid being chopped in half by a large, rusty-looking axe. He backed away, but froze when he saw the axe's owner.

It stood, much larger than any of the other creatures, and much uglier looking as well. It's face was a mess of scars, and part of its nose looked like it had been shorn off, making the front of it flat, like a pig's snout. Its teeth were yellow and dagger-sharp, and its large body rippled with the muscles of a large predator. It wore ripped leather trousers, but had a pair of metal, armored boots. Its left arm and paw were covered in armor as well. Its right hand gripped the massive, double-bladed axe that had nearly killed Naruto.

It grinned, it's hog-like nose sniffling, as if it could smell Naruto's fear.

Naruto broke out of his paralysis, growling lowly.

He wasn't going to let some pig-nosed dog monster scare him!

The creature moved again, quite quick for its size, and swung the axe down at Naruto again. The boy dodged, and slashed at it with his kunai. "Hog-nose" took the cut on the armored left arm, surprising Naruto once again. His earlier dealings with these creatures had led him to believe that they weren't smart enough to truly defend themselves against any sort of attack, other than dodge. This thing was most certainly a hell of a lot smarter.

Dancing away from another chop, Naruto created a clone, causing the creature to stare dumbly at the newly created clone. Naruto took advantage, and both he and the clone attacked as one. The creature recovered, and struck at the clone first. The clone took the hit in the side, but with a burst of chakra from Naruto gave it the time needed to grab the axe handle, and keep Hog-nose from pulling it away. Naruto immediately rushed under the creature's guard and struck out as fast as he could. He launched a dozen thrusts into Hog-nose's midsection, and then punched it in the face, causing it to fall back, letting go of the axe. The clone holding the axe disappeared, and the axe imbedded itself in the ground.

Naruto hung back; breathing heavily, as he waited to the see if the creature would get up again.

It did.

Hog-nose growled as it got up, no longer laughing. It looked past Naruto, and then barked several times, before shifting its beady gaze back to the blonde shinobi. The creatures behind Naruto began to howl, and as they did, Hog-nose charged.

Naruto threw the kunai in his hand at Hog-nose, and it struck the thing in the chest, causing it to stumble a bit. Naruto immediately began to gather chakra into his palm, making it swirl in all directions and concentrating it into a small ball.

With the Rasengan fully formed, Naruto charged Hog-nose, who had recovered and was almost upon the blonde.

The creature swung its clawed hand down at Naruto, who shifted his weight to the left, and pivoted out of the way of the claw. He then thrust the glowing ball of chakra right into the monster's stomach.

The blast exploded through bone and cartilage, impacted the soft innards beneath Hog-nose's ribcage. The Rasengan threw the large beast backwards, and it struck a tree. The trunk splintered from the force of the blast, and Hog-nose was carried straight through it, flying backwards several more yards, before striking the ground, and rolling to a stop.

Hog-nose didn't get up again.

Naruto reveled in the victory for a choice few seconds, before realizing the fight wasn't over yet. He turned to meet the howling group of creatures, who hadn't stopped howling throughout the entire exchange between Naruto and hog-nose.

They suddenly stopped.

And everything fell silent, save for Naruto's soft panting.

Then the howling began anew.

Though the howls weren't from the group of creatures in front of him.

They were from the rest of the forest.

_Uh-oh_.

**YOU'D BEST START RUNNING**.

Naruto refrained from saying _good idea_, because he was already running.

He ran as fast as he could, weaving through the trees.

He could hear the sounds of the creatures' pursuit. The barking laughs, which now seemed to come from the forest itself.

As he leapt, he was suddenly assaulted with a new smell, one that he new well.

_People!_

He increased his speed, leaping off a tree and onto the path, never breaking stride. The path began to lead upwards, and as it did, Naruto chanced a glance back at the pursuing group of creatures.

What once was a group, was now a veritable army. They charge along the road, and Naruto could see some moving in the forest, weaving through the trees and causing the bushes to begin to shake.

He finally reached the crest of a hill, and as he turned back forwards, he saw something amazing.

At the bottom of the hill, he could see two massive, wooden gates. On either side were large, white stone towers, with blue steeples. In the distance, over the stop of the large stone archway that housed the gates, Naruto could see a large towering castle.

This was Stormwind.

He tore down the hill, making his way towards the gates with frightening speed. He could see two men, covered from head to foot in metal armor, both bearing swords and shields, waving at him to stop.

He didn't.

The men looked like they would bar Naruto's path, but both froze, when, he guessed, they spotted the small army of monsters charging after him.

One of the guards began motioning upwards to someone in one of the towers, obviously to open the gate. As Naruto passed them, he gave them a thumbs-up, before leaping up onto the archway, just landing as he heard the whistling of arrows and the battle cries of the two warriors.

He grabbed his last two kunai, and attached explosive notes to them. He aimed both and threw them into the center of the army of the dog-like beings.

The accompanying explosions tore the group in half, causing half to begin retreating, while the other charged towards the gates.

Naruto saw arrows shooting from the small windows of the two towers, while the two guards cut into the group, slicing down monster after monster.

It was over quickly. Demoralized, what remained of the attacking force fled back into the trees, howling all the way. Dozens of bodies littered the ground, and when Naruto was sure it was over, he sat down, breathing heavily.

He thought about passing out, but he heard someone shouting, causing him to look down at the two guards, who were clutching bloodied swords and dented shields, but otherwise looked unharmed.

"Hey kid, come down!" one of them shouted, sheathing his sword as he did. Naruto took a deep breath, still very winded from running, hopping off the arch and landing with a soft _thump_ on the ground.

The same guard who had addressed him walked up lifting of his helmet, allowing Naruto to see his face.

He was young, probably a little older than Iruka, with sandy-blonde hair, and soft grey eyes. His face was slightly chubby, making him seem less threatening, and he had a big grin on his face.

"Wow, that was an impressive jump," he whistled.

Naruto could only grin.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto was dead tired by the time the guards let him in to the actual city, having badgered him with questions for hours. He found out that the creatures were called _gnolls_ and frequently attacked travelers who were unprepared along the road. He also found out that Hog-nose (whose actual name was "Hogger"), the big gnoll with the axe, actually had had a price on his head. The guard who had first spoken to Naruto, whose name was Rictor, sent a few guards back a ways, to see if Naruto had actually done as he said. They had returned about an hour later, with Hog-nose's head in a bag. The men confessed they had never seen any type of weapon do the damage that Naruto's Rasengan had done. While they were curious, Naruto didn't feel like showing them. They were also quite amazed that a boy just barely past his thirteenth year had been able to defeat Rictor sympathized, and sent the men back to their posts, before handing Naruto a small bag filled with silver.

"Your reward," he had said.

Rictor then led him into the actually city of Stormwind, saying that he visit the guard's station any time, as it got quite boring.

Naruto was happy that he had made another friend, so he decided that if he had time, he'd do just that.

_But right now…sleep._

He entered a small inn nearest the gates and got a room for a good price. He entered, shucked off his clothes, and fell asleep almost instantly.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

High up in the castle, Archbishop Benedictus smiled crookedly, and thought,

_Your story is about to begin, Kira, so be prepared._

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

It's slightly shorter than the last one, but its action packed, isn't it?

I didn't know I had it in me!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter; I as of now, I will try to churn out a chapter every couple of days, because I feel bad for leaving all of you hanging for so long, and the story is just beginning to pick up.

As for the threesome pairing, it is going to be a threesome, not a love triangle. It's a bit unrealistic, but I will try to make it as real as possible. For example, Kira and Sakura won't just suddenly decide to share him, so it may start out as a love triangle. I won't say any more, because that would be giving away the rest of the story.

Next up: Naruto tries to sneak into the castle, and we get a glimpse of the threats that loom over Azeroth.

**Bestiary**:

Gnoll (Humanoid): Small, hyena-like monsters that inhabit Elwynn Forest, they attack in large numbers to compensate for their lack of intelligence.

**Hogger** (Humanoid)** (Elite)**: Quest monster, a large, axe-wielding gnoll that has caused a lot of trouble for the Stormwind Army. Smarter than most gnolls, and larger. It's "Elite" status shows that it is much stronger than most gnolls, and hence requires much more power to destroy.

Stormwind City Guard: Protectors of the city of Stormwind.


	6. Dreams, The Meeting and The Mission

**Disclaimer: One time at band camp…I didn't own Naruto or World of Warcraft.**

Here is the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_.

For those who don't know: This takes place several decades after the actual World of Warcraft game, but it contains almost all the main characters.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Kira rubbed her temples, muttering softly to herself as she ascended the staircase nearest her room. Kylia was trailing after her, a sympathetic look on her face.

"His Holiness must be a very harsh teacher, my lady, are you sure you are all right?" she asked, watching the young princess mutter to herself. Kira sighed and nodded, saying,

"You know how he gets…though he did seem a bit rough this time." Kylia nodded her agreement, before moving ahead of the other girl in order to hold open the door to her chambers. Kira entered and flopped down on the bed almost instantly, causing Kylia to giggle slightly before taking a seat in a chair next to her mistress's bed. It had certainly been a long day.

Kylia, who had informed her that Benedictus wished her to come to the chapel at once, though he would not say why, had awakened her early in the morning. So she had dragged herself out of bed and had traipsed off through the chilly castle to the chapel, where the old geezer had proceeded to forcibly enter and pillage her mind for nearly five hours. Priests were a special breed of people, and in addition to serving the Light by learning healing techniques and seals, they learned how to manipulate the mind, casting illusions, inducing headaches and even enhancing an emotion to the point where it became too overpowering to properly function. Kira had chosen to serve and train under Benedictus mainly because that was what her mother had chosen. Her mother had been the most powerful Priestess in the kingdom when she was alive. Kira aimed to be the same.

Her mother also happened to be the only woman that Benedictus had ever trusted.

She had of course, yet to find out why.

After the five hours of torturous training, she had eaten a meager brunch while her father had attempted to glean some information on her dealings with Benedictus. Usually, she would tell him as much as she could, but her heart wasn't into it, and with Benedictus' ominous warning, she kept her mouth shut.

She returned to the chapel after brunch and thankfully was able to meditate for about an hour, most of which she spent trying to force down the rather embarrassing memories that Benedictus had unearthed in her mind. After an hour of meditation, Benedictus had made his daily rounds, visiting the Great Cathedral and stopping by the Infirmary. In the Cathedral, Kira had really nothing to do, so she usually just watched Benedictus bark orders or rebuke the younger priests. Occasionally she'd get to speak with one of them, and over the years she had developed a pretty good relationship with most of the novices and younger priests in the Cathedral.

The Infirmary was where Kira really did shine.

The nurses and healers that inhabited it were all on good terms with the young princess, and many of the long-term patients were as well. Unlike the Cathedral, Kira did have things to do in the Infirmary. Under Benedictus' sharp eyes, she would visit each patient, and depending on the severity of the wound or sickness, attempt to heal them. Her healing skills were great, but it was her ability to manipulate the mind that made her a favorite among the patients. Using a series of techniques, she could dull the pain caused by a magically induced wound, help calm the raging emotions that generally accompanied someone who had lost an arm or a leg, or even, to her displeasure, help ease a person's passing as they died of old wounds or sickness.

When Kira had first been in the presence of a dying person, a soldier whose legs and left arm had been ripped off by gnolls and was delirious from gangrene poisoning, she had known exactly what to do. She had calmed the young man's mind and helped him gently drift off, painlessly, and give in to death.

She had cried for hours after, the image of the dead man's face seared into her brain forever.

She had been only 9 years old when that had happened.

Benedictus had later calmed her, explaining that she had done the right thing in helping the man die. People, especially the young, were instinctively afraid of death. Many who were in great pain, like the man she had helped, were afraid of dying, so they did all they could to try and endure the pain, when in actuality they were simply prolonging it.

_It was this fear of death_, he had said, _that has caused the greatest problems in our history._

Now, after almost four years of visiting the Infirmary, helping people pass and healing the sick, Kira was no longer affected so drastically by the people she assisted in dying. She felt a shot of guilt for each one she did, but she also felt a sense of pride in knowing that a soul was at peace because of her.

After healing a number of people, they had returned to the small chapel and Benedictus had returned to raping and pillaging her mind, while she in vain tried to defend and force out the ancient man.

She never even once could.

The training exercise was designed so not only could she get a sense of how to identify if someone is in, or has been in your mind, but how to defend against it and attempt to counter it.

That was what Benedictus said it was supposed to do, but she had an inkling that he secretly enjoyed brining up her most embarrassing memories and simply got carried away in his attempts to train her.

The end of said training sessions usually involved many rather foul swearing on her part, cursing the ancient Archbishop to the seven hells and wishing for something to gouge his eyes out. The Archbishop would always just laugh and tell her the same thing, which only served to further anger her,

"_Hoo hoo! You curse like a man! My training must be paying off."_

After the session had ended, she had gone to dinner where she had listened to some soldier blabber on about how a small army of gnolls had attacked the southern gate earlier that day, and how some kid had helped drive them off. She normally would have been interested, but she was too tired and her head ached too much for her to really pay attention. She and Kylia had then returned to her room, were she currently was, half-asleep with a pounding headache.

Kira moaned and rolled over to look at her childhood friend and handmaiden.

"Could you turn out the light, Ky'? 'M tired and I have a vague feeling that tomorrow's going to be just as bad," she said. Kylia smiled, and standing up, blew out the lamp next to Kira's bed, before making her way to the door, nearly tripping over a rug as she went.

At the door, she turned into the darkened room towards where she thought the bed was and said,

"Goodnight, my lady, pleasant dreams."

She heard her princess's soft snores in response.

She shouldn't have jinxed it.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Kira rolled around in her bed, her dreams anything but pleasant.

She saw a glowing spiral of fire, and a small, silvery object in the center of the spiral with a pair of glowing red eyes looming in the background.

**She saw a vast forest, with a growing darkness within.**

**  
She saw the darkness purged, and the forest grew once more.**

**She saw herself, the fiery spiral dancing around her.**

**She saw a high mountain, and felt a wild fury from within**

**She saw a great city, bathed in poisonous green light, and heard the sounds of gears and a high-pitched laughter.**

**She saw a vast plain, and another great city, felt a great pride in her heart.**

**She saw her father, wreathed in crimson.**

**She saw a land covered with blood that moved and consumed, and a man with a heart full of dire ambition.**

**She saw a city, broken in body, but not in spirit.**

**She saw a building bathed in crimson.**

**She saw a land bathed in moonlight, where the sun never touched.**

**She saw a great cavern, and a pair of violet eyes cutting into her soul.**

**She saw a great city, bathed in fire and blood.**

**She saw a land of fire.**

**She saw a great swirling of cherry blossoms.**

**She saw figure, bathed in crimson light.**

**She saw a great mountain, atop a darkness threatened to overflow, and below it a great inferno raged.**

**She saw a figure, enshrouded in darkness, with a snake coiled around it, ready to strike. The snake had eyes golden and terrifying, with a long tongue and fangs that dripped poison. But the figure was cold as ice, and his heart was frozen.**

**She saw a monstrosity that came from the skies, gushing poison and fear.**

**She saw a land of ice, and her soul was frozen.**

**She saw an icy, cold void, a figure in the center. She heard the agonized screams of thousands of people, and grew very afraid.**

**She saw nine shadows, their backs to a burning dawn.**

**She saw a mighty black tower, reeking of evil, in a world far away. She saw it's master, shrouded in black, with eyes so mad she could not stand to see them.**

**She saw nothing more.**

Darkness took her.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Kira awoke, bathed in sweat, gasping for breath.

_What was that?_ She thought, sitting up and wiping some sweat off her face. The dream had been strange, and so vivid and clear that she wondered if it was truly a dream at all.

She looked out the window, and saw the first signs of daylight peeking above the horizon.

She sighed, _it's not like I wasn't going to get up soon anyways…_she thought. Yawning, she got out of bed and began to dress for the coming day.

A day she would never forget.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Elsewhere, in an inn not far from the southern gate, Uzumaki Naruto awoke to the sounds of the city. The bustling and constant murmur of voices, the whinnies of horses and the gentle clacking of wheels against the cobbled street all blended in to a surprisingly rhythmic and rather pleasant sound, that Naruto had no qualms awaking to.

'_S better than waking up surrounded by monsters, or worse, Ero-sennin's snores'._ He got out of bed, yawning, and looked around the brightly lit room. He walked over to the window and glanced out into the street. He saw people walking and talking, merchants yelling out prices or advertising their wares, and a couple of mounted warriors wearing armor that bore the symbol of Stormwind, a golden lion's face, on their tabards. He stood there a few moments, simply taking in the view, before he realized what he had been sent to do.

'_Right, gotta find the Princes's._ He dug around in his pocket, and brought out the silver pendant that was responsible for him being here.

'That tree spirit said that if I show her this, she'd help me'. He hoped it was right. He had spent too long in this world, and needed to get home if he was ever going to bring back Sasuke. He even, though he would never admit it aloud, missed Ero-sennin's company. The man was a horrible pervert, but he seemed to generally care about Naruto, and he was fun to be around. 

'_Better get going then.'_

'I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK THAT YOU WERE SIMPLY GOING TO STAND THERE ALL DAY, BRAT.'

'_Shut up, fox.'_

He left the room, and hurried downstairs. He paid the woman at the desk, who kindly accepted his money and asked him how he slept. He said well, and with a wave, left the inn, and turned left down the street. He remembered seeing the castle straight ahead of the gates, so he made his way back there and when he spotted the castle looming over the rest of the buildings, started in that direction.

As he walked through the streets, he saw many different shops that served many of the same purposes that shops in Konoha had. He saw a grocer, several bars and restaurants, and various weapons vendors. He also saw strange shops, whose windows contained strange artifacts, and their vendors screaming "Magical objects, authentic!" He was tempted to go over and look around, but decided that it would be best to head for the castle first.

**Ruuumbbble**

If he had been with someone else, he would have blushed at his stomach's protest at not being properly fed. Deciding to forgo the rations he had been given back in the village, he decided to find a restaurant on the way.

That hopefully sold ramen.

Whenever he spotted a restaurant, he would stop at the doorway and take a whiff of the interior. Generally he wouldn't be able to distinguish between the smells in such a crowded area, but he was looking for a very special smell, one he had known since he was very little.

None

He didn't even catch a whiff of something remotely like ramen as he walked away from the tenth restaurant. He was getting quite close to the castle, and still he hadn't found anything like ramen.

He was about to give up and simply get something else, when he caught a whiff of something.

Ramen! 

It was faint, but he quickly honed in on the smell, to find a small, ratty looking shop whose sign said in fading bold letters, "Stormwind Noodles."

Without a moments hesitation he entered the little restaurant and looked around. It was a square room with brown, hardwood floors and walls, with several rickety looking tables and chairs. He saw a door on the far side of the room, which smelled like a bathroom, and another on his right, which smelled like the kitchen. He seated himself at one of the tables, and picked up the menu.

A surprisingly pretty girl, with chestnut brown hair and soft brown eyes walked up to him, smiling.

"What can I get you, little boy?" she asked cheerfully. Naruto bristled a little at the "little boy" remark, but let it pass, not wanting to make an enemy out of the only person who made ramen in the whole city. He looked at the small menu and looked at the choices.

Stormwind Noodles:

**Fish Noodles – Our famous noodles with a variety of chopped, fresh fish as well as several unique spices.**

**Chicken Noodles- Noodles with chicken and a blend of spices to give it a kick.**

**Prawn Noodles – Noodles with a rare type of prawn from the coast, thrown together with our special spices.**

**SPECIAL**

**Kodo Noodles – Noodles with the meat of a kodo added in along with our special spices.**

Naruto looked up at the girl, a little confused.

"Um…what's a kodo?" he asked, looking at the girl, slightly embarrassed.

The girl giggled a little and answered him, "Don't look so embarrassed, kodo don't live around here so it's not so uncommon that you haven't heard of them. They are a large species of lizard that live in Kalimdor. My father got a good deal from a goblin trader a couple of days ago, so that's what he made for the special. Would you like to try that?" She smiled again at him, waiting patiently for an answer.

Meanwhile, Naruto was trying to figure out what Kalimdor was, and wondered briefly what a goblin was. He decided it couldn't hurt so he nodded, "Yes, thank you."

She smiled and vanished into a doorway across the room from Naruto's table.

She returned several minutes later, a steaming bowl of noodles in her hands.

"Enjoy!" she said, smiling at him. He grinned and taking up the fork she had given him, began to eat.

He had never tasted something so refreshing, so full of flavor. The taste of the meat was almost like beef, but had a drier texture and had more of a kick to it. It was almost as good as the miso ramen from Ichiraku's.

As he ate, the girl watched him, and after awhile, spoke.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Naruto blinked at the question, and slurping up some noodles, responded,

"Why d'you think that?" She smiled.

"You eat differently than everybody else, you hunch your body over the food, as if its going to get away from you, and you talk different, if only slightly. Where do you come from?" Naruto panicked, his mind racing.

**TELL HER TO GO BOTHER SOMEONE ELSE** Kyuubi thundered.

No! 

He responded simply, "Konoha." She frowned a little, a looked thoughtful for a few seconds, before saying,

"Never heard of it."

Naruto relaxed, and watched then decided to ask a question of his own.

"So, have you lived here long?" She nodded, though her face did darken a bit.

"Yes, I have lived here since I was very little, and before that I don't really remember much about where we lived. My father moved me here just after the Alliance fell apart, and my mother died. He made this restaurant all by himself, and I've been working here since I was ten." Naruto smiled a little, and finished his noodles. He politely declined, (even if his stomach was begging for more) another bowl and stood up, fishing out some coppers to pay her.

"It was great! I hope to eat here again!" He meant every word of it too. She smiled, accepting the money and following him out the door, waving a small goodbye. He grinned back at her over his shoulder, and then hurried off in the direction of the castle.

He would definitely go back before he left.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto reached the castle gates minutes later, and was awed by the size of it. It was made of the same, white stone that the towers on the city gates were made of, and roved with the same blue shingles. The castle towered above him, making him wish that the Hokage's tower was more like this. It was certainly intimidating.

As he attempted to cross the threshold, which led into the castle courtyard, a pair of soldiers wielding spears stopped him.

"Sorry, kid, but nobodies allowed in the castle without an invitation." Naruto frowned up at the two men, and realized that it was rather foolish of him to expect they'd let a total stranger into arguably the most important building in the entire city.

'**MY AREN'T WE PERCEPTIVE?'**

Shut up! 

He sighed, and realized it wasn't going to be that easy. He noticed that both soldiers were men, and with a grin, he began to mold his chakra and performed a seal.

"**Sexy no jutsu!**"

Naruto vanished, and in his place a gorgeous blonde girl with two ponytails stood, clothed in absolutely nothing. He cooed in a high-pitched voice,

"Oh pleeeeeeassseee! I need to get in right away!" S/he folded his arms under his/her breasts, staring at the two guards in his/her best representation of a sexy look.

He blinked, releasing the transformation, as he realized he hadn't had to go that far. Both men lay unconscious on the ground, a trickle of blood dripping from each of their visors.

_Too easy…these guys must not get out much._ Rolling his eyes, he strode past them, and then, realizing he was in the open, hurried into a small bush near the castle wall.

Knowing that the guards wouldn't be out long, he crept along the base of the castle wall, looking upwards for a window to enter. There were about a dozen to choose from, but he needed one that led into an empty room.

It wouldn't do to enter a room with someone dressing in it.

As he spotted a good one, near the corner of the castle about two stories up, he swore he heard a faint laughter but shook it off as a mere trick of the wind.

He never learns.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Kira muttered angrily to herself as she stalked up into her room.

Stupid old chauvinistic codger! 

Benedictus had worked her to the point of near exhaustion that morning, both in learning staff skills and trying to defend her mind from attack. By the end she had been drenched in so much sweat that Benedictus had scent her away to go change and wash, but not before teasingly remarking on how she smelled much more like a man.

She grinned viciously as she planned revenge against the old man, which involved sneaking into his room and filling his undergarments with a powder that was created from grinding up fire ant carapaces and would cause a nasty burning sensation in her teacher's nether regions for several hours afterwards.

Who says pranks were for children.

She had already bathed, and was on her way to change. She entered her room, still grinning at the thought of revenge, and dropped her towel and began to search for something to wear, wishing she knew how Kylia sorted her dresser.

She was just slipping on some panties when she felt a presence enter her room, emanating from the window.

She turned; lightening fast, and her eyes met the surprised and shocked blue ones of a blonde-haired boy, who was crouching on her windowsill.

Both of them froze, staring at each other, as a horrible blush appeared on the boys face, one that she knew matched her own.

The boy spoke first.

"Hehe…you wouldn't happen to be the Princess, would ya'?"

She responded with what she deemed appropriate at the time.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto thought he had been careful.

Naruto had thought that that particular room would be empty, as there wasn't a direct smell coming from it.

In retrospect, he realized that that was likely because of the breeze, which had carried the scent away from his nostrils.

If anything, what were the chances of someone being in their room at this time of day anyways?

Undressed no less.

Apparently, for Naruto, pretty good.

So he stood there, gazing at probably one of the prettiest girls he had ever seen in his life, who had little more than a pair of panties on.

He wondered if he should be glad, or horrified that he could even think of being glad.

So he said the only thing that had come to his mind at that time.

"Hehe…you wouldn't happen to be the Princess, would ya'?"

Apparently that didn't go over so well, because the next moment he was subjected to the most piercing shriek he had ever heard,

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!" Startled, he very nearly fell off his perch on the windowsill, as the girl gathered up some of her bedspread to cover her upper body. Panicking he began waving his hands and saying soothing words like,

"Wait, I'm not a pervert! I just need to see your breas- Ack! I mean Princess! I'm not here to hurt you I swear! Please stop screaming!" When the girl didn't, he leapt off his perch and grabbed the girl covering her mouth quickly, muffling her screams.

Unfortunately, this caused the girl to start flailing around, attempting to get away from the blonde, which caused her to drop the bedspread, revealing her nude chest, and Naruto, in an attempt to stop the girl from flailing, grabbed her around the middle, pinning her arms to her sides.

He also got the unfortunate (for her) position of squeezing her developing chest.

Mollified, he let go instantly, and the girl took this advantage, grabbing Naruto's shoulders, and then forcefully ramming her knee into his groin.

He let loose a high-pitched squeal, and stumbled backwards away from the girl. She suddenly performed a few fast hand seals (strange ones), and held her hand out, palm facing him. It began to glow golden, and she adopted a threatening look.

Which, of course, was totally destroyed by the fact that she was topless.

She spoke,

"Who the hell are you? An assassin? Or just a stupid, perverted boy? Answer me or I'll kill you!" Naruto didn't look at her, instead digging around in her pocket and pulling out the silver pendant. He held it up, and the girl froze. He then said,

"Someone said…that you'd recognize this…he said that you could help me get home…"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Kira stared at the silvery pendant openly, her eyes wide.

Is that…no it couldn't be… 

The pendant matched the one that her mother had owned. It was one of the few things she remembered about her mother. She had only been a little girl, barely three or four, when her mother had died on her way back from helping a small town on the border near Ironforge. A band of Scourge had attacked, and despite her power, her mother and her mother's guardian, High Lord Bolvar Fordragon, had been killed in the attack. The pendant had never been recovered.

She forgot her anger and nakedness, her eyes fixed intently on the stone.

That's mine! 

She said this out loud, and the boy blinked. With his eyes still turned away, he tossed the pendant to her, and she caught it deftly. She held it gently in her hands, gazing at it amazed. It was exactly as she remembered it. Her mother always had let her play with the pendant when she was a baby, and before she had died, had told her it was to be hers one day.

She looked at the boy again, who was staring at the ground, blushing. She wondered briefly why, and then remembered that she had no shirt on.

Blushing an intense shade of red, she quickly pulled on the shirt she had gotten out, and promptly remembered that the boy had barged in and could possibly be dangerous. She watched him warily, and then remembered the boy's words.

"Who said that I would recognize it? Who sent you here? Why do you have my mother's necklace?" The boy looked like he was about to answer, when a loud knock on the door captured both their attentions.

"My lady! Are you alright? We heard you scream!" It was one of the guards that patrolled the floor. The boy looked terrified, and directed a pleading look at her. She frowned, and then decided if she turned him in, she wouldn't get any answers.

She shouted back,

"I'm fine! I just saw a rat! It surprised me…" She shot a look at the boy that said, "You owe me" and then turned back towards the door.

The guard responded,

"Well, if you're okay…" She heard him move away and when his footsteps were out of hearing range she turned back to the boy.

"Talk."

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto nodded.

"This is gonna sound pretty strange…believe me. I found the pendant in a river, a coupla' yards away from me and my teacher's campsite. Thing is, I'm pretty sure it was in an entirely different world." The girl looked at him disbelievingly and so he continued, "I told ya' it would sound crazy…but hear me out. I woke up and I was in a big, way different forest…I then found a village where I stayed for a coupla' days and tried to find out where I was. Ever hear of Fire Country?" he asked, looking hopeful. She shook her head, and Naruto sighed. He continued,

"Thought so…neither had any of them. That's where I'm from…and where I found this pendant. In the village I stayed in, there was this big tree…that protected them from the monsters in the forest. But someone cursed it, and I had ta' go and break the curse, and the spirit in that tree told me that you would recognize this and help me get home…" The once again looked at the girl hopefully.

She just looked stunned. They stood in silence for a few minutes, before she spoke,

"I'm not saying I believe you…but the idea of other worlds isn't too far-fetched…and I have heard of this village that you spent time in. But if what you are saying is true…I still have no idea how to help you get home." Naruto was crestfallen, and slumped back against the wall, looking downcast. The girl winced at the blonde's reaction and a twinge of pity welled up in her, feeling for the boy.

She was about to say that she could ask her teacher, when Benedictus' earlier words came to her.

_I feel a great change is coming, one that will involve you, Kira. I am not here to mince words with you, so I will get straight to the point, if anything changes in the near future, such as the arrival of someone or something, do not be afraid, it will be to help._

Could this be the one to help?

Everything, her mind, heart and soul, screamed _YES!_

Could this short, rather cute-looking ruffian really help her?

She had to find out.

"I know I can't help you…but I think that there are other's who can. But I am not going to tell you yet, because I want something in return first." The boy's head shot in surprise and he grinned at her.

"Anything!" She smiled a little back.

"Sit down…this is going to take some time to explain. If you are really from another world, then you're going to need a history lesson before I can ask you this favor." The boy sat down in the same chair Kylia had occupied the night before, while she took the bed. Crossing her legs, she took a deep breath and spoke.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

" **Once, many years ago, this world was not as chaotic and violent as it is now. It was peaceful and according to our ancestor's accounts, one of the strongest countries and kingdoms ever.**

**  
This changed with the arrival of The Scourge, and The Burning Legion.**

**The Scourge was a race of undead monsters, resurrected by an age-old evil, which called himself the Lich King. The Lich King let loose a vast plague, which took the lives of thousands, maybe even millions. Those that fell victim to the plague came back to live, as mindless servants of the Lich King. He scoured the world, his armies destroying hundreds of towns and killing millions of people.**

**The Burning Legion was equally as monstrous as the Scourge. It was said to be led by demons, which through the darkest of rituals and techniques had brought an army of otherworldly beings into this realm. The orcs, big green and brutish things were the first of these races, and it is said that the Lich King himself was once an orc.**

**Nevertheless, our world was besieged by war and it looked as if it would never end. Bravely, the kingdom to the north, Lordaeron fought the Scourge with a seemingly undying spirit. The champions of the light of Lordaeron, Uther Lightbringer and his apprentice, Prince Arthas Menethil, did everything in their power to stop the Scourge from taking control. Arthas however, fell victim to the power of the Lich King, and in a flash, betrayed his human brethren and killed his master Uther, as well as his father, under the orders of the Lich King. He disappeared then, and the kingdom of Lordaeron fell.**

**Many of the other races of Azeroth began to band together as well, to drive off the Burning Legion, which was eventually broken up with the destruction of the demon Archimonde, and then the Scourge. The orcs, once our greatest enemies, became our allies as we fought these two forces to the best of our abilities.**

**Unfortunately, the alliance didn't last, and we became enemies of the orcs again. We humans forged an alliance, then, with three other races of Azeroth, the Night Elves (immortal, beautiful and powerful creatures) led by Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind, the Gnomes (small, intelligent beings) by High Tinker Mekkatorque, and the Dwarves (short, sturdy and hearty warriors) under King Magni Bronzebeard. This became known as the Alliance, and we opposed both the Scourge and the other races of Azeroth…the Horde.**

**The Horde consisted of the Orcs, under the Warchief Thrall, as well as the Trolls (powerful, cunning creatures with bluish skin and tusks), under the cunning Vol'jin. Also came the Tauren (great, bull-like beings, masters of the earth) under High Chief Cairn Bloodhoof, and finally the rebels of the Scourge, known as the Forsaken, led by the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner and the Dread Lord Varimathras.**

**  
Both sides fought each other with everything they had, and at the same time tried to deal with the Scourge and the recovering Burning Legion.**

**Then the Alliance began to break apart. It started when the Gnomes lost their home and city, Gnomeregan, and they dropped out of the Alliance, focusing all their resources on getting their city back. The Elves went next, when Malfurion Stormrage vanished, and a dark force began to assail them. Finally my father and King Magni got into an argument, my father believing that Magni should relinquish his position as King and allow my father to become the High King of the Alliance. Magni, greatly offended, dropped out, fighting the Scourge with his own forces, and leaving Stormwind to its own. What once was a great alliance were now four separate entities, each too wrapped up in their own affairs to help each other. It was only our luck that the Horde fell apart as well.**

**The Banshee Queen, Sylvanas Windrunner, left the Horde, intent on destroying a faction that caused her so much trouble, known as the Scarlet Crusade. Shortly thereafter the Tauren left, though we know not why. It is said that their sacred lands were being pillaged, and they needed to focus on it, rather than obeying the word of Thrall. The Horde fell apart completely when Thrall offended Vol'jin, and though they had once been as close as brothers, they became almost enemies, and the Trolls left to regain there homeland, in the jungles of the Stranglethorn Vale.**

**Two great powers were now eight separate, far weaker ones. Trade between the former Alliance members was tenuous, and even now the Dwarves hold us humans in great contempt, while the Gnomes trade with us merely to gain supplies in order to continue their assault on Gnomeregan. The elves have not left their island of Teldrassil.**

**The Lich King has been taking advantage of this, and we only grow weaker as his forces swell.**

My plan…is not to re-establish the Alliance, but to form a new one. One that includes all the races of Azeroth. It is only by doing this, do I believe that we can destroy the Scourge once and for all."

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"That is my favor. I want you to travel to each of the heads of the races and inform them of my plan." She looked at Naruto, who was still processing the information, before he finally responded.

"You…want me to just ask them? Tell them 'cause you said so, they should band together?" Kira flushed, a little embarrassed and slightly annoyed.

"You think you have a better plan?" She said, scowling. The boy looked thoughtful for a second, and then responded.

"'S not really a better plan, it's just the way of going about the plan that's different. They ain't gonna just band together because you said so, 'cause it sounds like some of them have some really bad blood between them." He looked down a little, an intense look on his face.

"I suppose I could try…but why me? Just a few minutes ago, you thought I was some perverted assassin. Now you're willing to entrust a mission that's so important to me, who you don't even know. Why?"

Kira sighed, and looked down at her hands resting her lap. She new she sounded childish with her request, and she herself was not quite sure why she was so quick to trust this boy. She looked up at him again and spoke confidently,

"To tell you the truth…I don't know. My teacher told me that a great change was coming in the future, and that I should embrace it. I think that you are that change. As for why I am entrusting you with this mission…I guess you could say that I feel that it is right to trust you…and you had my mother's pendant. If it brought you here, then it must be for a reason. That's what I believe. It's stupid, and childish, I know, but, I am willing to put the future of our kingdom and world in your hands."

Naruto blinked, looking a little dazed.

Getting home isn't going to be so easy again…is it? I SUSPECT NOT 

Naruto looked at her, his eyes glowing with determination.

"That's…a pretty heavy burden. I don't know if I can deal with it…'cause I got my own problems as well. I'm not comfortable with accepting this, unless I know more about you, and if possible, you know more about me. If you know my life story, and you still want me to help, I will. But I want you to promise…that if I do this…that you will help me find a way home. Geeze, I'm saying all this to a girl whose name I don't even know." She giggled at little, and then sat up straight, once again in story telling mode.

"Well, my name is Kira Wrynn, I'm thirteen years old and…"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

When Kira finished, Naruto countered with his own life's story. By the end, Kira was not only shocked by how much this boy had gone through, but how, in the end, he had remained a good person. She felt her respect for the boy rise, which she did admit had been pretty low since he had seen her topless, and she knew that he was the one that would help. It was nearly sundown by the time they had finished, and both were kind of hungry.

Kira promised to sneak in some food for him, and for him to stay put, as apparently the guards downstairs had long since recovered from their Sexy no jutsu-induced unconsciousness and had alerted the rest of the palace to be wary and keep an eye out for him. She left him with a word of warning not to leave her room, as the guards would not enter unless they had permission.

When she left, Naruto leaned back in the chair, his mind churning with the new knowledge he had gained.

_Why am I helping her? Don't I have to get home? Or was I really brought here for a reason?_

DO NOT LET FATE DECIDE FOR YOU. MAKE YOUR CHOICE, AND PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT. THE HUMANS THAT YOU CONSTANTLY DREAM ABOUT WILL LIKELY UNDERSTAND IF YOU DO THIS.

_Are you sure I can do this? This is on such a huge scale, if I fail, then this world is doomed._

THEN DO NOT FAIL. WHERE DID YOUR CONFIDENCE GO? ARE YOU REALLY THE ARROGANT LITTLE BRAT THAT I HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED WITHIN? HE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT FAILURE, HE DID WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS RIGHT. I KNOW YOU ARE HE, THOUGH YOU HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE FIGHT WITH THAT BOY. I KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO, SO JUST DO IT.

Naruto blinked, and wondered what had inspired the Kyuubi to try and help him,

_Thanks, fox._

SNORE… 

Naruto sweat dropped at the Kyuubi's guttural snore.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

When Kira returned, half and hour later, carrying a small sack of food, she found the boy perched on her windowsill, grinning.

"Throw me some of that food, and lets get this show on the road!"

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Woo! Another chapter finished in the span of a couple of days!

Your reviews really helped me do this, by the way, so thanks for all the positive reinforcement.

A couple issues to address:

I won't use the word "spell" or "jutsu" to describe things (unless they are spoken by a person) because they are the same thing, so I will just use "technique"

I will not be changing the pairing for Naruto, so it won't be anything else than NaruSakuKira. I happen to like Sakura, especially during the current manga arc. I'll agree with you that Sakura was a little bitchy and useless at first, but she is now currently one of the coolest characters in the manga. I am an avid NaruSaku fan, so I won't be changing it, sorry.

However, I will listen to suggestions for other pairings in the story (including OC and crossover pairings)

I didn't go into detail in describing Kira and Naruto's lives, because you will gradually find out about Kira's life as the fic continues, and you already know (or should know) Naruto's story.

As for the dream sequence, Kudos to anyone who can figure out what some will mean. You won't be able to get all of them, since some are directly related to the story, but some should be pretty obvious to either Naruto fans or World of Warcraft fans.

This has been my longest chapter, and I hope it has given those who don't know about Warcraft and insight into the world, and for those who do some fond memories.

I am not sure if the history is entirely correct, (I have only played World of Warcraft, and some of Warcraft 3) but I have tried my best.

I also would like suggestions on techniques that Naruto will learn.

Naruto will probably attain many techniques from many of the different classes in the game (except Priest) but I would like help as I go along so I don't drastically overpower Naruto. (He will get powerful, but I want it to appear real)

Thanks for the reviews, and I will hopefully get the next chapter out soon!

General Grievous


	7. The Journey Begins, Orsson

Disclaimer: I saw a squirrel! But I don't see any way that I own Naruto or World of Warcraft.

Here is the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto watched and ate some of the bread that Kira had given him as she paced around the room, her head down and an intense expression of concentration on her face. After hearing that Naruto was willing to help her and go through with the mission, which _still_ surprised her, she had begun to think of possible ways that Naruto could carry out the mission to make the best time, and with the least hassle.

As far as Naruto was concerned, completing this mission was not only going to take a great deal of time regardless, but it would contain an enormous amount of hassle, and no amount of thinking or planning was going to help. Besides, Naruto wasn't a thinking kind of guy; he just did it, and dealt with the consequences as they came. He thought on his feet, and always had. It had gotten him into trouble several times, but it had gotten him out of trouble many more times.

Kira suddenly spoke up, her determined eyes gleaming,

"I've got it! After you leave here, you should head north, through the mountains. Up there is Ironforge, the city of the Dwarves, and directly west is Gnomeregan, the fallen city of the Gnomes. Since both are, and almost always have been, our greatest allies, it should be easy enough to convince them to rejoin the Alliance." Here Naruto interrupted her, by asking,

"If I do get them to agree, how are you going to organize it? I may not be very good and all this political junk, but I do know that unless you sign a treaty or something of the sort, the alliance isn't really official, right?" Kira nodded, not in the least cowed or angered by Naruto's question.

"Yes, but that's what I'll be doing. I'll convince my father to patch things up with King Magni. My father and King Magni have been good friends for many years, and I think that all Magni is waiting for is an apology from my father, because he is smart enough to know that he can't defeat the Lich King by himself. But he's too proud to just accept my father's conditions, and my father, unless I do something, isn't going to just apologize like that." Naruto sighed, but then asked,

"What about the Gnomes? They aren't going to much help unless they got their city back." Kira looked a little troubled at this, pondering somewhat further.

"Well, if you go to Ironforge first, and convince King Magni to join, then I'm sure he will send help with you when you go to the Gnomes." Naruto nodded, still not entirely sure.

_If the Gnomes wanted help, then they easily could've asked Magni already, right? So why do they fight by themselves?_ It bothered Naruto a bit, but he decided that he would probably find out the answers to his questions when he got there.

He finished his food, and leapt of the windowsill, brushing himself off.

"If that's all, then I probably should get going right?" Kira nodded, before a thought struck her and she hurried to her dresser. She rummaged around through it, and then produced a box, which she set on her bed, and opened. Confused, Naruto watched the girl pull out several, very valuable looking trinkets, before walking over to him, and holding her hand out to him, the trinkets clasped in it.

"Take these, you should be able to buy some weapons and supplies, and enough to buy a ticket for a gryphon, which will get you into Dun Morogh. They used to go directly to Ironforge, but nowadays they'll likely only take you just inside the mountain range." Naruto blinked, looked at the jewelry, then back at Kira.

"You serious? They must be really valuable…are you sure you want to give them to me?" She smiled, and nodded.

"Yes, they're mostly just gifts from rich nobles that my father has over to dinner occasionally, and I never wear them anyways, so they are just wasted here." Naruto nodded, taking the jewelry and tucking it in his pouch. He needed some new weapons anyways, and wondered if the local weapon-smith carried any kunai or shuriken. When he looked up again, Kira was facing away from him, her hands clasped behind her back. She spoke,

"Thank you…for doing this. I know that it can't be easy, stranded somewhere with no way to get home, and putting off finding a way to get home just to do a mission that I asked you to…I'm sorry." She turned back to him, and found him grinning.

"It's nothing, I'll always help out a friend!" She stared at him in shock, before smiling widely. She had never truly had a friend her own age, other than Kylia, because her father kept her at the castle, and she and Kylia were the only children currently housed in it. The boy's expression then turned somber, and he said,

"Don't worry, I'll do everything I can to help, but you gotta promise that after this is over, you help me get home, okay?" He grinned again, "I won't fail this mission!"

She laughed; the comical grin on the boy's face was enough to break anyone out of a mood.

Naruto blushed a little,

She's really pretty when she smiles… 

BEING UNFAITHFUL TO THE GIRL WITH THE LARGE FOREHEAD? I THOUGHT YOU LOVED HER.

I do! Shut up bastard! 

Kira looked a little confused as the boy radiated a small amount of anger and embarrassment, and she felt something else as well, but she couldn't make it out. It was like trying to listen to someone talk on the other side of a wall. You could just barely hear them, but it was muffled and you couldn't understand what they were saying.

Could that be the demon he was talking about? 

Truthfully, it had originally unnerved her that such a seemingly kind boy could hold something as evil as a demon. From what he had described, the demon was incredibly powerful as well, so for a while she had been a bit afraid, but once he had explained that the demon couldn't do anything but speak to him, and lend him (when he asked) power, she had relaxed.

She was broken out of her thoughts when Naruto hopped back up the windowsill, and grinned at her over his shoulder.

"I guess I gotta go…don't worry! I won't fail! Promise of a lifetime!" He stuck his thumb up, grinning at her, and then leapt from the window, disappearing into the darkness outside.

Kira stood there, watching the open window, before walking back and sitting on her bed.

"I believe you…"

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**PROMISE OF A LIFETIME…WHERE HAVE I HEARD THAT BEFORE?**

_Shut up._ Naruto focused on this thought, almost shouting it in his mind, as he landed softly on the ground below Kira's window. It was dark out, but Naruto had no trouble seeing clearly in the dark, yet another ability that he had inherited from his demonic tenant.

He hadn't meant to say that last part, as it brought up too many memories, but it had just come out, unbidden. He had now made another promise, and Uzumaki Naruto never broke his promises.

Sighing, he crept along the inside of the castle wall, back towards the gate. The wall that surrounded the castle was pretty tall, and just below it there were several cliffs that Naruto had no intention of climbing down. When he caught sight of the gate, he saw that, oddly enough, there weren't any guards posted.

A trap? 

He cautiously sniffed the air, and though he could smell the traces of recent human contact, there weren't any in the immediate vicinity.

Nodding to himself, he hurried towards the gate, intent on getting out as fast as possible.

"Hohoho…going somewhere, child?"

Naruto froze at the voice. It was tired sounding, and slightly raspy. It possessed a touch of humor and an even greater touch of power.

Shit…how did I not smell him? Or even sense his chakra? Who is this guy? 

He turned towards the voice, ready to do battle, when a shape materialized out of the darkness. An old man appeared, garbed in robes of flowing gold, with a long white beard, an imposing stature, and piercing golden eyes. He carried a large staff in one hand, which he wasn't leaning on, instead standing strong and tall.

Naruto tensed, he had learned long ago not to trust old people. Despite their age, they generally possessed more power and skill, and where a bit craftier than younger people.

The old man laughed a little, and spoke calmly,

"You need not be afraid, boy, I'm not going to hurt you, or try to capture you. Doubtless, you have already met my student, Princess Kira? I am Archbishop Benedictus."

Naruto blinked, recognizing the name, and relaxed. So this old man was Kira's teacher.

"Whaddya' want, old man?" Naruto may have learned to be wary of his elders, but he certainly didn't respect them.

Benedictus looked somber and serious for a second and spoke softly.

"I only came to wish you good luck…you will need it, I should think. This little plan of my student's will be much harder to accomplish than either of you realize. I will do my best to help her in her endeavors to convince the King, but you are going to be the key in the success of this plan. I trust that you will do everything you can in order to accomplish this task." He stared at Naruto a moment longer, who stared right back, before breaking into a sly smile.

"If you need any help in getting my student's hand in marriage, you come to me. She needs a good man so that she doesn't grow up to be a vicious snake like most women." Naruto blushed a furious shade, and sputtered indignantly for a few moments.

"I don't wanna marry her!" Benedictus shook his head, sighing.

"I do not condone premarital activities of that sort, boy, but I do believe that they would do her some good."

Naruto blushed even more, squawking,

"Ahhh! Don't say that! I'm too young to think about those sorta things!"

Without giving the old man time to retort, Naruto bolted through the gates, and made for the city streets. Benedictus' laughter followed him the whole way.

Benedictus watched the boy run, his eyes twinkling.

_This is the beginning, the rest will be history._

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The next day Naruto ate a quick breakfast at the noodles shop, (this time he ate to his hearts content, as he wouldn't be coming back for awhile). The noodle girl, whose name turned out to be Eliza, pointed him in the direction a quality weapons shop, and he found it with little difficulty.

The owner of the weapons shop was a beefy, sweaty man with bulging arms and a scraggly brown beard. At Naruto's request he brought out his selection of throwing knives, none of which were true kunai. He picked up several of them, testing the weight, and found a particular set that was about as heavy as a kunai, so he took those. The man didn't have any shuriken, or anything resembling the sort, though when Naruto described them and showed him one of his few remaining, he said it would take him sometime to craft such an item. But to Naruto's relief, the owner told him that the Dwarves crafted similar weapons, and could easily create a set for him if he managed to gain their favor. Naruto traded the man one of the small trinkets that he had gotten from Kira, which more than paid for the set, and left.

That still left exploding notes. Fortunately for him, creating explosive notes had been one of the first things Ero-sennin had taught him. Being a master of seals, Jiraiya had explained that explosive notes were simply pieces of paper with a certain seal placed on them. The seal was easy enough, and because he had used them dozens of times previously, learning how to ink up explosive notes was something that most jounin had in their inventories. The time that it took for the note to explode, as well as the intensity, was all in the original sealing. One could alter the seal to have a very powerful explosion, but a very short time limit, or vice versa. Naruto was most certainly grateful that Ero-sennin had taught him that.

So, he found a shop that sold paper supplies, as well as ink and some brushes, and spent an hour or so inking up some more explosive notes of different varieties for him to use. It left him slightly drained, but that quickly passed as the Kyuubi refilled his reserves.

Next, Naruto searched around and purchased some more food, as well as a pair of boots and a cloak. Kira had said that Dun Morogh was a snowy, cold place, and he had no desire to wear his ninja sandals and a t-shirt when he was knee-deep in snow. The boots were a light leather, and weren't very heavy at all. The cloak was a simple woolen traveling cloak, and Naruto decided it was the best he could do. He also purchased a leather, long-sleeve shirt, black, to give him even more warmth. He didn't load up, because he didn't want to be slowed down by lots of heavy clothing, and he could easily keep himself warm through the combination of the Kyuubi's chakra and the clothes he had purchased.

When this had been completed, Naruto ate another meal at Eliza's noodle shop, and then followed her directions to the gryphon stables.

The stables were at the northernmost end of the city, nearest to the mountains. They were set right next to a blocked off road which apparently went all the way through the mountains towards Dun Morogh. Eliza had told him that the road had been closed off for because not only of the many dangers that plagued the mountains, but also because of the falling out with the dwarves. As Naruto walked into the stables, he couldn't see any of the gryphons that inhabited it, but he could smell them. It was a musky scent, like a bird's, but also reminiscent of a cat. It was mixed in to the many other smells such as meat, dung, straw, and human. There was also a heavier scent, one Naruto didn't recognize, but was a lot like that of a human's. A man walked up to him as Naruto entered.

"Need somethin' kid?" he asked. The man was short and stocky, with pitch-black hair and small grey eyes. His face was covered in scratches and scares, though he didn't appear to be in any pain.

"Yeah…I need to hire a gryphon and a rider to take me somewhere, if that's possible." Naruto pulled out the sack that contained Kira's trinkets, jingling it a little to show the man that he had the money necessary for a trip.

The man's eyes lit up at the sound of the clinking valuables, and smiled.

"It is possible…'course, it depends on where yer' goin'."

"I need to be taken as close to Ironforge as possible." Naruto responded without hesitation. At this, the man's eyes lit up even more, and he grinned wider.

"Tha's possible, its gonna cost you, though…I only got one dwarf rider here now, and the King doesn't like it when humans enter dwarven territory." Naruto dug around in the sack, and pulled out two large golden rings, both heavily laden with jewels. The man grinned, took both of the objects, and said,

"There's a bar, a coupla' streets south of here called _The Gryphon's Haven_, go there in a coupla' hours and look fer a dwarf named Orsson. He's gonna be taken yeh." Naruto nodded, and left.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto entered _The Gryphon's Haven_ two hours later, having spent most of it talking with Eliza and learning more about the history of Stormwind. He even met her father, who turned out to be surprising like old man Ichiraku, except he had a beard and a shorter temper. Now, full of noodles, and after nearly twenty minutes of trying to locate the bar with the gryphon master's vague directions, and ready to ride, he was attempting to locate the dwarf Orsson.

_It would help if I knew what a dwarf looked like._ He thought.

DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT DWARF MEANS? LOOK FOR SOMEONE SHORTER THAN YOU, AND THAT SHOULD BE HIM.

Bastard! 

Naruto finally did spy someone short, but he didn't look much shorter than Naruto. He had grayish black hair, with a bushy, similarly colored beard. He wore leather pants, shirt, and boots, had thick, leather gauntlets, and carried two, fairly large axes at his side. His face bore several sets of scars, much like the gryphon stable master. Naruto walked up to him, and found to his immense pleasure that the dwarf was a bit shorter than him.

"Are you Orsson?" Naruto asked. The dwarf looked at Naruto hard for a second, before grinning a bit,

"Aye, lad, that'd be me, then you'd be the little bairn thas' been lookin' for a ride ta the mountains, eh?" Naruto looked confused.

"Bairn?" Orsson laughed, which was surprisingly booming, and spoke,

"Aye, lad, bairn is our way fer callin' yeh children, get it?" Naruto sighed, when would people stop treating him like a child?

"I guess so…we should probably go now, right?" The dwarf nodded, and made for the door, Naruto in tow. They stepped out into the afternoon sunlight, and began to walk towards the stables.

"So lad, any reason yeh are lookin' to enter Dun Morogh?" Orsson said it in a casual enough tone, but Naruto could see that he wasn't smiling, and Naruto guessed that his answer would heavily affect his standing with the dwarf. So he did the only thing to do in such a situation, tell the truth.

"Yeah…someone gave me a mission, to help the dwarves and the humans get along better…" The dwarf looked surprised for a second, before grinning broadly.

"It's about time, cause whether we like it or not, we need yeh, and yeh needs us." Orsson sighed a little, before grinning again and continuing, "sorry abou' the that, but I can' be carryin' an assassin or whatnot into me own country now can I?" Naruto nodded, and after a few moments of silence, decided to ask something that had been bothering him.

"I was wondering, why are you here? I thought the dwarves weren't allies of Stormwind anymore, so why are you allowed here?" The dwarf snorted a little.

"Easy, I may not be welcome, but it ain't illegal fer a dwarf to be here, it's only for a dwarf to live here. Dinna ken why, but soon after the treaty broke, the king ordered the Dwarven quarter outta the city, bloody bastard, and all those dwarves had ta either head back home to Dun Morogh, or ta settle in the mountain paths, in the minin' towns tha' are there. He doesn't prevent us from comin' in, cause he can', but he can' stop us from livin' here." Naruto frowned again, and he wondered why the King had suddenly turned from allying with the dwarves, to becoming almost enemies with them in such a short time. Naruto guessed that there was something more than insult going on here, and he hoped that Kira would find out what.

They arrived back at the stables, and after a short hello, to the gryphon master, Orsson led Naruto down towards the back of the stables, where they both entered one of them. Inside was one of the most amazing creatures Naruto had ever seen.

It was large, even bigger than a horse, and was covered in brownish feathers. It had a large, white bird's head with two large, white ears, and big amber eyes. It had two, large front talons as well. Folded at its side were two large, brown wings. Midway down its body, however, the feathers disappeared, and were replaced by fur, and the talons became large, padded paws, and it had a long tail, with a small tuft of dark brown fur at the tip. It was truly a magnificent creature.

"Wow…awesome…" Naruto muttered, grinning like a fox at the sight of the large animal. _I'm gonna be riding that!_ He thought. Orsson grinned,

"Aye, a bute' isn't she? Her name's Eliandra, I've had her since she was a chick…" While Naruto puzzled over the pronunciation of the name, Orsson began to saddle the creature up, a fixing several large straps across its body in order to hold the saddle on. He then tied several sacks, including Naruto's own, and then led the creature out of the stable, Naruto following.

Orsson led the gryphon out of the stall and out the back of the stables, to a large plain where Naruto guessed the gryphons took off from. He stopped in the middle of it, and then with practiced ease, leapt onto the mighty creature, which was an impressive feat for someone who was so short, and had no chakra training as far as Naruto knew.

"Alrigh' lad! Jump up, and we're off!" Naruto did so, leaping lightly on top of the beast, and securing himself in the saddle by tying a large brown strap across his waist. Orsson turned around, and spoke again,

"Here's the deal lad, I'm gonna take yeh to a minin' town about three-quarters the length of the road, and from there yeh're gonna have to go it alone, since its to dangerous to go any further nowadays."

"Why?"

"There have been some attacks down along that quarter, and most gryphons get too frightened to go any further, and trying to go around isn't good either, since Eliandra here can't fly that long, and there are some things in the deep mountains that can easily take down a gryphon and rider." Naruto nodded, but asked,

"What kinds of things?" Orsson responded without pause.

"Mostly goblins workin' for either the Venture Company or other black market companies, who shoot down anybody who they think gets too close, and other types of gryphons, less friendly types, mind yeh." Naruto nodded, and said nothing more, as he waited for Orsson to go.

A sudden lurch startled Naruto, and he watched as Eliandra unfolded her wings, and began to beat them, and slowly she began to rise off the ground. With a powerful screech, Eliandra took off into the sky, moving incredibly quickly.

Naruto had never experienced anything like it.

It was…_amazing_.

No, amazing didn't quite do it justice, this feeling was something Naruto had never, ever experienced before, and he new that now that he had done it, he'd never be able to stop. The sensation of the wind against his skin, and the constant rising and falling of the gryphon's body as it beat its wings, as well as the simple knowledge that he was high above the ground, thrilled Naruto in a away nothing else could.

He let out a great whoop, grinning broadly, and barely heard Orsson's booming laugh over the howl of the wind, and the beating of wings, and Eliandra's periodic screeches.

_I'm buying a gryphon, and that settles it._

Naruto didn't bother to here the Kyuubi's reply (if there was one) and just continued to revel in the experience.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

They flew for hours, soaring above the clouds, occasionally passing through them, and as they did, Naruto couldn't take his eyes off the amazing scenery below. The huge mountains seemed so much less imposing from above, and when they dipped below the clouds, he could see the mountains in almost every direction, as well as the dark grey line that Naruto guessed was the road Orsson had told him about. At one point, he saw a column of smoke in the distance, on his right, and he asked Orsson what it was.

"That'd be the Black Rock Mountains, and ye'd be wise to steer clear o' them, terrible things happen over there. Terrible. They say that the orcs control the upper parts, and the Dark Irons have taken the lower parts, they battle constantly it's said, and the Dark Irons are led by a monster that ah think is as bad as the Lich King. A horrible elemental of fire, named Ragnaros. He enslaved the Dark Irons years ago, and nobody's been dumb enough to go anywhere near there, not since the Alliance crumbled…"

"What're Dark Irons?" Naruto asked.

"Dwarves, but more vicious, and got obsessed wit' crafting things outta a special metal, called Dark Iron, which is only found in the Black Rocks, s'why their named like that. We warred wit' them a bit in the past, afore one o' them was stupid enough to summon that monster, Ragnaros, and they was finished. Best not ask more 'bout that, lad, I get uneasy just thinkin' about that monster." Naruto didn't ask more, and a combination of the fear that had crept into the dwarf's voice as he spoke, and his own rampant imagination, had made him hope that he never met the creature, ever.

It was, by Naruto's estimate, over four hours after they had begun flying when Orsson shouted back to him,

"We're almost there, lad, the town we're touchin' down in is called Margen, s'a small minin' town that I've gotta coupla' friends in, haven't been here fer a coupla' years tho, been flying everywhere else. S'run by a friend o' King Magni himself, named Grundig. I'll tell im' what yeh're hear for." Naruto felt uneasy about that.

"It's supposed to be kind of a secret, meaning that if the King of Stormwind, will try and stop me, his daughter's the one who sent me." Orsson, grinned a bit,

"A lot a sense that girl has, but don' worry bout it, lad, no one will find out, just Grundig, an' I think that he'll be supportive of yer cause. Not many dwarves think that this war can be one by ourselves, and most o' them are willing to ally wit' just about any o' the other races, just to get a better chance at winning. The humans are our closest allies, 'cept for the gnomes, o' course, but they don' seem to want anyone's help, bloody fools."

They descended lower and lower, below the peaks of the mountains, and nearer to the road. They flew along it for a while, until Naruto caught a familiar scent.

"Blood…" he said out loud. Orsson looked at him, frowning.

"Wha's that, lad?" Naruto spoke again, louder.

"I smell blood."

Orsson looked at him, mystified, and was about to say something, but turned forward again to check their progress. Naruto felt him stiffen.

Up ahead, Naruto saw a shallow valley with a small cluster of buildings in the center. However, Naruto saw, with a cold feeling rising in his stomach, that some of the buildings lay in ruins.

Orsson urged Eliandra to go faster, and the two landed just outside the perimeter of the town.

Orsson immediately leapt off, and ran ahead, Naruto following quickly. They passed some battered, ruined buildings, before they arrived in the center. A small group of dwarves stood gathered around something Naruto couldn't see, and Orsson immediately strode forward, looking grim and motioning for Naruto to stay back. He entered the cluster, and placed his hand on one of the dwarves' heads, before he began to speak in a strange language that Naruto had never heard before. His own language was light, fluid and pleasant sounding, but this was thick, heavy and forceful sounding, with heavy stresses on many of the words, and to Naruto's ears it sounded as if he was insulting the other dwarf. The other dwarf didn't look offended, however, and spoke in the exact same language, motioning to whatever they were crowding around several times, then pointing off into the distance, looking angry. Orsson nodded, and walked back towards Naruto, an even graver expression on his face.

"What happened?" Naruto asked.

"An attack, is what is was. A monster came outta the mountains, killed a coupla' sheep, destroyed a coupla' houses, and abducted three dwarves." Naruto felt an anger welling up his body, and felt compelled to ask,

"What kind of monster?" Orsson looked past him, towards where Eliandra, who had followed them, was standing.

"A gryphon, boy, not a normal one, but a monstrous, nearly extinct type that hasn't been seen for ages. We have a name for it in Dwarvish, _Famiteadeamhan_, means, "Giant flying devil" course you humans 'ave come up wit' a name for yourselves, _demogryphon_."

"So you're saying a giant gryphon did this? Why?"

"Dunno, but apparently its been happening for awhile. Supposedly, them Venture Company goblins 'ave been blastin' away large portions of the mountains, looking fer metals and gems and such, they apparently awoke this thing, and its been attacking fer awhile."

Naruto mulled this over as Orsson continued,

"This thing has got a wicked side, tho', its been abducting dwarves, and then brings em back to where ever it comes from. It doesn't eat the sheep, just kills em, and destroys houses, 'afore it flies off into the eastern mountains." This stunned Naruto a bit, a wild animal destroying for the simple pleasure of it?

PERHAPS IT IS MORE THAN A WILD ANIMAL 

_Maybe._

"Why haven't they fought back?"

"They 'ave lad, managed to wound it a coupla' times, but it comes back quickly, almost completely healed, and attacks again." Orsson sighed, looking back at the group.

"It killed a coupla' people this time, and took two more. We're in bad shape too lad, one o' the ones it took was Grundig."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he asked,

"Why haven't they gone after him? Isn't he important?"

"Aye, lad, he's very important, he oversees all the minin' going around here, and without him, I doubt this place would last so long. 'Course, there's nothin' they can do about it." Naruto was about to protest, but Orsson cut him off.

"We'd better get some sleep, lad, its been a long day, and I gotta make another trip in the mornin'" Naruto stared at the dwarf's retreating back in shock.

DON'T PROTEST, BRAT. EVEN YOU CAN'T FIGHT A MONSTER WHEN YOU CAN BARELY STAND.

_What? I can stand just fine! _To demonstrate, Naruto walked forward a bit, only to find that he wobbled a bit.

_Why am I so tired?_ He thought.

EXCITEMENT DOES THAT TO PEOPLE, YOU EXHAUSTED YOURSELF DURING THE RIDE NO DOUBT, AND WITH YOU RUNNING AROUND THIS MORNING, CREATING THOSE WEAPONS OF YOURS, HASN'T HELPED EITHER. EVEN YOU DON'T HAVE UNLIMITED STAMINA, NOT YET AT LEAST.

Naruto scowled a bit, but conceded. He was going to need his strength for what he had planned in the morning.

So he hastened after Orsson, who was untying the packs, and looking grim as well. They then found a small in at the end of town, rented two rooms, and slept.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Well, lad, s'been fun, 'an I hope you accomplish whatever yer meant to accomplish." Orsson was standing near the end of the town where the road led to Dun Morogh. The dwarf didn't look happy in the slightest, and kept glancing back towards the mountains, as if searching for a sign of the _demogryphon_.

"You too." Naruto said stiffly. He still couldn't believe that Orsson was just leaving, and not bothering to help out his friends, his people. He hadn't commented on it, because the dwarf looked like he knew what he was doing, and what he was going to endure because of it.

Orsson put his hand on Naruto's head, which Naruto had discovered was actually the Dwarven way of greeting, and Naruto returned the gesture. He then turned and made his way not down the road, but towards the eastern mountains. Orsson frowned and called after Naruto,

"Yer goin' the wrong way lad!" Naruto didn't break stride as he called back,

"Nah, I'm goin' exactly where I want to go." Orsson looked confused, and pointed towards the road.

"Dun Morogh is that way, down the road."

"Yes, but I think the _demogryphon's_ lair is this way, if what you said is right." Orsson just stared, stunned after the boy, before he stalked up angrily to him,

"What're you doin' lad? Yer goin' to get yerself killed!" He shouted. Naruto turned, looking furious, and shouted,

"SO WHAT? At least I'm tryin' to help! You're just goin' to leave, abandoning your friends and people! What the hell is wrong with you, dumbass? These people need help! They'll all be killed if you leave!" Orsson reeled a bit from the intensity, before shouting back,

"This is suicide! Even the King's soldiers haven' been able to kill this creature! How do yeh expect to do it?" Naruto glared at him again, before turning around and starting up the hill, saying,

"Who cares if it's suicide…it's the right thing, and these people need help. It goes against my _nindo_ to just walk away from something like this." Orsson just stared as the boy hopped up the rocks, making his way into the mountains.

Nindo? Why is this boy throwing his life away? 

Orsson stood there, conversing silently with himself. The boy's words had only increased the guilt he felt for leaving his people behind. According to the dwarf he had spoken to, both of his friends had been taken about a year ago, and were almost certainly dead. He hadn't wanted to stay and help, because he wanted to forget, and without any chance of saving his friends, it was pointless to try and fight.

Even for revenge.

Yet, this boy, this human, was trying to do it by himself. He had no attachment to these people in any way, and yet he was doing it anyway.

It's the right thing… 

Finally, Orsson grunted and ordered Eliandra back to the town, before starting up after the strange blonde.

"Oi, lad! Wait fer me!"

Naruto stopped at the voice, and grinned.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Well, another chapter done. I thought about continuing this chapter all the way until after the fight with the demogryphon but I decided so much had happened in it that continuing it was pointless.

Nothing of interest really happened, but the next chapter will have a great battle in it!

A few things:

_Bairn_ is a Scottish word for child, and I had to stick it in, because I thought the Dwarves would be good with a Scottish accent.

_Famiteadeamha, _is actually a combination of three Gaelic words, _famhair_- giant, _itealaich_- flying, and _deamhan_- demon.

_Demogryphon_ is just "demon" and "gryphon" put together, dropping the "n" of demon.

I will try to bring back both Eliza, her father, and Orsson later in the story, but I can't see any plans in the future for them. Naruto will be meeting a lot of OC's in the future, I think, but I don't plan to bring many of them back.

As far as I know, there isn't really any town called Margen in World of Warcraft. In fact, there aren't any roads that lead directly from Stormwind to Dun Morogh (I haven't really played Alliance very much, so if I'm wrong, please correct me).

The Dark Irons and Ragnaros will return, and play a huge role in a later arc.

Last chapter- I just found out I got something wrong in the History part. The Burning Legion was destroyed, I think, way before The Scourge arose. I am not sure when, so if someone literate in Warcraft mythology clears that up, I will be incredibly grateful.

The summon issue- that's a good idea, and I will probably make it happen soon, but I will make it happen during the Gnomeregan arc, or maybe before. Right now, Naruto hasn't learned any summon specific techniques, so his summoning is on the back burner when compared to the jutsu that Jiraiya taught him, as well as his taijutsu. Besides the odds are that he wouldn't figure it out right away anyways. He's Naruto after all, and since when has he paid attention to Jiraiya's lectures?

By the way, I hope that Naruto isn't too OOC, as I have trouble about what Naruto would do if he were in this situation…

I hope this is good, and please review.

See you next chapter,

General Grievous.


	8. The Demogryphon

**Disclaimer: I can't think of anything witty to write in this disclaimer…I'm so ashamed. Oh, and I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_

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Dwarf and boy hiked for hours up the mountain. Naruto leapt and hopped from rock to rock, while Orsson stumbled and climbed after him, muttering curses under his breath the entire time. Naruto grinned every time he heard the dwarf mutter something, and was happy that he had reconsidered his choice in coming.

Orsson, however, was reconsidering his reconsideration, and couldn't believe that he had been guilt-tripped into coming. He was likely about to get killed, as according to legend, a _demogryphon_ couldn't be killed unless there was a wizard or something of the like around to send barrages of different spells at it, while everyone else attacked. Here he was, accompanying a thirteen-year-old boy, who wasn't much taller than himself, to fight something that powerful.

_I wonder if he has this effect on everybody…_the dwarf thought.

If only he knew.

It was around noon that Naruto caught the scent of something. It was far different than the smells that he had been experiencing all day, and was similar to the scent that had pervaded his senses when he had been flying on Eliandra. It was, however, enhanced by a powerful charcoal-like smell, and another scent which Naruto knew well, blood. Contrary to what one would have thought, it seemed that Dwarven blood and human blood smelled exactly the same.

**I CAN FEEL IT**.

Naruto paused slightly, inadvertently allowing Orsson time to catch up.

_Feel what?_

**THIS CREATURE, IT ISN'T A DEMON, YET IT POSSESSES THE SAME WILDNESS THAT I HAVE FELT IN MANY OF MY KIND. IT IS CLOSE, BRAT.**

"We're close, I think." Naruto announced, just as Orsson came up behind him, panting heavily, and sweating profusely. Orsson looked at him, frowning.

"How do yeh do that?" he asked.

"Do what?"

"Yeh can smell blood from a distance nae human can smell it, and now yeh've located the thing's home. What kinda human are yeh?" Naruto paused, formulating his answer.

"A special one." He grinned again, and started up towards a cliff face on their right. Orsson followed, and they both stopped as they reached the bottom of the cliff face.

"'Ow're we gonna get up there, lad?" Orsson asked, frowning as he looked up. The cliff was sheer rock, and it didn't look climbable in the slightest. Naruto frowned a bit, then asked off-handedly,

"How much do you way?" Orsson frowned at the boy, wondering what he possibly could mean by that.

"'Bout 250lbs, I'd wager. Why yeh askin'?" Naruto didn't answer for a few seconds, then, grinning, he said,

"'Cause I need to know how much you weigh, so I can carry you up there." Orsson stared at him disbelievingly.

"Yeh're jokin', aren't yeh?"

"Nope."

"Bloody hell." Naruto grabbed the dwarf's arms, and with a without a second's pause focused his chakra into his feet, and leapt onto the cliff face. He began to walk up it, clutching Orsson's arms over his shoulder, and literally dragging the poor dwarf like a sack upwards. Orsson gave a rather unmanly squawk and shouted,

"What the- how're yeh doin' that? Are yeh some type of wizard? Put me down! I don' like magic!" Naruto looked back down to check his progress, and grinned,

"I'm a ninja…and you sure you want me to do that?" Orsson looked back down, and discovered that Naruto was right. They had gone up at an alarming rate, and a fall now would likely cripple even a hardy dwarf.

"Eh…right yeh are…and what's a ninja?" Naruto frowned, realizing that this world likely didn't have ninjas.

"A ninja is…sorta like a hired mercenary, or somethin' like that. I dunno what you guys call those kinds of people here, but where I come from, they're called ninjas. And this isn't magic…I guess. It's chakra, you know…like a combination of mental and physical energies. They don't teach you guys this? And what's a wizard?" Orsson stared at the boy, hanging limply as he was dragged up the cliff, and thought about his answer.

"Dunno what yeh're talkin' about, boy. I'm surprised yeh can hold me like this, seeing as I weigh so much, but I never heard anythin' about chakra. An' a wizard is someone who does magic, ah guess. Never really met one, but ah guess this chakra sounds like magic…" Naruto shrugged, jostling the dwarf as he did, and continued to walk upwards.

"Geez, you're heavy." Naruto muttered, trying to shift the weight of his shoulders. Orsson grunted,

"We dwarves 'ave denser, heavier bones, it's the reason we're called hardy."

They finally reached the top, and Naruto hauled the heavy dwarf up onto the ledge, before leaping up himself. He was a bit exhausted, but it began to fade fast as he remembered what was coming. He looked at Orsson, who was stood up and looked past Naruto, looking awed, and causing the blonde to turn to follow the dwarf's gaze. 

He saw, with a bit of fear, what had captured his short companion's attention. It was a huge cave mouth, which stared back at him not unlike the jaws of the demon fox that inhabited his stomach. The stench of death filled his nostrils at once, however, and he almost gagged.

He drew a small knife from his weapons pouch. It still felt a bit foreign in his hand, but he suspected it wouldn't matter in the fight. He started forward, vaguely noting that Orsson had drawn his axes. They neared the mouth of cave, and Naruto spotted piles of bones, some recognizable, as human, but others he saw were both differently shaped, and sized. They passed a particularly large pile, and Naruto nearly tripped over a large, heavy object. He looked down, and discovered it was indeed a bone. He picked it up, and was startled at its weight. He looked at Orsson,

"You're not kidding about the heavier bones part," he said.

"Aye." The dwarf responded, clutching his axes tighter in his hands. Naruto dropped the bone, and they continued.

"De yeh smell it, lad?" Orsson finally asked, as they got farther away from the entrance.

"No…I mean, I smell its scent, but I don't think it's here right now." Orsson looked a little relieved, and as they moved in the darkness, Naruto heard something.

Voices.

_Voices…here?_ He thought stunned.

Maybe…some of them are still alive! 

"Orsson-shuju… I think there's some people alive in here!" Orsson's eyes widened, and he strained his ears to hear what Naruto did. His eyes widened further when he found out.

"Bloody hell, I think yeh're right, lad! Mebbe some o' them are still alive! Let's go!" They both increased there pace, before another sound reached Naruto's ears. It was the sound wings beating against the air.

_Uh-oh_.

Naruto spun around, just as an awful sound filled the air. It was a high-pitched screeching noise that was much louder than the one Eliandra made. It chilled Naruto to the bone, and behind him, he could here Orsson muttering something incoherent under his breath…most likely a prayer.

Again the awful sound came, and the wing-beats grew louder. Finally, an awful crashing noise signaled the _demogryphon's_ return to the earth, and then its huge presence filled the mouth of the cave, blotting out most of the sunlight.

That didn't stop Naruto from seeing it, however.

And in his opinion, not even the Kyuubi had frightened him as much as this monster.

It was huge, far bigger than Eliandra, and the size of a large elephant. It had short legs, but rather than having the front ones eagle's talons as Eliandra's had been, they were massive, pawed claws, that ripples with predatory muscles. The fur on its front was a deep gold, slowly tapering off into black feathers as the creature stretched its massive wings to their full span. Its head was bird-like, yet it was much more demonic, and possessed none of the beauty that Eliandra had. The beak was hooked and barbed, and its long ears were far larger than a normal gryphon's. Behind its huge wings, were two other large cat-like claws, and it ended in a massive tail, which had a series of hook-like claws that resembled a rake on the end. Its amber eyes glowed infernally in the darkness of the cave, like two headlamps.

Naruto was momentarily frozen by the creature's immense aura of power. This creature was a monstrous predator, and gave off a presence similar to, but weaker, that of the Kyuubi's.

There was however, one huge difference.

The Kyuubi lived in a cage inside his stomach, unable to hurt or harm him.

This creature stood in front of him, unhindered by a cage, and looking like Naruto would make a fine meal for it.

The demogryphon let out an awful shriek, and Naruto was broken from his terror-induced haze. He looked at Orsson, who looked fearful and resigned, and with a hint of determination. Naruto turned back towards the creature, readying his knife.

The demogryphon charged.

It moved incredibly fast for something so huge, and Naruto barely managed to get out of the way as the creature took a swipe at him with its massive claw. Orsson avoided the attack as well, and charge forward, slashing the creature's chest with one of his axes. The demogryphon screeched at the hit, but immediately shrugged it off, and batted Orsson out of the way with the back of its claw. The dwarf flew to the side, crashing into the wall.

The dwarf landed in a heap, but managed to get to his feet as Naruto engaged the monstrosity himself. The boy created six clones in a shout and a seal, and they leapt back, hurtling their own duplicated knives at the demogryphon. They punctured the monster's feathery wings and body, causing it to roar. Naruto himself began a string of seals, and as he did shouted,

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"** The massive fireball hit the monster dead on in the chest, Naruto having directed the chakra into the clone closest to the gryphon. It roared again, and suddenly beat its massive wings, blasting the clone out of the way, and extinguishing the majority of the inferno that raged on its chest. It snuffed the rest out with its claw, and turned to the original Naruto, its massive tail swiping two clones out of existence as it did. It launched itself at the boy, slashing with its claws, but never reached him as Orsson jumped at the creature, hacking at its right wing with both axes. Startled by the sudden attack the creature stopped its attack of Naruto, and swung its clawed tail at the attacking dwarf, who had nearly removed the its wing. With a final shout, Orsson hacked the entire wing off, but was unable to savor the victory as the giant tail came crashing down on him. He held his axes up in an attempt to block, and succeeded to a degree. The clawed tail hammered him into the ground, causing the stone floor of the cave to crack and break under the stress. The two axe-heads, however, could only take so much damage, and shattered under the stress, causing the shards to cut the dwarf. The sheer force of the blow also flung the dwarf backwards, causing him to land in a heap near a pile bones, stunned.

The demogryphon was roaring constantly now, the stump that had previously been its wing now gushed a sickly, black blood, and Naruto saw his chance to get a hit in.

Attaching an explosive note the hilt of one of his knives, he flung it at the monster, wear it buried itself in the side, directly underneath the undamaged wing.

It exploded three seconds later, and the majority of the demogryphon's other wing, as well as a huge chunk of its side, were vaporized in the explosion. It toppled sideways, screeching horribly, and lay still.

Naruto immediately went to Orsson, who was lying near the pile of bones.

"Are you okay?" The dwarf grunted.

"No, but at least it's dead, righ'?" Naruto nodded. He was about to say more, when he heard the sounds of movement behind him. Orsson's eyes were wide, and he shouted,

"Look out, lad!"

Naruto whipped around, only to discover that he wouldn't be able to block the demogryphon's massive claw. It slammed into his side, and his world exploded in pain, and he was flung away from the fallen dwarf. He slammed into the cave wall, and more pain entered his body. He could vaguely taste blood, but he focused all of his attention on what he thought should be a dead gryphon.

He nearly fainted in horror at what he saw.

From where there was nothing but a bloody stump, several large boney protrusions were sprouting, and new flesh, muscles and feathers were beginning to creep up them. He could see veins being formed, and muscles grow on top of the new bone. He saw that the same thing was happening on its other side, and Naruto couldn't believe it.

It can fucking regenerate! 

He stood as the demogryphon abandoned Orsson, deeming him not as much of a threat as Naruto, and swung its tail at the blonde. Naruto managed to dodge, albeit barely, this time, throwing himself to the side as the tail slammed into the wall, causing it to shatter, flinging debris in every direction.

Naruto began a new set of seals as fast as he could, as the demogryphon charge again. He was about halfway through, when the monster rose up on its hind legs, and brought its front claws down hard. What resulted was a miniature earthquake, which not only caused the ground to explode underneath him, but also interrupted his seals. He leapt out of the way, noting that its wings were almost completely reformed. Scowling, he repeated the seals in mid air, and without a second's pause shouted,

"**Ninpo: Yomi no Shoutaku (Swamp of the Underworld)**"

Underneath the demogryphon, a large, purplish hole appeared, and the creature immediately sunk underneath, its front claws almost totally submerged in the swamp. Naruto withdrew a few knives that had explosive notes attached, glad that Ero-Sennin had taught him that the Swamp of the Underworld, and flung them at the preoccupied creature. Before they hit, however, the demogryphon gave a shriek, and beat its largely reformed wings. The resulting wind from the attack blew Naruto's knives away, and he moved as far as he could away from them, just as they exploded.

The multiple explosions rocked the cave, dislodging some stalactites above. Naruto barely avoided being hit by one, as he stood, clutching his bloody chest, panting hard. The Kyuubi's own regeneration abilities were working hard to correct the damage he had been done. Immediately, he began to focus his chakra and shouted in his mind,

_Gimme some chakra!_

**DONE**

At once, Naruto felt new energy coursing through his body, and he grinned, feeling the surge of power and focus the Kyuubi's chakra brought. Naruto briefly noted that he felt different from any of the previous times that he had used its chakra, almost as if the creature was working in tandem with him, rather than just letting him do the work. With renewed energy and the Kyuubi's red chakra glowing around him, Naruto ran through some hand seals, bellowing,

"**Katon: Karyuu Endan (Fire Dragon Blast)**" An enormous blast of flame erupted from Naruto's mouth, shooting towards the great demogryphon, who had managed to free itself from the swamp. The white-hot hot flames exploded against the creature's chest, setting it afire once more. The force of the blast also knocked it backwards into the swamp. The murky, muddy waters immediately doused the flames.

_Oops._ Naruto thought, cursing himself for his stupidity. The demogryphon clawed its way out of the swamp, its newly formed wings carrying it out with ease once it had freed them from the swamp's sticky waters.

Naruto avoided another stalactite, furiously searching his list of jutsu for something to use.

_Rasengan would be good, but I need to get close! How am I going to get near that thing without being clawed, bitten, or blown away?_

He was nearly out of explosive notes, and we wasn't sure that the monster wouldn't just blow them away again. It was awfully smart for an animal, and Naruto could see that it learned from its mistakes.

A rather small stalactite nearly impaled his foot, and he cursed angrily at it. Then, and idea struck him.

If I can get it under one of those… He looked up and saw that several still clung to the ceiling. The demogryphon, having recovered from its imprisonment entirely, charged at Naruto, screeching. It spread its wings, and leapt up onto its hind legs again, preparing for another earthquake. 

Naruto, his plan formed, leapt high into the air, just as the creature slammed downwards. The explosive earthquake caused two stalactites to shake loose, neither of which would hit the creature.

But that didn't matter.

He leapt off the ceiling towards one of the still falling stalactites, and in mid-air formed an imperfect Rasengan. The second-level powered Rasengan, which had power, but no control, slammed into the stony spear, hitting it in such an angle that it blasted it straight towards the demogryphon, almost completely intact, save for a large spiral marking. The projectile shot towards the gryphon, and Naruto's aim was true. The stalactite slammed into the monster's wing, piercing straight through, and pinning the demogryphon to the ground. It screeched horribly in pain, attempting to pull itself away from the stalactite and clawing at it. It began to hit it with the clawed tail, causing it to crack and break, but in the end, it didn't do much good.

With a cry, Naruto kicked off the ground, shooting towards the creature like a bullet, in his hand, he created a perfect, spherical Rasengan, and pulled his hand back as he reached the demogryphon. With a shout of "**RASENGAN!"** Naruto slammed the glowing sphere into the monster's head, getting a sick satisfaction at hearing the creature's head cave in, drenching him in brain matter and blood, under the powerful ball of chakra. He ripped his blood-covered hand from the hole in where its head had been, and just so it didn't surprise him again, slapped a rather powerful explosive note on its chest, and leapt away.

With an echoing "BOOM" the demogryphon's entire front body was obliterated, engulfing the rest of its body in flames, and covering the cave floor and walls with chunks of its body.

Naruto stared at the now truly dead demogryphon, panting.

"Let's see you regenerate from that, bastard!" he roared.

He slumped to the ground, feeling exhausted. His chest was mostly healed, but he still was covered in demogryphon blood and brains, and the cuts from debris and from where the gryphon's beak must have slashed when he had destroyed it. His body ached, but he had won.

Then he heard more movement.

He spun, ready to fight, but stopped at the sight of Orsson, who had limped over from his position near the pile of bones, where he had lain, prone, for the majority of the fight. He looked amazed.

"Bloody hell, lad, I take it back, yeh're not a fool for doin' this, you really were somethin'!" Naruto grinned weakly, casting another look at the dead demogryphon.

"Thanks…I suppose." He managed to stand shakily, and Orsson grabbed him, steadying him. They both looked back into the cave, suddenly remembering the voices. Save for the crackling of the fire-engulfed demogryphon, neither could here anything.

"We'd best go check it out, eh lad?" Orsson said. Naruto nodded, but didn't think he or Orsson could manage to get there without falling. He remembered the healing potions that Jon had given him, what seemed like ages ago, and opened his pack, fishing out one of the bottles. Inside was a reddish liquid, which Naruto took a hesitant gulp of. Almost immediately, warmth spread throughout his body, and aside from the rather poor taste, Naruto was grateful. It was almost like a soldier pill, and Naruto could feel his exhaustion ebbing away. He handed the half-full bottle to Orsson, who downed the rest in a flash. The dwarf thanked him, and they both began to walk, hesitantly at first, then with more confidence as they realized they weren't going to fall.

They crossed the battle-scarred cave, heading farther and farther back. They saw several other, smaller passages that branched off from the main one, but Naruto dismissed them not smelling anything in said directions.

Finally they reached a large, circular chamber, also littered with bones, and saw a large boulder directly across from the entrance. Naruto could smell something behind them.

"Dwarves!" he announced happily to Orsson, who looked both stunned and relieved.

The two quickly crossed the chamber, standing in front of the boulder.

"Yeh think yeh can break it, withat fancy glowing ball o' yers?" Orsson asked, raising an eyebrow at the boy. Naruto glared at him.

"It's called a Rasengan. I only shouted it to the entire cave…"he muttered, and slowly began to gather the chakra that the healing potion had given him back into a concentrated ball in his palm, he shouted "**Rasengan!**" again, just to spite the ignorant dwarf, and slammed the ball into the boulder. The ball plowed through the rock, sending ripples throughout the entire thing, eventually causing it to shatter apart. Another cave was revealed, and both Naruto and Orsson could see several figures in the darkness.

Orsson immediately rushed forward, only to be clobbered in the head by a rock. He fell over, stunned, as several dwarves rushed out, brandishing rocks and broken stalactites like clubs. Naruto held his hands up in a gesture of surrender, as Orsson got to his feet, glaring at the group.

"What're yeh doin'! We're tryin' ta save yeh!"

The attacking dwarves stopped, and blinked.

One of them, who possessed fiery read hair and a large beard, stood walked forward, looking abashed.

"Aye…sorry 'bout that." Another, a female, stepped forward,

"Och…furgive us, friend! I dinna ken it was dwarves, thought it was that horrible beastie comin' to eat one o' us again!" Orsson grinned, while Naruto silently seethed about being called a dwarf.

Orsson then looked at the first dwarf and said, stunned,

"Yeh're Grundig! Yeh're alive! This is great!" The dwarf nodded, and Naruto perked up at the name.

"You're Grundig? The friend of the King?" Grundig nodded, and then looked closely at Naruto.

"Eh? Yeh're a human!" The other dwarves, who numbered about seven, looked at Naruto a second time. Several let out surprised gasps, whispering about how it surprising that not only a human had come to help rescue them, but was short enough to be mistaken for a dwarf.

Naruto pouted, and Orsson laughed.

"Aye, so he is! A damned fine what at that! He saved yeh all from that monster back there, all by himself, he did!" They stared, shocked into silence, and Naruto felt his face grow warm.

"Blimey…yeh took that thing out all by yerself? Amazin'!" cried Grundig, his eyes twinkling. The others whispered words of awe as well, and Naruto shifted uncomfortably. Orsson grinned at the boy's obvious embarrassment, then turned to the group of dwarves.

"How come yeh are all still alive? I'd thought that that beast woulda scarfed yeh all down!"

Grundig's face grew somewhat dark, and he said quietly.

"That thing…'twas a monster, through and through. It kept us locked up, mostly for its own amusemen'. It would sometimes jus' pick off body parts, then leave them bleedin' in here, while it went off. A true monster, it was."

Naruto was stunned, and sickened. He just noticed that some of the dwarves were indeed missing legs or arms, and the stumps had been tied up with pieces of cloth that had been ripped from their shirts.

_I thought you said it wasn't like you!_

**I TAKE OFFENCE TO THAT, BRAT, BUT WHAT I SAID WAS TRUE. I WAS ONLY SPEAKING IN TURNS OF RACE, IT WAS NOT A TRUE DEMON, BUT PERHAPS IT DID ACT LIKE ONE.**

Naruto uneasily sat down, while Orsson growled softly at the news.

"Good thing I took care of it then, huh?" Naruto said. They all grinned, nodding.

"Righ'," said Orsson, looking back towards the entrance to the chamber, "we'd best get outta here, don' wanna stick aroun' here."

The other dwarves and Naruto didn't protest, and they were led out, all alive, mostly intact, and just pleased to be free.

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They arrived back at Margen that night, and were all very tired by the time they had arrived. Naruto had been forced to carry one dwarf at a time down the initial cliff face, and then spent the rest of the time helping those who had missing limbs down the rocky slopes of the mountain. He was dead tired, and hoped to get good nights sleep.

Unfortunately, Grundig had immediately called the dwarves of the town out; in order to not only let them know he had returned, but to honor Naruto and Orsson. Naruto spent quite awhile getting slapped on the back, conked on the head, and several times, squeezed on the ass, by the dwarves who were grateful to have their overseer and leader back.

Finally he was able to retire to bed, far too exhausted to travel, and dreamed of nothing.

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The next morning saw Naruto standing at the edge of town once more, this time surrounded by many dwarves, with Grundig and Orsson in the front. He was decked out in a fresh new cloak, and pair of boots. Both dwarves were grinning, and Grundig had a scroll clutched in his hands, ready to present to their young hero.

"Well, lad, yeh've been a great help, and I 'onestly say that yeh're welcome back anytime, an' I can' even begin ta' repay you." He held out the scroll,

"This is a letter, tha' I've written ta' King Magni, about you. Give it ta' him, an' I think he'll right thank ya. Margen is one o' the biggest minin' towns here, an' Magni needs metals for weapons an' the like, so he'll definitely help ye'. I think he'll listen to yer and the little Princess's plan, an' right agree with it. Jus' follow the road, and when yeh leave the mountains, head northeast, across some o' the smaller mountains, and yeh'll find it easy. A fighter o' yer caliber won' be troubled much in the mountains of Dun Morogh."

He handed Naruto the scroll, and he tucked it safely away in his weapons pouch. He turned to Orsson, who was grinning.

"It's been good workin' with yeh lad…I can' believe I almost ran away…but tha's over, and I'm glad I got ta' meet yeh." Naruto grinned back at him and asked,

"Wanna come with me?" Orsson blinked, and shook his head.

"Och…no way, lad, the trouble yeh get into would get me killed, I suspect." Naruto laughed, and hugged the dwarf. Orsson was surprised for a second, before he returned the hug.

Naruto stepped away, and turned to go.

"Thanks everyone!" He shouted back to the group.

Orsson laughed,

"Ah, lad, its we who should be thankin' yeh! So THANK YEH!" The entire group shouted the last two words, as they walked Naruto walk away.

Orsson couldn't help but feel that he would be seeing him again, as he and Eliandra walked back towards Margen, grinning all the way.

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Yet another chapter done! Those last reviews really got me motivated, and I've wanted to right this chapter for a long time.

The demogryphon- for some, you might notice that the description of it bares remarkable resemblance to the Griffin from _Prince of Persia: Warrior Within_. That's because when I originally thought up this story, I was playing that game. Originally I was going to have a sort of _Ocarina of Time_ like story, in which Naruto would fight the Griffin from PoP:WW. However, when I got into World of Warcraft, that quickly changed, but I still wanted Naruto to fight the Griffin. So I made it into the demogryphon. Normal gryphons don't have regenerative abilities, just this species.

Several things to address:

**Druss the Legend- **The plot is sorta based on Frozen Throne and Reign of Chaos, because in those two actually form the basis of the plot for World of Warcraft. There isn't really any story to WoW, but it has probably all of the characters from both games that haven't died, i.e.-Thrall, Sylvanas, Jaina Proudmore, Arthas the Lich King, and so on. It also has a bunch of other creatures/ characters that I don't think are in the games. The plot of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_ is several years into the future of the game World of Warcraft, but aside from the Alliance and Horde being dispersed, has almost all the same characters. As for Naruto getting artifacts, yes he will. As for Naruto using magic, magic is the same as chakra, at least in this story. The Well of Eternity thing will be explained later. Kyuubi isn't really different from the demon lords, save for species.

Naruto has trained under Jiraiya for about six months before he leaves for Azeroth, and he has a healthy amount of jutsu under his belt.

**blazer-6**- I will be throwing in the Night Elves, but not soon. Sorry, but they aren't going to show up for really awhile. As for the normal Elves (called Blood Elves) they are all with Illidan at this point, and his whereabouts are unknown. Thank you also for noting that the Elves aren't immortal anymore, I had forgotten about that. I do think that Kyuubi would give off a strong aura, but he's inside Naruto, so the aura is dimmed, if not gone.

Once again, the pairings issue: Look, don't get too hung up on pairings. This is an adventure story, not a romance. Yes it will have romance, because adventures aren't good without romance, but it won't happen for a while, and that won't be the main focus. I'm sorry, also but I've made up my mind about pairings, and in this story, Sakura will play a huge role. I also think that some of you aren't giving her a chance, she isn't that bad anymore, and her obsession with Sasuke was somewhat of a childish crush. I like her, and she has a large part in this story. I'm sorry if you don't like that, but she won't be appearing for a while anyways. Please don't worry about pairings for now, okay?

Maybe I'll pair Shino up with an elf…yeah…that'd be good.

As for the "Shuju" affixiation on Orsson's name...I think it means dwarf in Japanese. Since Naruto is also assigning people nicknames, I think this works, considering he only adresses Orsson by his name once.

Well, that's all for now.

_Next, Naruto journeys into Dun Morogh, and finally reaches Ironforge!_

**Bestiary**-

**Demogryphon** (**Beast) (Elite)**- **A monstrous version of the common gryphon, the demogryphon is a monster through and through. It is intelligent enough to get a twisted satisfaction in torturing its victims before eating them. It can live for hundreds of years and survive incredibly damaging wounds, due to its regenerative abilities. It is strong enough to create miniature earthquakes by jumping up on its hind legs and dropping hard back to the ground. It can also create small windstorms to blow away incoming projectiles.**


	9. Ironforge

**Disclaimer:** **I mostly don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft…mostly.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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"Aw', come on! Can't you at least tell me where I am in relation to Ironforge? I need to get there! Hey, are you listening to me?"

An old dwarf cast a shrewd look back at the fuming, frustrated, and extremely travel worn boy, before answering simply,

"No."

Naruto ground his teeth in frustration. He had been traveling for three days since he had left the mining town of Margen, and it was only until halfway through his second day did he realize that he was completely and totally lost. Despite trying to follow Grundig's directions, he had quickly lost his way in a rather foolish attempt to travel during a rather heavy snowstorm, (he was still suffering taunts from the Kyuubi, even now). After a day more of traveling and dispensing of some small nuisances, mostly small, ragged looking wolves, sometimes the occasional wolverine, he had come across a small camp, an old dwarf sitting around a cozy fire, watching a rabbit sizzle and cook on a spit over it. A small tent, which had appeared to be made out of animal skins sat behind the dwarf. The dwarf himself was dressed in furs as well, had a grizzled beard that seemed to be prevalent in all dwarves, and a rather becoming scowl set on his wizened face. Naruto, hoping to at least get some directions, and maybe even a part of the rabbit, had asked him which direction Ironforge was. The dwarf had promptly told Naruto to leave, though not in such nice words. A little angry that he had been shot down, and no longer believing he would get some food, Naruto had persisted, even throughout the dwarf's meal.

Finally, after he had finished, the dwarf had gotten up, picked up a strange, metal and wood cylindrical object, that widened into a funnel shape at the end, with a hole in the middle. Near the other end of the shaft was a small, rounded piece of metal, forming a rough semi-circle around another, slightly curved metal piece. The end of the shaft was made of wood, and had widened considerably, forming a roughly triangular form, with a slightly curved bottom. Attached on the opposite side of the circular metal piece was another round piece with a cross-shaped marking in the middle. Naruto was puzzled by the strange object, but didn't ask about it, and continued to hound the dwarf about where Ironforge was. He had not stopped, even as they walked through the snow-covered landscape.

He was just about to give up, when the dwarf stopped, and cocked his head to the side, like a dog trying to figure out a sound. Naruto listened as well, and soon he could hear the slight padding sound of something moving through the fresh, powdery snow. The dwarf got down on one knee, and glared at Naruto to do the same, not speaking a word. Naruto did so, not understanding what the dwarf was doing. The dwarf raised the strange cylinder, pointing it towards a small hill, roughly six yards away.

A large, black, furry form suddenly appeared, lumbering softly over the hill. In the distance, Naruto's sharp eyes could clearly make out what it was, a bear. It was the largest bear Naruto had ever seen, with deep black fur, and it hulked through the snow, letting out small grunts as it did.

The dwarf held the cylinder up to his face, looking through the circular piece with the cross in the middle. He held it for several moments, which reminded Naruto of someone aiming a bow, and then pulled the curved piece of metal on the bottom of the shaft.

The cylinder emitted a loud, echoing _boom_, and fire erupted from the funnel-shaped end. Naruto nearly fell over in surprise, even more so when the bear suddenly dropped to the ground, not a second later, and lay still. The smell of blood mixed into the sharp, acrid smell that had filled the air when the cylinder had shot out fire. The dwarf got up, and without a word made his way towards the fallen bear.

Naruto, too shocked to speak, dumbly followed the dwarf. When he walked up next to the beast, which was a bit larger than Naruto had expected it to be, Naruto saw that the snow next to its head was stained red, and the bear's left eye had burst open, a steady stream of blood gushing from the wound. Naruto couldn't believe it, what kind of weapon shot out fire, that didn't even reach its target, and created small holes in the middle of eyes?

"What the hell was that?" Naruto said, recovering slightly from his stupefaction. The dwarf, for once, didn't scowl, but gave him an odd look.

"Yeh never heard of a rifle, boy?" Naruto blinked, turning the strange word over in his mind. The word was completely foreign to him, and was somewhat hard to pronounce to boot.

"No…what is it? How did you kill that bear? Why did you kill that bear?" The dwarf frowned, before producing a small, curved knife, before bending down, and opening the bear's mouth. Without a second thought, the dwarf slashed out the bear's tongue, placing it into a small, leather satchel at his side. He then began to skin it, and as he did, answered Naruto's final question.

"The missus wan's me ta bring 'er 'ome some bear tongues…She's makes a fine stew wit' em." The dwarf then looked at Naruto again, frowning a little.

"I'll tell yah what, boy. You get me some o' them tongues…a dozen should do it…and I'll tell yah how ta' get ta' Ironforge. I don' really trust others…had some bad experiences wit' other races…but yeh don' seem so bad…so do that fer me…an' I'll tell ya'." Naruto blinked, and grinned a bit.

"If that's what it takes…sure, I'll do it!" The dwarf nodded, grunting.

"Me name's Aldren, after yeh done, come back to the camp, and I'll tell ya' where ta' go." He tossed Naruto another curved knife, saying, "Use that ta' cut 'em out, the meets bad, and yeh' don' look like a skinner, so don' try ta' skin em, but try to remember where they are, so I can come back an' skin 'em meself."

Naruto nodded, slipping the curved, skinning knife into his kunai pouch, before turning and hurrying off into the snow forest.

He got nearly twenty yards away, before he realized that he still had no idea what a "rifle" was.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

It was dark by the time Naruto returned to the camp, his clothes reeking of blood and a musky animal smell. Aldren was sitting by the fire, roasting another rabbit, and scowling as usual. Naruto deposited the blood covered bear tongues in a heap next to the old dwarf, and sat down opposite him.

"Got 'em…so you going to tell me, or what, Aldren-shuju?" The dwarf gave Naruto a slight frown before pointing in to his right.

"There's a road 'bout a mile that way…heads straight to the great city, yeh'd have ta be a complete idiot not ta' notice it, boy."

Naruto flushed slightly, before standing up, and making to leave. He was about to, when he heard the dwarf say behind him,

"Yeh're gonna need some grub, 'fore yeh make the trek, boy."

Naruto blinked, then, grinning sat down opposite the dwarf once more, happily awaiting his share of the rabbit.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

It was dawn when Naruto saw it.

It had been several hours after Naruto had left Aldren's camp, the old dwarf giving him a rough goodbye, as well as letting Naruto keep the skinning knife. Aldren had spent most of the time talking about his trade as a trapper and skinner. He even showed Naruto several ways how to skin something, demonstrating on one of the bear carcasses that was closer to the camp. Naruto decided that it would be a useful thing to know in the future, and Aldren even let Naruto keep the skinning knife he had given him. In addition, he had explained to Naruto, (several times) what a rifle was. Naruto was amazed and mystified by the weapon, and only grew more confused as the dwarf spoke. It didn't use chakra, but rather a mixture of strange substances, combined with a small ball of metal, called a bullet, and some fire. The fire ignited the mixture, and it blasted the ball out of the end of the rifle, which then moved at nigh super-sonic speeds to strike an opponent far away. While Naruto was amazed by it, he still found it rather cheap, and didn't think he'd ever want to use one. Naruto was slightly amazed at how different people here were than Konoha.

Aldren had said that he didn't particularly like other races, and yet he had told Naruto the way to Ironforge, as well as teaching him skinning. It simply boggled his mind that people could be so friendly here.

**THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA I EXIST HELPS I IMAGINE.**

_Probably._

Naruto had just stopped at the foot of a long, winding path up towards a mountain as he said that, and as his eyes adjusted to the sight of a brilliant rising sun, he saw something amazing in the shadows of a mountain ahead of him.

He gaped

And I thought Stormwind was impressive… 

Carved into the side of the massive mountain was a huge stone structure. It stretched up a good portion of the side of the mountain, and on either side of it, seeming to grow out of the mountain itself, where several towers. The central structure was decorated in blue and gold colors, and in the center, just above a massive door a huge symbol of an anvil was displayed in gold. Naruto's mouth hung agape at the sheer size, and more over the awesomeness of the structure. No one in Konoha, he guessed, could have created such an amazing structure.

He walked a little up the hill, still awed by the sight of the great city of Ironforge. As he started up the path, he heard a strange rumbling sound. The sound grew louder and as Naruto watched, a massive metallic vehicle rumbled down the mountain path towards him. It was larger than a horse, made of metal and bore strange looking wheels that just resembled large cylinders with grooves etched in. The front was shaped like a birds head, gripping the foremost cylinder-wheel in its mouth. Mounted atop the monstrous machine was a large cylindrical tube, which reminded Naruto of Aldren's rifle, only far, far bigger.

_Definitely don't wanna find out how big the bullets are for **that** thing._ He mused. He approached the doors wearily, when suddenly he heard a shout.

"Oi! Hald it righ' there!"

Naruto stopped immediately, and looking around for the source of the voice. The ground continued to shake as the vehicle made its way towards him, belching steam as it did, before it came to a stop a few feet in front of Naruto, and suddenly the top of the large rifle popped open, and a frazzled looking old dwarf emerged, his face scowling. His hair was a graying black, and he had only one eye, the other being covered with a small black patch.

The dwarf had a large cigar in his mouth, and, biting off a significant portion and spitting it to the side, he addressed the blonde.

"Wher' da' ye' thin' yeh're goin', bairn? Eh? Wher'? Huh? Huh?" The dwarf chewed on his cigar some more, and his speech became even more difficult to decipher for the young shinobi.

"Thi' place's off limi's fo' yeh' 'umans! Ge' it? Huh? Huh? Leave! If ya' don', then I'll blast yeh! Eh! Eh!"

Naruto, not really sure what exactly the old dwarf had said, but sensing that it wasn't good, shouted,

"Hey! I gotta reason for being here! Let me in! I need to see the king!"

The dwarf, however, just shouted back, after spitting some more of his cigar away.

"Yea' righ'! Yeh'r jus' tryin' ta' ge' passed meh! Yeh can' fool Groonda! Ah'm a veteran! Ah kno' all them tricks!"

"You're senile old man! Let me in!" Naruto roared back, tired of the man's ranting already.

The dwarf growled at the insult, for more reasons than one, and ducked back into the huge vehicle.

"Ah warn'd yah! Now ah'll blast yeh!"

Naruto took a few steps back as the massive cannon swiveled to point at his exact position. He immediately leapt out of the way as the end exploded, firing a massive black sphere of metal at the blonde. It struck the ground, and Naruto was blasted forwards from the force of the explosion, but managed to get back to his feet quickly. Already the huge rifle was turning towards his position once more.

Growling, Naruto rushed forwards, an explosive note in his hand. He leapt up in time to avoid another shot, and slapped it on the beak of the hawk-shaped front, jumping away as the fuse was lit. He landed a few yards away, not turning around as the telltale sound of a note going off filled his ears, accompanied by the screeching of metal being ripped apart forcefully.

When he finally did turn, he found to his horror that only a small portion of the front had been affected at all. The hawk now had a huge scorch-mark on its face, and the front wheel had portion of its front blown away. Unfortunately, even though the tank likely couldn't move anymore, its rifle barrel was already turning towards Naruto's position. It released another burst of fire, shooting the dark ball right at the blonde. Naruto quickly created a Kage Bunshin, who took the full force of the blow, while the real Naruto jumped clear. The clone, amazingly, managed to stop the flight of the ball, but the explosion that followed quickly removed it from battle, permanently.

The real Naruto charged directly at the back of the tank, gathering a Rasengan into his palm, he rammed it into the armor plated back, causing his hand to sink directly into the metal, and blast it away from the inside. The result was that the front of the tank suddenly erupted outwards, along with a frazzled looking Groonda. The dwarf landed hard on the ground a few yards in front of the tank, and the shards of metal scattering around him, some even imbedding themselves in the stone mountain wall.

Naruto exhaled, and leapt over the ruins of the machine, walking towards the gawking dwarf, who suddenly began to scramble away.

"Oi! Oi! Oi! Ye' can' 'arm meh! Ay'm a veter'n o' the army o' Ironforge! Yeh can' just break a dwarf's tan' lik' tha'!"

Naruto grit his teeth in annoyance, having enough of the old dwarf's ramblings.

"Just let me in! I have a reason, and proof that I'm allowed in! I'll even show you!" He began to take out the scroll, when a series of shouts and the heavy footfalls of metal on dirt making their way towards him. Groonda grinned, looking relieved, and backed away, ready to let the reinforcements deal with the blonde. Naruto groaned.

_Nothing's ever easy, is it?_

**WHERE WOULD THE FUN BE IN THAT?**

As Naruto watched, a large group of dwarves ran down the path towards him, all bedecked in heavy-looking, metal armor. Some held rifles similar to Aldren's, albeit bigger, but most held large axes, who stood at the front, on either side of their fallen comrade. One such dwarf walked forwards, a distrustful scowl on his face, and his body ready to attack or defend if need be.

"What is going on here…hmmm?" The dwarf spoke in a much clearer accent than any the boy had heard before, and he was slightly relieved. He was about to speak, when Groonda yelped,

"He's a monster! He blow'd me tan' up an' try'd ta' kill meh!" He pointed accusingly at Naruto to prove his point. Most of the dwarfs raised eyebrows, observing the destruction with disbelieving eyes. Some, however, glared at Naruto accusingly, their weapons ready to fire if he made a move.

The lead dwarf frowned, and then spoke again.

"This true? Boy?"

"No," Naruto responded through gritted teeth, incredibly annoyed at the fallen dwarf for putting him in this situation. He then elaborated.

"I was trying to get in…I have a reason and proof that its important, but that crazy freak didn't listen…and tried to kill me!" He pointed at the dwarf, unconsciously mimicking Groonda's previous gesture.

The lead dwarf frowned again, but not taking his eyes off Naruto, asked.

"May I see it? The proof that yeh spoke of?" Naruto nodded, still glaring at Groonda, and handed the dwarf the scroll. He took it from the blonde, and unrolled it, his sharp eyes scanning the entirety of the document, widening slightly as they did. He looked at Naruto again, and then back at the scroll. Then, he spoke.

"The dwarf who wrote this…what color hair did he have?" Naruto blinked at the question, but answered nonetheless.

"Red," he said without a moment's hesitation. The dwarf blinked, looked at the scroll a final time, and then broke out into a huge grin. He suddenly shouted to the other dwarfs in the heavy language that he had first heard spoken in Margen, and at once they adopted looks of disbelief, before that melted away into broad grins matching the lead dwarf's. Groonda just looked stunned, as the first dwarf smacked Naruto's head in greeting, before saying,

"Well met, lad! You dinnae ken how happy we are to hear about this news! Yeh're a regular hero!" Naruto grinned back, glad that he had been believed. The other dwarfs began to move back inside the massive fortress, and the lead dwarf said to Naruto,

"Come with us, lad! We'll inform the king, an' give yeh' some time to rest and relax. Yeh're as welcome in Ironforge as any dwarf after what yeh did for us!" Naruto's grin was now nearly splitting his face in half. A feeling he had never once experienced in his life had welled up inside him, and refused to go down.

Acceptance.

Acknowledgement.

The very things he had been striving for in Konoha for so long he had achieved here in little under a minute. He had always wanted to be a hero, someone who could be relied upon, and recognized. His dream of becoming Hokage had been for that reason. So he could not only prove he was strong, but also that he could be trusted as someone who would always be there for the village.

He was that now, here.

Reveling in the feeling Naruto followed the dwarf inside, passing by the one-eyed dwarf who was still lying in shock on the ground. Naruto frowned.

"Who is that guy? Why'd he attack me before he even listened?" the dwarf sighed a little, before answering.

"His name's Groonda, and he was once a fine soldier, but over the years has gone to the infirmary one time too many, and has become a bit…unbalanced. The king didn' have the heart to discharge him…so he guards the gates a coupla' times a month, the rest spent drinkin' in pubs in the city. It's a shame. He doesn' trust anyone who isn't a dwarf…and even then only if they wear the Ironforge tabard," he tapped the symbol on his chest, a large hammer with the silouette of a red mountain in front, "does he trust them completely." The dwarf sighed again, looking back at the stunned dwarf, then back at the ruined tank.

"Yeh did quite a number on the tank, lad…wouldn' have thought it was possible unless yeh hadn't given me this letter."

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly, causing the old dwarf to laugh.

"Yeh needn't be embarrassed, lad, yeh're quite powerful. Wish we had more like yeh. My name's Undrig, by the way." Naruto grinned, saying.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

They walked up the path towards the great looming entrance to Ironforge. They passed several different structures, all of which bore resemblance to a rifle in someway, though they were quite a bit bigger, and weren't mounted on tanks. Naruto couldn't keep his eyes off the amazing structures, and saw, with a bit of confusion, that the walls on both sides of the entrance, and adorning the cliff-faces that held the towers were a variety of what where clearly seals, though they were unlike any kind he had ever seen. Undrig must have sensed his puzzlement because he said,

"Those are runes, lad. They fill the entire city. The dwarves of old carved them in to make this place nearly impervious to damage, and to keep it from collapsing. Dunno what the mean, just what they do." Naruto nodded, wondering if there were seals in his world that could do similar things.

Ero-sennin had said to him once, about four months into his trip, that seals could do just about anything that jutsu couldn't. Seals were meant to store chakra, and use that stored chakra in a certain way. Jutsu used chakra instantly, burning it up on the fly. There were many things seals could already do, but there were likely many more that had yet to be discovered. His biggest example of this was the seal that adorned Naruto's stomach. It had been created specifically for the use of containing something as powerful as the Kyuubi.

_If a seal can old an age-old demon fox…then I suppose it could hold stone and rock together for years and years._

They finally entered the massive building, and at once the slight cold that Naruto had felt disappeared, and he felt quite warm. The entrance hall was huge and wide, with many dazzling runes on the walls, and a massive statue at the end of the hall, which stood in a triumphant pose, clutching both axe and hammer in its hands. Naruto whistled at the craftsmanship, noticing how superior the sculpture was in comparison to its equivalent in Konoha, the Hokage monument. They crossed the room, Naruto following Undrig and he following the rest of the dwarfs. They reached the statue and then turned left down a hallway, before turning right at the end of it, and eventually coming to a massive chamber, which once again took the blonde's breath away.

_Unbelievable…_

In front of him stood the biggest chamber he had ever seen. It was huge, the ceiling seeming to stretch to the heavens themselves, the walls tall and looming. In front of him a large canal had been place in the center, and gave off an intense heat. Across the canal a series of houses and buildings stood. A little to his right was a bridge, where dwarves were crossing in the dozens.

That was another thing; Naruto had never once seen so many dwarves. They littered the streets by the canal, walked in and out of buildings on both sides, talking, laughing, and doing things that were common in many large cities. Some stopped, looking curiously at Naruto, before continuing on with there daily lives. Naruto at first thought that they were surprisingly kind if they accepted him without a seconds glance, but then when he almost ran into one as they made for the bridge, he realized they probably only thought he was an underfed dwarf.

_I'm not that short…_

**YOU MAKE A MOUSE LOOK LARGE BY COMPARISON, BRAT.**

_Shut up, bastard! Not all of us are 50 feet tall and almost three times that long!_

**WHICH IS PRECISELY WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD.**

Naruto growled softly at the demon's insult, but thankfully it was lost in the din. He followed Undrig and the dwarves across the bridge, peering over it slightly to see a river of what appeared to be liquid fire. He asked Undrig,

"What's that? Why do you have a river of fire in the middle of your city?" The dwarf grinned, answering swiftly.

"We dwarves are master craftsmen, lad, that there's a river of molten iron and rock, which is kept hot by massive bellows that are kept beneath the city. The river leads directly to the center o' the city, where the Great Forge stands. That's the throne of our king, it is, and is the center of crafting o' the city. I'll be going there in a bit, to tell his highness of yeh and what yeh've done. For now, yeh can stay in this inn over here," he pointed to a dark brown building a little down the canal, with a sign that read, _The Red Donkey_ in deep red lettering. Naruto blinked, nodding but asked the dwarf something else that had been bothering him.

"Why isn't it really hot in here? You've gotta huge river of molten metal in the middle of the city…shouldn't that heat things up a bit?" The dwarf grinned and said,

"Runes lad, they're carved inta the side o' the walls, they keep the heat down, and double as protecting people from falling in. Someone falls down, the runes activate a bunch of machines, and they start rolling and afore the dwarf even hits the iron, a coupla' stone platforms come out and stop their falling. They were designed by the Gnomes, afore they left."

Naruto nodded, and having no more questions, stayed silent as they entered _The Red Donkey_. It was cozy inside, and Undrig walked right up to the innkeeper, a squat female with, (Naruto shuddered slightly) and the beginnings of a beard. Undrig spoke to her in rapid Dwarvish, pointed to Naruto once, and then nodded, handing her a few coins before returning to Naruto.

"Yeh've got a room for the night, lad, I'll be off to let the king know about yeh're presence, and yeh can meet him later tonight." Naruto shook his head,

"I need to meet him now! I've still got a lot to do, and I can't spend it sleeping or resting!" Undrig grinned a little.

"Yeh've got spirit, lad, I'll give yeh that. But don' push yerself. Whatever it is, you'll be able to wait a bit. Yeh need yer rest as well. Sides, the King's gonna need some time to think and plan, now that his Iron deposits are safe. He'll want to prepare a greeting fit fer the hero yeh are, boy." Naruto blushed a little, still not used to the "hero" thing. Undrig walked past him to the door, throwing over his shoulder as he went,

"Just rest lad, I'll come get yeh when its time."

Grudgingly, Naruto acquiesced, and followed the innkeeper up the stairs to his room.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Oi, lad! Get up, the King has sent fer yeh!"

Naruto jolted awake at the shout, nearly falling out of the somewhat stumpy bed. Grumbling, he got out and threw on his pants, boots, and t-shirt, leaving his cloak and long-sleeved shirt in a pile. He put on his weapon's pouch and kunai holster as well, before opening the door, nearly crashing into Undrig as he did, who had been about to open it as well.

"Sorry…" he said, grinning. Undrig grinned back.

"Not a problem lad. Yeh ready? The King's eager to meet you." Naruto nodded and followed the dwarf down the stairs and out of the inn.

In the street, there were far less people than before, but Naruto attributed that to it being nighttime. They walked down the street, sticking to the canal, and Naruto began to feel warmer as he walked. A great brilliant light pulsated in the distance, just around the corner from the street. As they neared the light, it began to get much hotter, but not unbearably so. Naruto guessed the seals could only do so much to contain heat.

They eventually came to a large arch on their right. Once again, Naruto was amazed by the sight of the great structure and said to Undrig.

"Why do you guys make everything so big? To compensate?" The dwarf glared at him, despite hearing the humor in his voice.

"You should talk, I'm taller than yeh, and yeh're still a human." Naruto twitched at the jibe, but bit off a retort as he witnessed yet another amazing sight.

In front of him, a huge stone building had been erected in the middle of a molten lake, where the canal flowed. On both sides of the building, many huge containers gathered up the fiery metal, carrying it on large chains upwards out of sight. In front of the building a huge anvil stood, and dozens of smaller buildings stood, smoke pouring out from their chimneys.

Undrig grinned at his reaction, saying,

"That's the Great Forge, lad, its where every Dwarven weapons is forged. The iron is scooped up and cooled in a chamber above, before it is taken down and refined into whatever type of weapon we want. Some of it goes to the machine factory, where tanks like the kind yeh destroyed are made. Before they left, a good portion was given to the Gnomes in Tinker Town, a small section of Ironforge. There ain't many left now, but there's a coupla Gnome merchants that still inhabit it, and use some o' the iron to make their fancy gizmos and gadgets. The center building is King Magni's home, where the throne room and King Magni's chambers exist. He himself is a master blacksmith, though he is too busy with matters of the Scourge to usually use his talents. That's were we're goin', lad."

They walked towards the King's chamber, and Naruto found it hard not to stop and look at every thing that was being made as they passed. He saw swords being forged, axes being cooled and tempered, bullets being molded, and arrowheads being created. It was all so amazing that the blonde literally had to be dragged away from watching some of the processes.

_That girl…whatshername…Lee's teammate…she's a weapon master, right? She'd be in heaven here._

They passed the huge anvil, and Naruto wondered briefly what use such small creatures could have for the great thing. He didn't say anything to Undrig about it, though, too enraptured by his surroundings to have a second thought on the subject.

They entered the huge building, and Naruto saw that it had very few windows, relying on the light from the forge outside and some smaller torches that had been placed around the circular chamber. He looked across the room, and saw that on a throne that had been raised on a rectangular platform, a dwarf sat. But for Naruto, this dwarf was unlike any he had met before.

He carried an incredible presence, reminiscent of Kira's teacher, Benedictus, and Tsunade herself. His hair was a deep, rich red, his face lined with age and numerous battle scars. He wore robes of deep blue, with the symbol of Ironforge emblazoned on the front. Two, huge hammers lay on either side of the throne, within arms reach, and Naruto guessed those were his weapons. Undrig immediately bowed upon arriving at the foot of the raised platform, and glared at Naruto to do the same.

Naruto didn't.

He didn't bow for anyone.

The King seemed to realize this, and with a slight grin on his face, said,

"So…you're the boy who not only saved one of my greatest friends, but helped secure the safety of my people in the mountains, as well as the safety of the iron ore, correct?"

Naruto nodded. Magni grinned.

"I thank you, then."

Naruto blinked when several of the guards gasped slightly, and Naruto got the impression that that didn't happen very often.

"Uh…you're welcome." Magni let loose a great, booming laugh, which echoed throughout the chamber, and was surprisingly clear considering the din outside.

When he had finished, the King sat down again, and spoke.

"So, lad, I am told you have something to discuss with me, eh? Let me here it, then."

Naruto nodded, took a deep breath, and began.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Interesting…young Kira has entrusted you with a difficult task, lad, one that I myself think may be impossible. There is much history between the races of the former Horde and the former alliance, and most of it isn't good. But, I see her reason as well. We cannot be divided any longer, not if we want to stop the Lich King…" The dwarf sat, brooding. He had sent his other guards away, including Undrig, so the chamber was empty save for Naruto and the King.

Naruto spoke,

"Your highness-shuju, I wanted to ask…why did you break away from the Alliance, what did Kira's old man say?" The dwarf looked older than his years when Naruto finished, and spoke quietly.

"It is not so much what he said, lad…but they he said it, full of arrogance and contempt, that made me so angry. In hindsight, however, I do regret my actions. I cannot begin to explain how sorry I have felt for that. I acted rashly, yes, and I have paid for it, as we all have. But what I do not understand is why he refuses to listen. I have sent several messengers, all proclaiming my deepest apologies, and the wish for a meeting to settle our differences. He has not responded, and each of the messengers has returned, never having even given a chance to hand over their messages. It is puzzling how strange Anduin is acting, and I am beginning to fear that there may be more behind his refusal to listen than just sheer arrogance and pride. I fear this because the same thing is occurring with my great friend, Mekkatorque, King of the Gnomes, who rebuffs my offers to help him in taking his land back. For him, it may be just his pride, but he has always been sensible, and it worries me that years of friendship and trust could have gone to waste so quickly… I know not what to do.

"Young Kira's idea is not entirely impossible, as we have allied with members of the Horde in past times. But it will be immensely difficult, I assure you. Even the Night Elves will be hard to both contact and convince, as they have many problems to deal with on their own. The Forsaken, however, will be the most difficult, as the Banshee Queen is distrustful of humans, of all races in fact, and will not listen to reason so easily.

"I give you my blessing, and I will send word to young Kira and the Archbishop Benedictus of my willingness to partake in this plan. If she cannot convince her father, then I doubt anyone could. In the meantime, I will say that your next destination is Gnomeregan, where Mekkatorque and his allies, the Gnomeregan Exiles, do battle against the troggs, who are responsible for taking over the great city."

Naruto nodded, his brain buzzing with newly acquired information. He stood up, ready to return to the inn and get his things, when the King spoke again.

"There is still, however, the matter of your reward…" Naruto stopped, startled, and looked back at the smiling dwarf king with wide eyes.

"R-reward? You're giving me a reward? Why?" the dwarf laughed.

"Because you have helped my people with your actions more than you can imagine, child. You have also lifted a burden from me, and now I can concentrate on the fighting of the Scourge to the North, and the creation of more weapons and machines to aid our cause. I have prepared it, lad, and I hope that you use it well." He clapped his hands a couple of times, and a door to the right of his throne opened, and a dwarf carried a long object wrapped in cloth out. The King lifted it gingerly from the dwarf's hands, and then walked down the steps, until he was standing in front of Naruto, looking slightly down at him.

"This lad…most recent, most likely last, creation…it is my pride…" He unwrapped the object, and the cloth fell away, revealing an absolutely beautiful looking sword. It was the size and make of a kodachi, though Naruto guessed it was designed for a dwarf, so it could be full-size. It had a beautiful, black scabbard, etched with many golden designs and runes. The hilt and square-shaped guard were both black, though the hilt had little red designs emblazoned on it. Magni carefully lifted the blade from its scabbard, revealing a flawless, silvery, single-edged blade, with the symbol of Ironforge etched in near the hand guard. The dwarf held it up for Naruto's inspection, and though he was no weapon's expert, he could tell it was one of the most beautiful weapons he would ever lay eyes on.

Naruto was speechless.

"You're…giving this to me?" He asked, stunned. Only once had he received a gift of such magnitude, and that had been because he had one a bet. Magni grinned.

"Aye, lad. This blade is one of my finest creations. The blade is made from one of most powerful substances in this world, Adamantium. It is virtually indestructible, and it took me many years to acquire enough necessary to forge a weapon out of such an incredible powerful metal. It will never lose its edge, and requires very little maintenance. I would like you to have it. I have no use for it otherwise…as I do not use swords, and had planned to simply give it to a warrior who proved themselves on the field of battle, but I think it will do much better in your hands, lad."

Naruto just stared as the dwarf sheathed the blade, rewrapped it, and held it out to him. Naruto took it, his mind still not registering the honor that this must be, to be given the greatest weapon the King of the Dwarves had ever forged.

Naruto never bowed to anyone.

But he would have done so then, if something else hadn't surfaced in his mind, causing him to blurt out,

"I don't know how to use a sword!"

Magni blinked.

Then, he laughed, long and hard, the tenseness of the moment vanishing in an instant. Naruto guessed that if he had been anyone else he would have been on the floor laughing, but being a king, he needed to keep up his image.

When he finished, the dwarf looked at Naruto again, grinning broadly.

"Well then, lad, it looks like we're going to have to fix that, eh?"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto returned to the inn, the new blade hanging from his belt. His mind was trying to process what had just happened.

After Naruto's ignorance in the art of swords, the king had somehow managed to get Naruto to stay for at least a week in order to learn how to properly use the blade, so that he didn't kill himself when he tried to use it. He had been unwilling at first, and prepared to give the sword back, but the king wouldn't have it.

"_Mekkatorque and his group won't disappear in a weak lad, you have plenty of time. They've been fighting for years, and I don't believe that they'll die off in the next week. That weapon is easy enough to use, and once you got the basics, you can forge a style all your own."_

Naruto had finally given in, and they had made plans for Naruto to head to the Military quarters, so that the resident weapons master could give Naruto lessons on using the blade properly.

He figured that he would use the time to train in ninjutsu as well, and hone his abilities some more. It was only a week, and then he would be off to Gnomeregan.

So Naruto prepared.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**  
**Well, yet another chapter…which I hope is longer…done. This one was lacking in the action of the previous one, I know, but the next few chapters will make up.

I have a few things to address from your reviews, as well.

**TigerWolf**- About the tram…I had no idea it actually existed, to tell you the truth. I have been a strict Horde user up until I started writing this. But since you pointed it out, it has been shut down and blocked off by King Anduin. Hope that clears it up.

**EvilP-** Naruto doesn't want anyone to think he's crazy…and he hasn't really told anyone aside from Kira that he's from another world. The frogs will appear, most likely after the Gnomeregan arc, and as for Naruto meeting some rogues, he is already a rogue in terms of ability, but he will probably meet another (such as the Ravenholdt assassins).

As for Orsson, I don't know if he will be coming back…I like OC's, but I don't usually like them playing a huge role (with the exception of Kira). I don't know where to fit him in later on…but if the chance arises, I probably will.

Well, that's it, I think.

_Next, Naruto trains to use his new weapon, and we receive our first inkling on how the trust of the Alliance was so easily shattered. Kira meets a woman in red, whom she believes will cause her great pain in the future._

Armory- 

Naruto:

8 remaining small daggers.

4 remaining explosive notes

2 smoke bombs

New items:

**Magni's Pride-** A powerful kodachi (which is a normal size for dwarves) that is made from adamantium. The runes on its scabbard make the whole blade light, and the scabbard very difficult to break. It is King Magni Bronzebeard's greatest creation, gifted to Naruto as a reward for destroying the demogryphon and helping his people out when they needed it most. Naruto has yet to learn how to properly wield it.

Bestiary- 

**Black Bear **(Beast)- Black bears are common in the snows of Dun Morogh, and they are a good source of fur for local trappers and hunters. They aren't particularly aggressive, but their tongues make a fine soup that all Dwarves find delicious.


	10. Sword Training, The Scarlet Crusade

**Disclaimer: What is reality, but a distortion of our own consciousness? If this is so, then in my reality I do own Naruto and World of Warcraft…yet my mind has created the personages of Masashi Kishimoto and Blizzard Software to hold up the appearance of reality…my brain hurts…**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_!

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Very good, lad. Yeh're getting better. Yeh must be a natural at fallin' on yer arse all the time."

"Shut up."

Naruto was standing in front of a rather brutish looking dwarf, a little taller than himself, with a deep grey beard, one eye, and a large scar crossing the entire length of his gnarled, aged face. The dwarf was dressed in leather armor with an Ironforge tabard over it, and held a sword much like the one King Magni had given Naruto in his left hand, and an axe in his right. This dwarf's name was Berlyiro.

Naruto himself, decked in a new pair of black pants, and an orange wool short sleeve shirt, was clutching a rather shoddy looking short blade, gasping for breath. The boy had numerous cuts and bruises on his body, both from repeated failed assaults on the elder fighter.

Berlyiro grinned at Naruto's disrespect, obviously enjoying riling the blonde up. He had been training the boy for nearly three days, and though he had shown remarkable talent in picking up the basics, he was a bit too headstrong, making it difficult for Naruto to master the blade. He had said at the beginning of their second session:

"This is only goin' to get harder, lad. A Dwarven short blade is somethin' that nobody, not even a dwarf, can master in a coupla' days. It takes years of practice and trainin'. Yeh're a smart lad, and skilled to boot. But yeh need to realize that normally, a short blade is just a complement ta' another, usually heavier weapon, like an axe or hammer. It focuses on defense, not offence, and while yeh block with that blade, yeh attack with yer other weapon. For yeh, its different. Yeh're a human, and maybe _one day_ yeh're gonna have human proportions," he had grinned at Naruto's peeved look, " so yeh're goin' to be usin' it to complement yeh're hand-to-hand abilities. That's the reason that some short blade users call the Dwarven short blade a 'shield sword.'"

After that the dwarf had proceeded to beat Naruto into the ground, watching in interest as the boy got up every time, and shrugged off the damage. It was impressive to say the least. He had been through numerous battles in his day, and they had toughened his body to what it was today. The boy was incredibly resilient, and could take enormous amounts of damage without passing out. It was one of the reasons Berlyiro enjoyed teaching him so much.

Shaking away his thoughts, he drew his axe up, charging at Naruto as he swung it downwards in a powerful slash. Naruto flung his own blade up at once, the axe striking it hard. Naruto immediately dodge to the side, flinging a kick at the elder dwarf. It hit home on the dwarf's chin, but the hardy creature barely flinched at the attack, and struck back with his own sword, followed by another axe chop. Both Naruto avoided, but a second, backhanded strike to the face sent the blonde flying backwards.

"Oof!" He landed a few feet away, before getting up, rubbing his cheek and wiping blood off his lip. Berlyiro grinned, and readied himself as the blonde got back into his stance, his face etched in determination.

For Naruto, training with Berlyiro was somewhat like training with Jiraiya. The dwarf taunted him every chance he got, knowing that it would make him fight harder. One part of his was grateful, knowing that if he wasn't motivated that he'd just goof off and back talk, but the larger part, which contained his pride and ego, cursed the retired weapons' master with every blow.

But he'd never give up.

That just wasn't his style.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto lunged forward, slashing at the dwarf's head. The dwarf blocked, and countered with his axe. Naruto didn't bother to retract his own blade to block, and instead grabbed the axe-blade just before it struck his side. With a cry, Naruto's foot snapped out, striking the dwarf in the chest. Knowing that it wouldn't have much of an effect, he brought his head back, and with all his might, rammed it into the dwarf's face.

Startled by both the unconventional attack, as well as the power behind it, Berlyiro stumbled back, allowing Naruto to gain the upper hand. The boy slashed the dwarf's chest, most of the damage being absorbed into the leather armor, but it broke through and struck the dwarf's thick skin. It didn't break through the skin however, because most of the power hand been lost, and because of the dwarf's unnaturally strong skin. Naruto, however, didn't stop there, and assailed the dwarf with a dozen punches to his chest and face with his left hand.

Berlyiro finally toppled, his apparent invulnerability defeated by Naruto's powerful attack.

Grinning, Naruto lowered his weapon, and fell onto the ground, breathing heavily. As he lay on his back, he could hear Berlyiro's laughter fill the room.

"Good lad! Good! What yeh lack in ability wit' the sword yeh make up with yer hand-to-hand attacks and strength! If we can get yeh usin' that blade to not only just defend, but to attack and defend at the same time, yeh can leave here ready to face what'ere horrors yeh'll meet out in the world." The dwarf hauled himself to his feet, grinning, before wiping the sweat off his face. Naruto wasn't surprised that Berlyiro had no apparent damage on his face or the small part of his torso that could be seen through the gash in his armor. In his opinion, the dwarf could have survived being buried under thousands of pounds of rock and would likely only get a couple of bruises.

_Kira-chan wasn't kidding when she said these guys were "hardy."_

**OH? KIRA-CHAN NOW? WHAT HAPPENED TO GIRL WITH THE GARGANTUAN FOREHEAD?**

_Nothing! What's wrong with calling her that? I should be able to, doing all this for her! And Sakura-chan's forehead isn't gargantuan! It's…a nice size._

**SHE IS TOO SKINNY, AND FAR TOO UNDERDEVELOPED FOR BEARING CHILDREN; THE KIRA GIRL IS BETTER, MORE DEVELOPED, AS YOU SAW.**

Naruto flushed a bright red at the memory, but pushed it away from his thoughts. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

Berlyiro wondered what had caused the boy to blush so profusely, but didn't inquire, instead saying,

"Well, lad, that's all fer today. I'm famished, so I'm headin' home to the wife. Be back here tomorrow, same time, and we'll work on some new tactics." The dwarf turned and left the room, leaving Naruto alone.

As Naruto placed the borrowed sword back in its place in a cabinet in the corner of the room, he thought about the three days he had been in the amazing mountain city of Ironforge.

After their meeting, King Magni had let Naruto sleep for a few hours, before rousing him and introducing him to the ancient ex-soldier Berlyiro. In his youth, the dwarf had faithfully served the previous king, Magni's father, and had fought in many battles against both the Scourge and the Burning Legion. Now, at the rather astonishing age of 94, the old dwarf lived with his wife in a small house nearest Tinker Town in the Military Quarter, and trained younger soldiers in his spare time. He was, according to Magni, the finest weapons master that the kingdom had ever seen.

Naruto of course, found the old dwarf grumpy, and slightly sadistic in his training exercises.

At least he wasn't a pervert.

Or at least he hoped so.

After the first days training had completed, Naruto had spent some time looking around Ironforge, looking at various shops and familiarizing himself with the whole town. It was much different than Konoha, both in layout and atmosphere, but Naruto found it to his liking. The people were friendly, and treated Naruto with respect. Naruto loved it.

He had met Undrig on his way back to the inn, the dwarf having just gotten off duty. They had talked for a while, and then the soldier had taken Naruto on an official tour of the massive city.

They looked at all of the sections of the city, which took quite awhile, but in Naruto's opinion, was well worth it.

They visited the Mystic Quarter, where Naruto saw thousands of dwarves performing and learning remarkably strange jutsu, all of which made Naruto want to learn. Undrig had said that he could purchase a scroll or two of the most common techniques, but getting an apprenticeship to one of the stronger dwarves was the only way to learn the more powerful stuff

They then entered a smaller section known as the Forlorn Cavern, which Undrig explained where the slums of Ironforge, where the poor, unemployed and lazy lived, some drowning themselves in liquor at one of the many bars that littered the area, while others tried to bum change off wealthier dwarves who passed through on occasion. Naruto was briefly reminded of the wave country under the rule of Gatou, whose extortion had driven many people to the streets. Undrig explained that most people who lived in the Forlorn Cavern were either incapable of getting a job, or simply had no motivation in life. They had left quickly, Naruto feeling sick about the whole thing.

They next visited the Hall of Explorers, which despite the overwhelming amount of books and scrolls which it held, Naruto found quite interesting. There were many dwarves who spent hours cataloguing the books, and some who copied down information from older texts in order to keep the information intact. The Hall also held the headquarters to an organization known as the **Explorer's League. **

The Explorer's League was a group of dwarves whose love of adventure and discovering new things had led them to form a group that dedicated themselves to do just that, explore, go on adventures, and discover remnants of the past. Undrig had a friend in the League, Larnig, who told Naruto several enthralling tales about the world he had come to. Naruto heard about the Stranglethorn Vale, a massive jungle area to the far south of Ironforge which contained multitudes of fantastic beasts, mighty structures, and most of all, danger. Naruto's love of adventure made him giddy at hearing the stories, and he hoped that he would be able to visit someday.

The Hall was also full of skeletons that had either been excavated in far off places, or were relics from Dun Morogh. He saw a massive skeletal ram, which Undrig explained had once been the mount to a past king. He also saw massive creatures called dinosaurs, huge, dragon-like lizards that inhabited a small, primordial part of the other continent, Kalimdor, known as the Un'Goro Crater. It made Naruto wish he had the time to investigate this world.

Next, they had entered Tinker Town, which had to be Naruto's favorite. It was there he got his first glimpse of a gnome as well, and while at first he thought it was just an incredibly small dwarf, maybe a child, he soon noticed a difference. Not only had the gnome been a lot shorter, coming up to only about Naruto's waist, but also his head was rather large and round, and his body was slimmer and more childish looking, possessing none of the muscle or heaviness that a dwarf did.

"I thought all the gnomes had left…"Naruto said aloud as they passed the gnome, who looked weary beyond anyone he had ever seen. Undrig shook his head, looking down.

"Nah…some o' the Gnomes stayed, having always lived here. The majority left, having originally been part o' Gnomeregan, and even some o' the ones that lived here went, just to help out. The king tried to send a coupla' groups o' our own, but the Gnome King sent them back with firm orders not to interfere. It's got the King, and a bunch o' us really worried. I had a coupla' Gnome friends, an' they all left, havne't heard much o' them since."

Naruto frowned, but said nothing.

Tinker Town, despite being almost completely deserted, was amazing. They had machines to do even the simplest of tasks, like opening doors and even substitutions for walking. The few shops that still were open sold chemical mixtures and various machine parts that fascinated the blonde, and he had bombarded the owners with questions that they seemed all too happy to answer. The owner of the machine parts store, a gnome name Furnizzle, took great delight in Naruto's fascination, and answered every question just as excitedly as Naruto asked them. He had a high-pitched voice, squeaky and rather annoying, but Naruto didn't mind. Furnizzle had told Naruto all about why he had stayed, rather than fighting with his brethren.

"I could not abandon my business. My family has run it for generations. My brothers have both gone off to fight, leaving me, the youngest, to manage the store. I would dearly like to help, but I must stay here, to ensure that when my brothers return, they have somewhere to return to."

After several more minutes of chatting, Undrig dragged Naruto off to finish the tour.

They had then entered the Military Quarter, which Naruto had already seen, as it was where Berlyiro taught him. Undrig showed him the soldier's barracks, where he stayed, and several training grounds where rookie soldiers where taught daily.

The final place was the Great Forge, where King Magni's chamber resided. He had also already seen this, but Undrig took him to meet a few crafters that the dwarf knew and was friends with.

The sword smith Opreiner was deeply envious of Naruto for having been given the finest sword that Ironforge had ever created. He showed a multitude of different style swords to Naruto, who was surprised that dwarves could use blades that could be nearly twice as tall as them.

Then he thought of Zabuza and the shark freak, Kisame.

It was another weapons crafter name Reingrin, who forged smaller weapons like knives, daggers and throwing weapons that Naruto was most interested in, however. Undrig boasted that his friend was the best small weapons forger in the entire city, and Reingrin did nothing to deny it. So Naruto asked him if the dwarf could forge for him a set of kunai.

At first puzzled by the request, Naruto quickly explained what it looked like, as he had done with the weapon smith in Stormwind, and Reingrin immediately knew what he was talking about. Apparently they were called _rochshan_ here, which was Dwarvish for "triangle knife."

Reingrin had grinned and told Naruto that he would forge the finest set of kunai Naruto had ever had, even throwing in a set of shuriken (_groonshan _or "star knife") because of what Naruto did. They left with instructions to return in a few days, to give the dwarf time to created them.

When the tour had finished, Naruto returned to the inn, falling asleep almost instantly.

That had been two days ago.

Now, as Naruto left the training room and entered the streets of the Military Quarter, he was hungry.

It had nearly crushed his heart when he found out ramen was only something humans ate.

In his opinion, it was a cruel thing to do, having such a great city.

Completely devoid of ramen.

The pain for losing his beloved ramen had lessened to a dull ache, and he found an adequate replacement in the form of Dwarven Bear Tongue Soup. It was rather like miso soup, only with chunks of bear tongue, which was quite strange tasting, but Naruto enjoyed it nonetheless.

He guessed it had something to do with the Kyuubi.

When Naruto had eaten, he made a trip down to the Great Forge, seeking out Reingrin's house. He entered it, and was immediately greeted by the dwarf, who was grinning broadly.

"Ah, lad. Yeh're here. I've got yer order righ' here. Come 'ave a look!" Naruto followed the excited looking dwarf over to a wooden table at the far end of the shack, where an incredibly fine set of kunai lay on a piece of brown cloth. Naruto picked one up, and was surprised by their lightness. He moved it around a little, and then flicked it at the far wall. It struck and imbedded itself in the wood, nice and deep, and Naruto was impressed. They were even better than his previous ones. He picked up a shuriken as well, performing same task. It too was incredible, and Naruto couldn't have been more pleased.

"They're great, Reingrin-shuju! Thanks a lot!" he said happily. Reingrin nodded.

"Aye lad, me finest ever! Hope yeh enjoy them." Naruto paid the dwarf with his dwindling amount of money, and gathered up the weapons, setting them his weapon's pouch. Naruto was glad that Ero-Sennin had shown him how to store things in scrolls, because after jamming as many kunai as he could into his already seal-expanded pouch, he still had several left over.

Naruto returned to the inn after, and as he walked, he couldn't help but wonder how Kira was doing back in Stormwind.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Daughter, how did you enjoy your day off? I can't imagine that training with that old fool could be any fun, eh? Tell me about it."

King Anduin Wrynn sat across from her daughter, who was watching him, an unreadable look on her face. He was tall and imposing, with soft, wavy golden hair, and small blue eyes. He was heavyset, but not fat, and had a short, trim beard. He wore robes of royal blue, with the Stormwind crest on the front.

This was their normal routine at dinner. Knowing full well that she would not lie to him, he could ask her anything about the ancient priest's dealings.

Oddly enough, however, she hadn't been to visit him in sometime.

At least to his knowledge.

Kira had to stop herself from biting her lip in nervousness, a sure sign that would alert her father that she wasn't entirely truthful in her explanations. She hated lying to her father more than almost anything in the world, and couldn't believe that Benedictus had asked her to do this.

In truth, she had not taken the day off, but had been with Benedictus, studying ancient scrolls and developing her magic reserves. But she couldn't, as much as she wanted to, tell her father that.

"It was fine father. Kylia and I read in the garden and paid a visit to the servants' quarters, since I wanted to help Kylia clean her room, much to her displeasure, I think." Her father let out a great, booming laugh, his wavy locks falling slightly out of place as he did. He finished, and returned, sipping his wine,

"I can't imagine she would be pleased. Some say that there is a method to madness, and even you dislike it when certain things are moved out of your perfect chaos, I imagine."

Kira smiled a little back, letting her guard down a bit. Her father was a great man, full of humor and wisdom. That was one of the reasons she loved him so much, and hated lying or disobeying him.

But she couldn't allow that to get in the way of her mission. She needed to convince him that it would be in the best interests of the populace to form an alliance with the other races once more.

She took a deep breath, and then asked as innocently as possible,

"Father…have you heard from Magni recently? I miss him so…He used to bring me toys that he himself had built, when I was little. Can't you speak with him again? It has been so long since I've seen him."

Anduin's face suddenly became stone. He took a deep breath, and said in a frosty voice.

"You know perfectly well that Magni and I aren't on the best terms, and I refuse to speak with him, he is far too arrogant and conceited. Let him and his people fight by themselves, they do not possess our power, and he will regret not submitting to my authority."

Kira swallowed, a little frightened by her father's reaction. She knew they were on bad terms, but this seemed to be beyond anything she had imagined. She ventured forth once again, this time more cautiously.

"But father…this isn't right…shouldn't we be uniting? With all this distrust, the Scourge will no doubt crush us. Shouldn't we-"

"Kira, daughter, do you not have faith in our power? We are the mighty nation of Stormwind. The Lich King and his army will never defeat us. We are the champions of the Light, and Darkness will always fall to Light." He looked at her sharply, signifying that the conversation was over.

Kira drooped.

This was going to be much harder than she thought.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The next day, Kira and Kylia were walking away from the kitchens, both carrying various pastries. Though they had grown up, Kira had never lost the mischievousness of youth, and still liked to pilfer things from the kitchen. She generally did it before she went to the chapel, so that she had energy to get through the exhausting sessions.

This time however, she had done it because she was bored. Benedictus was out in the Cathedral that day, and wouldn't be able to meet with her. That left her with too much free time. So she decided to amuse herself by stealing some food from the kitchen, before she and Kylia headed to lunch. That way, not only would they not have to sit through her father trying to amuse the local nobles, but Kira would be able to practice some new techniques, or _jutsu_ as Naruto had called them.

She had found her thoughts drifting to the semi-perverted blonde often these days. She hoped that he was okay, and that he had been able to make it to Ironforge in one piece. Something told her that he had, so she tried her best not to worry.

It felt odd, she found, to worry about someone whom she hardly even new. The first few days after her meeting she had been slightly nervous. Had she trusted the right person? Would he succeed? It was Benedictus who told her to stop worrying, and focus on doing her part of the job.

She hadn't been surprised that the old archbishop had discovered Naruto's existence. The man seemed to know everything, and after all, hadn't he predicted Naruto's coming anyways? He didn't seem bothered that Naruto was a complete stranger to her, even if she had learned most of his past.

However, he used the blonde as ammo every chance he got against the princess.

"_He'll make a fine husband, I think. You need someone who can not only relate in your energy, but keep you from becoming a horrible snake like every other woman."_

She was quite embarrassed by the whole thing, and even more so when he discovered that Naruto had already seen her partially naked.

She intended, quite seriously, to follow through with her "crushed fire-ant carapace" plan. Kylia was already searching the markets for some of the powder. As soon as she found it…

_Wham!_

Kira blinked, and suddenly realized that she hadn't thought that. She looked over and saw that Kylia had crashed into someone. She froze, immediately recognizing the figure, and quickly pulled the smaller girl off it, saying hurriedly,

"Lady Prestor! I'm so sorry! Kylia's really clumsy, so she often-" She was cut off by the woman's laugh.

"Do not worry yourself about it, little princess. Accidents happen."

The woman whom Kira was speaking to was one Kira respected above almost all others. Lady Katrana Prestor, of the ancient house of Prestor was a noblewoman who frequented the castle. She was one of her father's many advisors, and a member of the Council of Stormwind, which helped balance the power of the king. She was, in Kira's opinion, one of the most beautiful women in the world. She had jet-black hair, purple eyes, fair skin and an incredible figure, with a prominent chest, and trim waist, that had most men drooling at the sight of her. It made Kira envious and awesome; envious that she wasn't a beautiful, and awed that someone could be that beautiful.

Dusting her purplish robes, she smiled a little at Kylia's light-speed stammering of apologies, before raising her hand to stop the girl.

"Think nothing more of it, child. Now, little princess, your father wishes to see you. I believe that he wants you to meet someone." Kira blinked, a little confused.

"Do you know who?" Lady Prestor shook her head.

"I'm afraid not, little princess. But it must be someone important. You'd best hurry off." Kira nodded, stuffing the remainder of her pilfered food into her shirt, and pulling Kylia away (who was still stammering apologies).

Lady Prestor watched them leave, the beginnings of a smirk on her face.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

When Kira and Kylia appeared in the dining hall, minutes later, it was surprisingly empty. Kira blinked at the barrenness of the room, and saw her father standing patiently near the end of the table, smiling at her.

"Hello, daughter. I am glad you are here."

Kira looked around, frowning.

"Where is everyone father? I thought today you had a meeting with the Council…" He chuckled, beckoning her over while speaking,

"I've postponed it. I have a very special guest whom I want you to meet." He gestured behind him, stepping aside a little to reveal the figure behind him.

Behind him, a woman of the most unnatural beauty stood, smiling at her. Her hair was an unnaturally pale blonde, and her skin was as fair as Prestor's. She was wearing probably the most revealing outfit that Kira had ever seen. It consisted of a red tabard with the neck cut away, revealing an enormous amount of cleavage, leather shoulder-pads and a leather jerkin underneath, just barely covering her nether regions. She wore long, scarlet boots, and was leaning on a finely crafted staff with a red jewel in the middle of a cross-shaped figurehead.

Kira gaped.

_She actually has the gall to wear something like that in public?_

Her father smiled, and said,

"Kira, I would like you to meet High Inquisitor Andria Whitemane, of the Scarlet Crusade."

Kira froze, her eyes widening in recognition.

The Scarlet Crusade.

Benedictus had told her that the Scarlet Crusade was a ruthless faction to the north, in Lordaeron, who absolutely hated the Scourge, all undead in fact. That in itself wasn't such a bad thing, but it was their actions that disgusted and terrified most. They were fiercely prejudiced not only against undead, but against all non-human races. They were said to kill anyone who didn't where their tabard.

And the leader of their Monastery in Tirisfal Glades, far to the North in the heart of Forsaken territory, was standing mere feet from her father.

Her father continued, not noticing Kira's reaction.

"I took what you said yesterday to heart, and I have accepted her help, of which she has been offering for sometime, and our factions will be allies from this day forward."

Kira felt sick, unable to believe her father had took her advice in that way. The Scarlet Crusaders were brutal monsters, who butchered thousands of innocent people. Stormwind had even fought against them in the past decade.

What possessed her father to do this?

A sinking feeling appeared in the bottom of her stomach, and she knew that nothing good could come of this.

She was broken from her thoughts when Whitemane spoke, her voice was sweet, and carried a melodious lilt, with a tinge of something sinister within.

"It is nice to meet you, Princess. I hope that you and I can get to know each other a little better, and iron out the past feuds that our factions have had. After all, we're all human, are we not?"

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Another chapter done. I'm glad I got it out before Sunday, since that day I'm hella busy.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and though I know there isn't any action, the next few will more than make up for it, (did I say that last chapter?).

A few things to address/say:

**Triumph of Evil- **Thanks for the correction. I actually went on Thottbott, and apparently there is an item called "Ornate Adamantium Breastplate" So that's actually where I took the adamantium from. Are adamantine and adamantium that same thing?

**No 1 You Know**- Well, he will be slightly stronger, but only because of his unconventionality. He won't be stronger than the assassin lords that inhabit Ravenholdt Manor, that's for sure. As for the King of Stormwind, I actually had no idea that he existed. That'll make for a good arc, to be sure. As for Naruto getting shaman and druid abilities, you'll have to wait to find out. I agree with you on Paladins, though…I hate them with a vengeance.

**Zemaru-** I hope this chapter explained that. I shamelessly ripped off the idea of the Dwarven short blade from Rurouni Kenshin, you know, Aoshi's combination of Kenpo and kodachi. That's how he'll be using it, for the most part. I don't know if I'll include the blademaster abilities tho, since Naruto already has cloning, and he's wicked fast as it is.

Well, hope that clears everything up.

General Grievous

_Next, Naruto finishes his week of training, and begins the trek to Gnomeregan, where he meets someone very much like himself…_

**Armory-**

Naruto:

New weapons:

20 Ironforge kunai

30 Ironforge shuriken


	11. The Gnomeregan Exiles

Disclaimer: I never have anything cool to say in these disclaimers anymore…that makes me angry…you wouldn't like me when I'm angry…**HULK SMASH! HULK NOT OWN NARUTO OR WORLD OF WARCRAFT! THAT ALSO MAKE HULK MAD! HULK SMASH MASASHI KISHIMOTO AND BLIZZARD SOFTWARE!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Naruto stood in front of Berlyiro, the blade that King Magni Bronzebeard had called his greatest clutched tightly in one hand. The boy's impossibly blue eyes stared determinedly into the old dwarf's single grey one. Berlyiro clutched in his hands a sword and an axe, both gleaming in the fiery light that bathed Ironforge night and day. The old dwarf's face was stony, perfectly complementing Naruto's determined glare. They stood for several minutes like that, their eyes never leaving each other. Finally, Berlyiro spoke.

"I ain't goin' easy on yeh, laddie. This fight's fer real, no holdin' back, got it?" Naruto nodded stiffly, tightening his grip on the magnificent short blade. Berlyiro got into a ready stance, as did Naruto, and then waited.

Naruto attacked first.

The blonde shot forward, closing the distance between them, his sword raised. He delivered a quick side strike, which was easily parried by the more experienced dwarf, then threw a kick at his stomach, which was resisted by the dwarf's amazing constitution. At this, Berlyiro countered with a swing of his axe, which Naruto took on his "shield sword." Not even a scratch appeared on the adamantium blade as Berlyiro pulled back, and Naruto struck out with his left fist. The dwarf took the blow on the jaw, but was unaffected. Naruto ducked down, trying to sweep the dwarf's legs out from under him, but the dwarf, as if made of stone, took the kick without flinching, and responded by delivering a powerful blow to Naruto's forehead with the hilt of his sword. The blonde was thrown back, and Berlyiro pressed forward, delivering several choice blows on the boy, drawing blood.

Unable to regain his balance, Naruto floundered backwards as the old dwarf assailed him with axe and sword strikes alike. He was able to block or dodge the life-threatening wounds, but he took many smaller ones, both from slow reaction time and careless errors that all beginners with the sword made. He was astounded that the old dwarf was so powerful, as Naruto had been able to best him several times in training.

_He really held back…_

The blonde, finally having enough of it, focused chakra into his feet, and as the dwarf struck out once more, he bent backwards until his torso was nearly parallel with the floor. His feet were firmly planted to the ground, so he didn't fall or lose balance. Surprised, the old dwarf had to turn around, having already advanced past the boy after missing the strike. Naruto avoided another strike by twisting his body to the side, still stuck to the ground, then released one foot, and turned his body towards the attacking dwarf. As he turned, he brought his sword swinging around in a powerful, upwards strike. It streaked along the floor, slicing through it with very little effort. As Naruto finished the turn, the blade exploded from beneath floor and slashed cleanly through Berlyiro's own blade. The old dwarf jumped out of the way, avoiding the hit, but Naruto pressed the attack, following the incredibly powerful strike with an equally powerful kick to the stomach. Berlyiro took the hit with a grunt, stumbling back a little, but didn't fall. He then attacked with his axe, the remaining part of his sword still clutched in his hand.

Naruto parried the blow downwards, and leapt at the dwarf. He landed a series of solid hits on the dwarf's jaw, which felt like punching rock. None of the strikes did much damage, but they managed to knock Berlyiro off balance. The dwarf suddenly threw his weight forward, and slammed his head into Naruto's face.

This was the equivalent of having a rock the size of a soccer ball thrown at your head from a distance of one or two feet.

Naruto shot backwards, pain exploding in his face. He landed on his back, skidding a few feet, then flipped over backwards, and landing on his feet as he did. Blood was dribbling from his nose, but he ignored it, panting slightly as Berlyiro regained his balance, then attacked once more. The blonde lowered himself into an attacking stance, and began concentrating his chakra into his fist, a technique that Jiraiya had begun to teach him before he had been transported to Azeroth. It was a fairly common ninja technique that increased the strength of the users punches and kicks by a fair amount. It was not unlike what Tsunade did, but she actually gathered, focused it into an extremely fine point and then expelled the chakra, causing huge craters and turning stone to dust. That required chakra control that Naruto didn't have. According to Jiraiya, Naruto already did it naturally when he used the Kyuubi's chakra. However, he couldn't regulate the amount he used when that happened, so the old pervert had taught him to do it with his own chakra.

As he did, his fist began to glow slightly, but he concentrated harder, forcing the chakra into a much smaller point, feeling his muscles expand slightly to accommodate the excess chakra. With a roar, he leapt forward, bringing his blade out in front of him. Berlyiro aimed a blow at Naruto's waist, which the boy parried. He readied to throw a punch at the dwarf's head, but Berlyiro brought the remnants of his sword up, and drove the hilt into Naruto's sword arm. He yelled in pain, hearing the bone snap but followed through with the punch. It connected with the dwarf's head, and finally had an effect. The power behind the hit knocked the dwarf backwards, where skidded along the ground for a few yards. As soon as he stopped, he leapt to his feet.

Or at least he tried to.

He felt the cold steel of Naruto's sword against his neck, and saw the boy was right next to him, holding the blade in his good hand, the other hanging uselessly by his side. The blonde was panting heavily as he said.

"I win, old man."

* * *

Naruto sat on a wooden table in the training grounds infirmary, a stern looking female dwarf bandaging his wounds. He was protesting rather vociferously that he would be fine in a while, but the matronly dwarf wasn't having it, and continued to bandage his wounds without a thought. 

"I told you I'm fine! Are you deaf, old woman! Just let me get some sleep and I'll be fine!" The dwarf glared at him speaking sternly, a hint of frost in her voice,

"Ye'll do wha' I tell ya' too, bairn! Yeh may be fine soon, but not now! It's me job ta' take care o' da soldiers that live here, an' cause yeh not only wounded but yeh're a human, an' their so fragile by the way. Now sit still, an' this'll go by faster, yeh likkle brat!" Naruto stuck his tongue out at her childishly, but stopped squirming. Their conversation was interrupted by a booming laugh, as Berlyiro entered the room, looking freshly cleaned.

"No use tryin' to argue with her, lad. Matron Alwida always gets her way in her infirmary. An' yeh can always take the bandages off if need be." Both dwarf matron and boy affixed him with a glare, though for different reasons.

Alwida said loudly,

"Don'cha been encouragin' the boy, yeh crochety old dwarf! He needs ta' realize that his species is rather fragile compared ta' us." Berlyiro chuckled. Naruto glared at the old dwarf, shifting his body slightly despite the pain and shouting,

"What's the deal with you, old man? You held back all that time! I just barely beat you! What gives?" Berlyiro held up a hand in a gesture of peace saying,

"Now, now, easy lad. It's true I wen' easy on yeh, but that's the way I do it. Yeh were only learnin' the basics for the first part, but yeh learned quickly. I also think tha' if I hadn't gone easy on yeh, yeh wouldn' have learned so much." Naruto's glared lessened a little, and he sat back, staring at the ceiling as Matron Alwida finished bandaging him.

Had he really learned better that way? 

As Naruto pondered this, Berlyiro thanked Alwida for the unnecessary treatment, to which she responded with a rude Dwarvish swear word. Berlyiro chuckled, and Naruto hopped off the table as he felt the Kyuubi finish repairing his arm and most of the minor cuts. He tore off the sling as he followed the elder dwarf out of the infirmary.

"Lad, yeh did well. It's not everyday that you meet someone with as much talent as you. Yeh learn quickly, adapt to the situation even faster, and yer mind moves at a mile a minute tryin' to think up good strategies ta' use against yer opponent. Yeh've got the makings of a fine warrior, yeh do." Naruto smiled at the complement, shoving the last of the bandages into his pockets as he said,

"Thanks, but I don't intend to be a warrior. I intend to be a protector." Berlyiro blinked at the boy's words, and said calmly,

"Tha's a king's job, lad. Yeh wanna be king?" Naruto shook his head, putting his hands behind his head as they walked out of the training grounds.

"S'not really a king…I'm gonna be Hokage. That's the leader of my village." Berlyiro looked pensive.

"Why?"

"Because I want to be acknowledged…I guess. I've always been seen as something lower than dirt in my village, and I just wanna prove to them that I'm not. I wanna protect them, show them they were wrong about me, and that I am strong. I've always been striving for that goal. I guess a Hokage is sorta like a king, in that he considers the lives of all of his people to be worth something, and that it is his job, to protect them, and their dreams."

Berlyiro looked at Naruto closely, his one grey eye filled with something that Naruto couldn't make out. He abruptly laughed.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked.

"Yeh are, lad. Here yeh are, barely in yer teens, and yeh already have a man's dream. It's rather suprising, I think. I never really thought of you as someone who could lead a village, bein' all childish as you are," Naruto glared at him, to which he laughed again at.

"But that dream…hold on to it lad. It's our dreams that make us who we are, and one day, I think, yeh will accomplish that. Yeh just need to work hard."

Naruto grinned and nodded, and they lapsed into silence for a while, merely admiring the sights of the city.

It was Naruto's last day in Ironforge. The last few days had past quickly, Naruto going to and from the training grounds each day to learn more on how to use Magni's Pride properly. The rest of the time he usually spent with Undrig or Furnizzle. Furnizzle had shown him many things in Tinker Town, including teaching him a small amount of how several of the machines worked. He had never really been all that interested in machines, but these were so outlandish and cool-looking that it was impossible not to wonder how they worked. Furnizzle enjoyed the company immensely, often going on and on about things that made no sense to Naruto, but he listened to anyways just to make the lonely gnome feel better. He even gave Naruto a couple of schematics that he said might come in handy if he ever met an engineer and ever had some extra cash lying around. The blonde had taken them, not really at all sure about what they did, but promised that he'd find out one day.

They also talked a lot about Furnizzle's family and what it had been like before the Gnomes had left.

"Ah, you should have seen it, Naruto! Tinker Town was full to the brim with Gnomes of every size and shape. There were so many gadget shops, alchemy shops and a plethora of other shops that I can't even begin to describe. It was paradise for many, including my family. When Gnomeregan was captured…well, many took it hard. There were so many refugees here that we had to build hundreds of extra apartments to contain them, and even then there weren't enough…Then his Highness, High Tinker Mekkatorque called us all, here, telling us that we needed to get our home back, and that any Gnome who wished to get it back, should accompany him. He was a powerful speaker, and most followed him to reclaim Gnomeregan. Even people who hadn't originally lived there, they went just to help their brethren. My brothers did so, and I have yet to hear from them. I hope that they are alright…" Despite his cheerfulness, Furnizzle would always drift off into memories of his family, and for Naruto it was just as hard. He had never had any family, so he would never be able to relate to what Furnizzle was feeling.

And he hated that.

Undrig, however, had spent some time showing Naruto the tricks and trades of the Auction House. It was there that he also got his first glimpse of a goblin, a small, dwarf-sized creature with dark green skin, pointy ears, and mischievous and sometimes shifty looks on their faces. They ran the Auction Houses, which apparently Undrig frequented in case he found something he liked, though he rarely did, and even more so did he have the money to pay for it. Naruto found the Auction House too loud and smelly, and he couldn't understand the goblins at all, as they spoke so quickly it was impossible to decipher anything they said. Undrig said that he would get used to it.

Naruto also spent sometimes honing his ninjutsu at the training grounds in the Mystic Quarter. The dwarf's there were impressed with Naruto's mastery of elemental jutsu, and some suggested that he find himself a master to learn even more. Some even offered to teach him, but he said that he had to leave in a few days, and that it would be stupid to have master for such a short time. Instead, he purchased a couple of scrolls with some of his money, and began to learn a couple of jutsu from them. One was a jutsu called **Hyuuton (Ice Element): Toukanboruto (Frost Bolt) no jutsu.** It was the Ice Element equivalent of **Goukakyuu no jutsu**, as it shot a large ball of frost from the mouth. It had taken Naruto a few hours to master, but he found he liked it. The other was rather odd ability, but he decided would be immensely beneficial in the long run. It was called **Tsukuridasu Fuudo (Conjure Food) no jutsu.** This was far more difficult, and required a decent amount of chakra, and control in order to use. The idea was that one could use a piece of organic material, whether it be a rotten piece of meat or a bit of tree in order to fashion an edible meal that could allow someone to survive in the wilderness. It was rather complicated, and used a lot of chakra in order to do. One placed the food in front, and after performing an incredible number of seals, touched the food and poured the molded chakra within the object, while concentrating on the type of raw food you wished to have. If done correctly, the object's molecules will begin to reshape themselves, eventually forming the desired foodstuff. It could only be done with simple foods, however. Bread, various vegetables, and fruit could all be created easily, and if the original object was meat, then it could be changed into another kind of meat. By that very morning Naruto had only managed to create an apple and a few cherries out of a few pieces of wood, but decided that it would suffice.

He couldn't wait to find out what other types of jutsu they had here.

Berlyiro finally spoke up.

"Let's have a drink, lad. We can get that young un', Undrig, an' the gnome. We'll have a proper sendin' off fer yeh." Naruto grinned cheerfully at the statement, and they set off to locate the two in question.

* * *

"Here's to ya', lad! We'll be missin' yeh, an' Ironforge'll be a little dimmer without yeh…an' there's to be no one around we can make fun of for bein short, neither." 

Naruto glared at Undrig, who was clutching a tankard of sweet smelling ale and grinning a little tipsily. Furnizzle and Berlyiro sat next to him, both grinning as well. They were in a rather crowded bar in the Commons of the Ironforge, all sitting at a table. Naruto and Furnizzle both were clutching a sweet fruit juice, Naruto because he wasn't old enough to drink ale, and Furnizzle because he couldn't hold his, while the two dwarfs clutched pints of ale, both grinning and hiccupping a little. It was clear they were more than a little drunk, but neither Naruto nor Furnizzle minded.

In fact, they were both enjoying the nonsense that both dwarfs would occasionally spout out, and Naruto particularly reveling in the feeling of doing something like this with friends. He had never once back in Konoha just sat around and enjoyed the presence of his friends like this.

He promised to himself that he would do so when he got back.

They laughed and joked for hours, both dwarves getting progressively drunker, and both Naruto and Furnizzle getting increasingly sure that one dwarf or the other would reveal latent homosexual tendencies. However, some of the things the dwarves blurted out made both gnome and human nearly fall out of their seats in laughter.

At one point, Undrig, being far more inebriated than Berlyiro got up and began singing a rather off-key Dwarvish song that had Naruto clutching his sides in laughter, unable to think coherently. Furnizzle had fallen out of his chair, and was in tears of laughter on the ground. Just when they thought it couldn't get any funnier, Berlyiro jumped up, locked arms with the other, and began to sing as well. The whole bar was shouting and laughing at the antics, and both Naruto and Furnizzle felt compelled to join them, even though they weren't drunk.

So they did.

By the time Berlyiro's wife appeared, looking furious at some nameless hour of the night, Naruto didn't think he'd ever be able to stop smiling. He had never had so much fun in his life.

But he knew that it would never last long.

* * *

Naruto stood in front of King Magni's throne the next day, his face stern and determined. He was wearing his pair of black pants a pair of leather boots, his orange wool shirt and over that another black leather jacket, full of pockets for his new weapons. He wore a hooded winter cloak over this, and a backpack containing several days' worth of food and drink. Magni's Pride, his kodachi, was strapped to the back of his belt, concealed beneath the cloak. Near the entrance of the chamber, Undrig, Berlyiro, and Furnizzle stood, watching the proceedings. Despite what had happened last night, both Dwarves looked completely alert, and not the slightest bit hung-over. _"Hearty" my ass…these guys are fucking invincible!_

Magni watched Naruto from his throne, a wide, if somewhat sad looking smile on his face.

"Well, lad, it is time for you to depart, it looks like. You no doubt have spent the last week wisely, and I hope that my gift to you is now usable." Naruto grinned and nodded.

Magni chuckled a bit, and then turned solemn.

"Now, lad, I send you off with these words, which I hope you will take to heart. Travel a day and a half to the west, and there you will find the camp of the Gnomeregan Exiles. They have set up a little ways away from the entrance to the mighty city. When you approach Mekkatorque, you must make sure that he knows that you are not loyal to me. He would consider that my help, and would send you away. You must approach him with the same story you told me. Tell him that unification is the only way we will win this war. He is a very clever creature, lad, and even more prideful than me. To tarnish his honor and his pride he would consider the gravest of insults…that is how Gnomeregan was taken…it is said. Please, help my friend reclaim his honor, and his city. That is something that you must do, or else he will not join, I fear. I believe that you could do this…you have already done so much for people who are not even your own. He may listen to you if you listen to him. Now go, lad. I will send word to the Archbishop of Stormwind, and we will decide what to do next. I can only hope that young Princess Kira will have found away to convince Anduin of this dire situation."

Naruto looked at the King of the dwarves, his shining blue eyes full of the fires of determination.

He would not fail.

He could not fail.

Not when the lives of his new friends, as well as the lives of nearly every dwarf, human, gnome and everything else's lives were at stake.

Naruto grinned, and held up his thumb, striking a sort of pose.

"Don't worry, King-shuju, I won't fail…not when my friends are in danger. It's a promise…and I never break those." Magni smiled warmly at the young boy, who would have to endure so much for people that he should have no right to care about.

And yet he did.

Magni duplicated the gesture, shocking several of the guards, and said,

"Then I wish you the best of luck, for you will need it." Naruto grinned.

"I've always had plenty of luck, so you don't need to worry 'bout that!" he quipped.

Magni laughed, and Naruto turned, making his way towards the entrance to the chamber. He passed Undrig, Berlyiro and Furnizzle, who started after him as he left. They weaved there way through the crowd of weapon and armor crafters who had gathered outside, waving to the boy as he walked by. Reingrin, the dwarf who had forged Naruto's new kunai and shuriken, was waving especially hard near the end of the crowd. He shouted,

"Oi! Come back, yeh hear! I'll make yeh new weapons half price if yeh do!" Naruto grinned waving back at the dwarf as he passed, and they soon had left the Great Forge, entering the Commons.

Many dwarves stopped to wave goodbye here as well, some cheering. Naruto felt his spirits rising exponentially.

He wouldn't let all these people down.

That was a promise.

* * *

As Naruto stepped out into the biting cold of the mountains, his three new friends stopped behind him. He turned to meet them, and the three stood watching each other for a few seconds. 

Undrig spoke first.

"I'm gonna miss yeh lad. Yeh've made all our lives a bit brighter, e'en if it was just for a week. I hope yeh accomplish what yeh've set out to do. I'll do me best to hold the fort here, so yeh come back an' we'll have another drink." Naruto smiled, nodding.

Berlyiro stepped spoke next.

"I wish yeh could've stayed longer. Yeh're a good student, lad. I meant what I said that you'd be a good warrior. I also now think yeh'd be a great protector as well. I have a bit o' somethin' for yeh, somethin' an ol' friend o' mine gave me. I thought it'd do well on yeh." He handed Naruto a small package, which Naruto opened. Within was a small, silvery loop. It was an earring.

Naruto blinked.

"Uh…I'm not much for jewelry…'Sides, I don't have a pierced ear." Berlyiro snorted.

"Aye, then wha's that pretty stone hangin' around yer neck?" Next clutched it protectively, and Berlyiro grinned.

"Thought so. This is a special earring, lad. It increased a person's hearing ability, makes yeh ear's a sharp as a mutt's. Yer senses are already a bit stronger; this'll help yeh in battle. An' as for the pierced ear, its really simple, jus' poke one of them knives in the lobe, and stick in that afore you heal. Dunno how it works, but its got several runes engraved into it, an' it was forged from magic, I suspect." Naruto gazed at the earring a little more closely, then slipped it into his pocket.

"Thanks." He said, smiling. Furnizzle spoke up next, in a squeaky, low voice.

"I'm going to miss you very much, my friend. I will miss our talks. I must ask you something, however. If you see my brothers, they look like me, and go by the names of Rurizzle and Linkizzle, then please protect them. If they are…well…you know…then can you inform me? I ask you from the bottom of my heart to help my people, Naruto. If you do, I will do everything in my power to help you find a way back to your world." Naruto smiled and nodded,

"Of course, I'll make sure they stay alive, okay!" The gnome blinked looking at him a little shocked. He smiled then, his eyes watering a little, and nodded.

Naruto turned, his eyes shining. His three friends remained in their positions, smiling as Naruto descended the path, not looking back once.

He would not fail.

That was his _nindo._

_

* * *

_

Kira sat in her room, Kylia by her side, brooding.

This couldn't be happening.

Her father had been seduced by probably the greatest of harlots in existence.

_Of the Scarlet Crusade no less!_

What's more, it was the fact that her father, a person whom she loved more dearly than anyone else, had fallen prey to someone so obviously evil. Several years ago, her father would have never even though about allying with the Crusade. What had happened to him that had caused him to do this?

"Maybe she is casting a spell on him, my lady?" Suggested Kylia from beside her. Kira frowned, but then shook her head a little.

"Maybe…but I don't think my father would fall so easily to that. He is strong in his own right, and his will would not crack to someone, like that _woman!_" She spat the word with venom, suddenly realizing why her teacher despised them so much.

Speaking of her teacher…

The door suddenly opened, and both girls looked up to see the ancient priest stride in, a grim look on his face.

Kira recognized the look.

"So you've found out, huh?" she said looking at him sternly. He nodded gravely, sitting down next to her.

"I'm afraid so…did I not tell you women could not be trusted? That woman is the epitome of my thoughts. She is a snake, a rat, and a foul little imp. I did not realize that our King has fallen so. He is strong-willed, like his father, and would not submit to mental control, or even suggestions. Especially from such a novice…" Kira looked at him, a little afraid.

"Can't you do something? Please…you need to help him. You could probably defeat her, right? Then my father would see-" He cut her off a simply shake of his head.

"Defeating her will not change anything, child. It would just spark another war between our factions, and your father would likely exile me for treason. No, we must simply lay low about this. You must continue your training. You must also continue trying to get through to your father; I believe that you are the only one who could ever pierce his thick skull. As for the young lad, Naruto, believe in him, as well. I believe that he may be the only one to be able to help us at this point in the scheme of things. We must hold fast, Kira." Kira gulped, and nodded. Kylia looked at her lady with worry, touching the girl's hand in a sign of companionship and comfort. Kira smiled thanks at her, and then turned back to Benedictus.

"Okay. I will not fail." He smiled.

"I have no doubt of that."

* * *

A day and half Naruto had been traveling west. The heavy snows and his boots weighed him down, so tree hopping was very difficult, if impossible in some places. So he was forced to remain on the ground, moving atop the snow with chakra enhanced steps. He was making good time, despite all this, and hadn't encountered anything threatening along the way. 

During the night, Naruto had done what Berlyiro had said to, and had stuck a kunai in his ear, piercing it slightly. Then, before it regenerated, he fastened in the earring with a bit of difficulty (it took him two tries before he got it right). When he had finished, he was indeed amazed with the results. Not only did he look downright cool, but also he could hear things he had never heard before. Everything was so much clearer, and he reveled in the ability to hear things that nobody else would be able to.

_Eat that Akamaru!_ He thought grinning. He hurried along at a steady, yet quick pace. 

_Any minute now…_He thought, leaping up to the crest of a hill.

That was when he caught the smell. It was a combination of acrid, greasy and metallic scents that nearly overwhelmed him. In it the smell of gnome was clearly mixed in. He searched around for a little, following the scent. He ran towards it, speeding up as he did. He found the source tucked in a small valley at the edge of a wide plain.

The source came from a bunch of small huts and tents that littered the valley, almost to the point where there was no space between them. Many of them were exuding puffs of black smoke from small chimneys in the top. He saw what had to be thousands of gnomes scurrying in between the huts, some squabbling in Gnomish, others clearly focused on their destination, not speaking to any. None were idle, and they rarely stopped moving. It was a rather surreal experience, in Naruto's opinion.

He took a deep breath, and moved downwards towards the camp, watching for any signs of hostility. When he reached the edge, he heard several clicking noises, and was suddenly faced with a dozen gnomes, all covered in snow, clutching small L-shaped weapons in their small hands.

Maybe being short isn't such a bad thing… 

One of the gnomes glared and spoke clearly, if a bit menacingly.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? Speak up, boy!" Naruto, already used to the "boy" thing, spoke as calmly as he could, holding his hands up and away from his body.

"Hold on! I'm not here to attack or anything! My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I need to speak to your king…" He looked the gnome square in the eyes, daring him to try and deny Naruto's wish. The gnome frowned, his eyes glancing quickly at Naruto, then to the other gnomes in the group.

"Why do you wish to see his Highness? He is very busy, and cannot idly chat with children such as yourself." Naruto scowled, his little calm reserve breaking as he did.

"I'm not a child! And it's important! Let me see him!" Naruto took a step forward to show that he meant business, and the gnome took a step back, raising his weapon a little. He looked at Naruto squarely once more and said.

"Tell me what you need to tell him, and I will judge if it is important or not." Naruto sighed, and did so.

By the end, the gnomes surrounding him were wide eyed, and the one he was speaking to was frowning in a mixture of consternation and confusion. He then spoke.

"I will speak with his highness, if he decides to see you, then you will meet him. If not, then you will leave." He nodded to the other gnomes.

"Take him to the War House, and I will inform the king." One of the gnomes nodded and gestured for Naruto to follow him. He had white hair, a small trim beard, and a large, pear-shaped nose. He clutched a small sword in his hand, and a small shield in the other. The gnome led him through the camp, causing many gnomes to stop and look at the boy in surprise and suspicion, something Naruto was quite used to. They walked until they reached a large, metal house, far bigger than the rest. They entered through a door in the side, and Naruto was met with the sight of dozens of maps and schematics littering the walls and floor, and the single table in the middle. There were several bookshelves filled to the brim with books of all sizes and colors. The gnome pointed to a chair covered in clutter.

"You may sit there, do not move until one of us returns to inform you of the King's decision, okay?" Naruto nodded, and moved aside some of the clutter, taking a seat. The gnome left and Naruto was alone.

So he waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

He ate a bit of food when he got hungry, but it wasn't until sundown until the gnome returned, his countenance etched with surprise.

"The king has informed us that he will see you. Follow me." Naruto nodded, standing up and following the gnome dutifully.

_Geez, you wouldn't think such festive looking little creatures would be so uptight…_

**THEY ARE AT WAR. WAR ALWAYS CHANGES PEOPLE.**

_Can't argue with that…_

**I WONDER HOW THEY TASTE…**

Naruto sweat-dropped.

They moved across the much less crowded camp, and it was indeed rather dark out. Naruto was led to an even larger metal house, which was puffing out different color smokes from numerous different chimneys. Naruto watched the curious sight with interest, before the gnome cleared his throat, and they entered. Inside, it was just as cluttered as the War House, and there were dozens of gnomes working at small tables, fiddling with gadgets, writing down quick notes, or mixing strange chemicals. Naruto noticed that every one of them was wearing something he didn't think he'd ever see again.

Goggles.

They were of all different colors as well, some green, some purple, some blue. Naruto was amazed by the style of the goggles. He had always been rather fond of goggles since Iruka had given them to him after he had befriended the chuunin. He still had his old pair hanging in his room back in Konoha.

Unlike his own, however, these goggles seemed to serve a purpose. He saw many pressing small dials on the side, and causing the lenses to pop out, focusing on the object they were observing and likely magnifying it. They were amazing.

He was broken from his observations by the gnome, who coughed to get his attention and motioned to follow him. Naruto quickly obliged, and hastened after the miniature creature. They walked out of the room through a small metal door, which Naruto had to duck to enter through, and entered a darker, more secluded looking room. Peering about, Naruto saw strange vials of colored substances on the walls, and only one window. It was pleasantly cool, not ice cold like outside, and Naruto got a distinct, "clean" feeling, like that of a hospital. He guessed it was likely some sort of laboratory.

In the center of the room, was a small table, covered in many vials and beakers, some bubbling and smoking strange colored smokes, others merely sitting placidly, disturbed slightly every couple of seconds by a drop from another liquid. At the end of the said table, however, was a small, clearly gnomish form, hunched over a leather-bound book.

The gnome was old, visible by his lack of hair, and the pale color of his remaining. He wore large, bright-green glowing goggles. He was dressed in dirty brown overalls and brown leather boots, with matching gloves. While the darkness masked a great deal of his remaining features, Naruto could tell by his movements and the scent of sweat that the gnome was hard at work.

The gnome who had led him quickly walked over to the working gnome, and said something to him in a strange, coarse and throaty sounding language, that reminded Naruto slightly of Dwarvish. The gnome who was working looked up at Naruto, frowning in the light that was being emitted from his goggles. The rest of his face was similarly lit up, and Naruto could make his features out quite easily. He had a large moustache and beard, neatly trimmed, as white as the rest of his hair. His face was gaunt looking and was wet with sweat. His face was unlike any of the other gnomes he had so far seen; it was withdrawn and clammy-looking, whereas the others had childish looking ones, with rosy, slightly chubby cheeks. His cheeks were thin, and the skin of his face seemed to grip his skull like a rubber glove. In short, he looked completely unwilling to listen to any type of proposal.

Naruto had a sinking feeling that this was the gnome he was looking for.

The gnome who had led Naruto turned back to him and spoke,

"You are in the presence of the great High Tinker, the King of all Gnomes, Gelbin Mekkatorque. I suggest that you bow, for-"

"Leave us, Knurlig." The High Tinker's voice silenced the gnome in a heartbeat, and he left quickly. Naruto stood perfectly straight, waiting for the gnome to address him in some way. He decided that this wasn't going to be as easy as talking to Magni. From only those three words Naruto could tell that despite his size, Gelbin Mekkatorque was powerful, a true king.

When Knurlig had left, the Gnome King addressed Naruto directly.

"Well, speak boy! I don't have any time to waste, so if you wish to speak, then do it!"

Naruto scowled slightly. The tone was one he had heard many times before, back in Konoha. His schoolteachers before Iruka had always spoken to him that way, as had his landlord and many of the adults where he shopped. Hell, even Neji had spoken to him with it during their fight.

It was a tone that expressed neither kindness nor patience, and professed that its user was overall superior to Naruto.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto spoke confidently and told him what he had come to do, and what Kira planned to do.

"No."

Naruto stopped, having been interrupted halfway through his story. He blinked, and then growled out,

"Why the hell not!" Mekkatorque had already returned to his work, and without even glancing at the boy said coldly,

"Because it is a foolish, naïve and overall incredibly pointless plan. The races of this world cannot coexist as you and that girl think they can. They will always be separate, and if one race cannot even keep its people together, what makes you think they can tolerate others? It is why the Alliance and Horde failed, because our natural differences make it impossible to coexist. Now please leave, I have much work to do." He pointed back to the door, and spoke not a word more.

Naruto was speechless.

He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

Before, when Kira had been informing him about the history of Azeroth, she had said that the Gnomes were one of the most accepting and tolerant of other races. She had made them sound like it would be just easy to get them to join the new alliance. Even Magni, who had had some doubts about it being so easy, had been hopeful that Naruto would be able to get their support. He had said that Mekkatorque was a reasonable gnome.

And then he had heard this.

The shock, however, soon gave way to a boiling, surging anger.

That bastard! 

"HEY! What the hell's your deal? You didn't even listen to the entire thing, and you haven't even seen it tried. You're just righting it off as impossible! Stop being so selfish! People are trying to help you with this, and it looks like you damn well need it! Why don't you-"

"Be quiet." The gnome's voice cut off Naruto's tirade, and Naruto found the gnome staring at him once again, his goggles off, his large, grayish eyes flashing and smoldering like miniature raging storms.

"You know nothing, boy. You know nothing of what I must do, and why I must do it. You are nothing more than a stupid, barely potty-trained brat who thinks he can save the world with a worthless and impossible ideal. Now get out. If you do not, I will have you bound, gagged, and stuffed into the back of the next caravan that passes. LEAVE!"

Naruto didn't back down however, his blue eyes glowing with anger. He was about to say more, when two gnomes entered from behind Naruto, both carrying short blades and small shields. They came up on both sides of the blonde, and one said gruffly,

"Come with us, the King doesn't wish to speak with you anymore." Naruto didn't bother struggling, and was pushed out by the two guards, back through the goggled-gnome room, and out into the dark night. When he was outside, Naruto found that the two gnomes didn't leave him be, or escort him towards the edge of the camp. Instead, they took him to a small, dark green tent near the back, and pointed inside.

"You will sleep here for the night. In the morning you will leave." In his anger, Naruto felt a slight twinge of recognition from the gnome's voice. He didn't bother to puzzle over, it, still too mad to think properly, and entered. It was a rather tight fit inside, as it had likely been made for a gnome, but Naruto found that is wasn't bad. The two gnomes closed the flap behind him, and then stood on both sides of the entrance, likely guarding Naruto from escaping.

Grumbling, the blonde sat back, and did his best to fall asleep.

* * *

Naruto awoke at first light, shaking off the haze that always came when he awoke. The blonde sat up, rubbing his eyes some, as his brain began to recount last night's events. 

He scowled at the vivid memory of Gelbin Mekkatorque's insults.

_What a bastard…_

He simply couldn't believe that someone both Magni and Kira believed was so tolerant and great had acted like that. The guy was just as bad as the old Neji, hell, even worse. He spoke to Naruto as if the boy was just that, a boy. Naruto had long ago stopped considering himself a child, seeing as how from nearly age 7, he had lived by himself in a lonely, broken down apartment. He may have acted like a child on many occasions, but he liked the attention it usually got. He had experienced a lot in his life, more than enough so that if he wanted to, he could beat out both Sasuke and Neji in an angst-fest.

But he didn't want to. He liked to look on the brighter things in life, and to go through each day with a fresh, positive attitude. Sure it sounded a little corny, but it beat wallowing in depression and being bitterly pessimistic about every situation, and never talking.

All things that Sasuke had done daily in his jaunt with Team Seven.

Who was some stupid gnome to tell him what he did and did not know?

As he seethed over the gnome's insulting words, he heard the tent flap being opened, and saw a gnomish face appear.

"You up, boy?" Naruto looked up, and suddenly stopped. The gnomish face that had appeared was a slightly older version of Furnizzle. He had slightly less hair, and several scars had marred his face, but otherwise, it was a rather amazing resemblance.

_He must be…_

"Oi! Are you Linkizzle or Rurizzle?" He said quickly, looking at the gnome intensely. The gnome looked taken aback for a few seconds then said,

"How…who are you? How do you know those names?" The gnome was gripping his sword hilt slightly, and Naruto immediately responded with a shout,

"I met your brother! Back in Ironforge! Furnizzle! He's a good friend of mine." The gnome looked stunned for a second, and then grinned.

"Amazing! You know my little brother? I haven't seen him for almost two years! How is he? Is the business all right? My name is Linkizzle by the way, Rurizzle is outside." Naruto grinned happily that Furnizzle's brothers were still alive, and immediately began to answer the gnome's questions as he crawled out into the light.

The sky was overcast, and Naruto was instantly reminded of where he was when he left the tent. It was very cold out, and he briefly wondered why it had been so warm in the tent.

When he had finished answering the gnome's questions, Linkizzle called to a gnome standing a few yards away, near another, larger green tent. The gnome walked over, looking puzzled, and Linkizzle said with a grin,

"Rur! This kid's a friend of Furn's! He says he came here not only to speak with the king, but to check up on us!" The gnome spluttered in amazement, then laughed happily, sounding like a child as he did.

"That's great! How is the little one? Good I hope, and the business?" Linkizzle grinned,

"He's been doing well, apparently." The other gnome smiled, then turned back to Naruto.

"Sorry about last night, friend. If we had known…well, we would have treated you a bit better. We heard the king shout at you, so we assumed that you were causing trouble." Naruto nodded, accepting the apology. Linkizzle grinned, then jerked his finger towards the larger tent.

"Let's have a bite to eat, shall we? I'd like to here in detail how our brother has been doing." Naruto nodded, and followed the two gnomes into the tent, which was considerably larger than the one he had slept in.

"This is our tent. The one you slept in used to belong to another, but he deserted a couple of weeks ago. We just kept it up, in case he returned." Rurizzle said as he took at seat on one of the small chairs. Naruto nodded, taking a seat on the ground, not wanting to risk ruining one of the chairs.

So they talked. Naruto told them about his short stay in Ironforge, which eventually led to his experiences in the mountains, and then Stormwind, and finally Elwynn Forest. The two gnomes were rather surprised that Naruto was not from this world, but excited as well. The existence of other dimensions was something that had been long proven to be true, but no one had ever achieved it. They peppered him with questions about his world, and though Naruto was happy to tell them about it, he steered clear of any subject that he still didn't feel comfortable talking about.

Such as the Kyuubi and Uchiha Sasuke.

In turn, the two gnomes told Naruto a little of their past, most of which Naruto had heard from Furnizzle, but he was deeply interested in what had happened after the fall of Gnomeregan. He learned foremost, however, what had happened in detail inside the great city, something that he had been in the dark about until Magni had said that it had been an internal problem.

"Gnomeregan is impenetrable from the outside, child. It would take an army of more than several million men in order to penetrate the walls, not even Ironforge was as safe from attack as Gnomeregan. So why was it taken, you ask? Simple, while its walls could not be broken down, if you had already passed them, then they didn't need to be. Gnomeregan was attacked from a direction that nobody expected. Below. Our diggings and expansion led us to awaken something that we were not able to control. That something was…the troggs…" Naruto's ears perked up at that, Magni had mentioned something about them, as had Furnizzle, but neither had really elaborated on what they were.

"The troggs, as far as we know, are a very ancient type of creature, dating all the way back to the creation of Azeroth itself. Legend says that they were created by the Titans to protect this world. However, something went wrong, and the troggs became wicked and hateful creatures. So, the Titans sealed them away in the depths of the world, where they remained for ages; until we dug them up."

Linkizzle shook his head slightly after this, his mind obviously somewhere else. It was Naruto's statement, however, that snapped him back.

"I've been meaning to ask…Mekkatorque, he seems different than what I've heard he's like. Magni and Kira-chan told me that he was a good-natured guy, who tolerated others, you know? He was a complete bastard last night, didn't even give me a chance. Why? What changed him?"

Both gnomes sighed heavily, exchanging depressed looks, before their gazes returned to Naruto.

"That's…difficult to explain, Naruto. At lot has happened to the High Tinker, and it would be hard not to change after what he went through." Linkizzle said, looking down a little. Rurizzle picked up from where he stopped, saying.

"I'm not sure we should tell you this, it feels like a breach on the King's trust. But I guess we could. Here is a tale, Naruto, the tale of the fall of Gnomeregan, and a tale of betrayal of the highest order. This is a tale about our great king, High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque, and his best friend, and most trusted advisor, Mekgineer Sicco Thermaplugg."

* * *

Gelbin Mekkatorque sat at his worktable in the Workshop tent's laboratory, his eyes focusing on the notes in front of him. To most, he would appear to be reading intently, but his mind was not on the notes in front of him. It was on the human boy who had appeared, rather suddenly, proposing a rather preposterous idea about forming a new alliance with the former members of the Horde. A boy who claimed he was from another world, a boy who had managed to win over Magni Bronzebeard himself who had been one of the most stubborn creatures Gelbin had ever met. 

There had been a time when he would have accepted at once, a time where he would have helped the boy in his endeavors in whatever way he could.

But now…

Now, he simply did not care. Now, he didn't want to save the world, or help anyone else, he wanted to take back his home. He wanted to give his people back a proper place to stay.

And he wanted to do it alone.

He had to; it was his fault, and his mistake. He couldn't allow anyone else to intrude on this mission. It was something that he had to do, something that he would do even if it killed him.

And it all stemmed from one person.

His best friend and the person he trusted the most.

Sicco Thermaplugg.

_You blasted fool…_ He thought, anger and misery flowing into him again. Nowadays, he rarely displayed his emotions to others. When around his subjects, he would simply assume a stone-faced mask. When alone, he would let all his raging emotions out, by diving into his work. He hated it, however. He hated how he was living, how he was feeling, and how everything had turned out.

It was all because of him.

_Why…why did you do it? Sicco…how could you?_

_

* * *

_

"Before Gnomeregan was taken, our King was elected to the position of High Tinker, which is exactly like the king, only they are chosen by the people. H.T. Mekkatorque was the best of the best. He was a genius both in alchemy and engineering, and during the years before the city fell, he came up with many ways to improve our way of living. He designed many weapons for the fight against the Burning Legion and The Scourge, and many of those weapons remain in Ironforge and Stormwind. Gnomeregan was the greatest hub of creating new forms of technology, bar Gadgetzan.

"Then, in one of our construction sites beneath the city, where we were beginning to build another storage hold, our machines awakened the menace of the troggs. They poured out, attacking and destroying the two lowest sections of the city. At that point, the H.T. shut off the lowest portions, but it would not work for long. The troggs were able to create small tunnels that led into the ventilation systems. This allowed them to get up towards the upper sections, and despite everything our King did, nothing worked.

"It was a godsend, it seemed, when the King's greatest, most trusted friend, Mekgineer Sicco Thermaplugg, proposed a rather, rash idea. Thermaplugg had been one of the big brains behind the newest technological advances, and was likely equal in talent to Mekkatorque. Our King was light-hearted, kind and generous, and always had a smile on his face. Thermaplugg was a brooding, sullen gnome, who was a genius in coming up with new forms of weaponry. The two, despite the differences, were great friends, and after Mekkatorque became the High Tinker, he made Thermaplugg his greatest advisor. Together they should have been an unstoppable, unconquerable force.

The troggs, it seemed, disproved this. It was the threat of Gnomeregan being destroyed that Thermaplugg came up with an idea that he professed would work. He suggested that the only way to destroy the troggs would be to flush and drain the radioactive waste tanks that we keep in order to store the large amounts of waste that our city creates. The theory was that it would destroy the troggs, but the reality was not so kind. While many troggs did die, the majority remained alive, and their bodies became irradiated, making them walking sacks of poisonous energy. The waste also had dire effects on the people of Gnomeregan, the fumes rising through the ventilations shafts and cracks, and killing thousands of gnomes in the higher sections. Those that didn't die became irradiated and poisoned as well.

Mekkatorque couldn't believe at what had happened. His actions had destroyed a huge portion of the city, and killed many of his own people. He ordered the evacuation of Gnomeregan shortly after, and we fled to Ironforge for a brief time. However, Thermaplugg did not follow us. The King later informed us, that it had been his fault.

"Thermaplugg had somehow known of the troggs existence, and yet he had done nothing. He had also known that the radioactive wastes wouldn't have done a thing…

"He betrayed us all, his own people, and more importantly…his best friend."

* * *

Mekkatorque's mind drifted back, back to that final day, minutes before he had left Gnomeregan. 

_Mekkatorque, astride his golden Mechanostrider, made his way quickly towards the control room. He was sweating profusely, his eyes behind the two green lenses of his goggles were deeply worried, and he urged the bird-like machine to go faster._

_He arrived at the entrance to the control room, and hastily pushed in his punch card, which unlocked the door in a second, and he entered. The room, which was usually filled with gnomes, checking and monitoring the processes of the city, was almost completely empty. Save for one._

"_Sicco! My god, how could this have happened? Our city…it's dying! How did we let it go this far?" The other gnome said nothing for a while, and merely continued to peer out the large window that gave one a view of the entire industrial district of the city. The district was almost completely covered in greenish ooze, now, and the screams of many gnomes filled the air, each one causing the King's heart to ache even more. Thermaplugg was wearing what he usually did, a black jumpsuit and green goggles similar to Mekkatorque's. He was built rather like the other gnome as well, though he was bald and possessed a jet-black beard. It was a time before Thermaplugg spoke._

"_Simple…I let it happen, my dear friend." Mekkatorque was caught off guard by the statement, his eyes widening beneath his goggles._

"_Wh-what do you mean?" The other gnome turned to look at him, the beginnings of a cold smirk on his face._

"_Do I really have to spell it out for you? I knew that this would happen. I knew it, and I encouraged it. I knew of the troggs' existence before you awakened them. Imagine that, eh, Gelbin? I then suggested that you douse them in radioactive wastes, and like the tool that you are, you obliged. I knew full well that it wouldn't work, having done multiple experiments on those brutes before they had overrun the city. So now our city…no sorry…**your** city, is an irradiated pile scrap metal, with thousands of dead gnomes, dead at your hands, my dear friend. It is really funny how things turn out, hm?"_

_Mekkatorque was speechless, his eyes the size of dinner plates._

"_How…why? WHY? YOU KNEW? YOU KNEW! YOU, HOW COULD YOU HAVE DONE THIS? OUR HOME, OUR CITY, SICCO, HOW COULD YOU HAVE DONE THI-"_

_**BLAM.**_

_Mekkatorque took a few steps back in shock, clutching his side, where blood was dripping from a gaping bullet wound. Thermaplugg held a large, six-barreled gun in his hand, something he himself had designed, and was no longer smirking. His expression was crazed and from behind his goggles his two, black eyes blazed with a great madness._

"_You…you stole it from me. You call yourself my friend. You stole my dream…my ambition, from me. High Tinker was my position. Not yours. I did everything, and you got the credit, the rewards, and the praise for it. You are weak. You are nothing. Nothing without me. I decided, right when you were announced High Tinker, that you would pay." He lowered the gun slightly, clutching the side of his head with his free hand, as if in pain. He stopped glaring, and a sudden calm washed over his face as he spoke._

" _You are my best friend…but you will die for stealing my dream. I now hold the power that is so rightfully mine. This city is mine now. There is nothing that binds me to you anymore, Gelbin. I do not tolerate weaklings in **my** city. You are the first that I have 'culled.' Those who survive the radiation will become my subjects; they will help me rebuild this city, in my own way. I cannot allow you, you or anyone else, to get in the way of my ambition. Now, dear friend…you will die."_

_Mekkatorque stood up, dodging another shot from Thermaplugg's gun. He ripped his small sword from its sheath, the hilt shaped like a wrench, and charged the other gnome at break-neck speed. The other gnome dodged the first strike, and then drew his own small sword. _

_They clashed, once, twice, then thrice. Gelbin dropped back, a slight wound on his arm, and his stamina fading fast. The blood loss from his first wound was getting to him, and he wished he had a coagulant at the moment. With a cry, he lowered the blade and formed a set of one-handed seals. At the end, he bellowed in a loud voice, "**Fire Beam!" **A greenish stream of flames shot from the tip of his sword, aimed directly at Thermaplugg. The other gnome swiftly avoided it, countering with a series of one-handed seals as well. He pressed the tip of his blade into the floor, and said loudly, "**Electrostatic Blazer!"** The ground surged as a wave of electricity shot through it, damage and shorting out everything in its path. The attack would have gone further if the Gnome hadn't held his hands together, molding his chakra, and driving the blade of his sword into the ground in a gesture that duplicated Thermaplugg's. The electricity stopped as it hit the gnome, causing no damage. He lifted his blade to start again, when Thermaplugg raised his six-shooter, and fired._

_Pressing a small dial on his wristwatch, Mekkatorque called his Mechanostrider to him. The golden machine leapt in front of its master, taking two shots in its reinforced, metallic body. The Gnome king grabbed onto one of the side straps, and lifted himself on top, hugging the machine's neck in order to make as much of his body as flat as possible. He turned aiming his own six-shooter and pointed it back at his former friend. His first shot missed the Mekgineer, but a second shot proved more accurate. Caught off guard on from the first shot, Thermaplugg leapt to the side, right into the second shot. He screamed and fell, clutching his knee, where the bullet had struck. Mekkatorque nearly squeezed the trigger once more, prepared to finish off his former friend. However, as he stared into Thermaplugg's goggles, images of his past with the gnome flashed before him. _

_He couldn't kill his friend._

_Turning away, Mekkatorque raced out of the control room as fast as his Mechanostrider could carry him._

_He looked back once more, his eyes full of sadness. He saw Thermaplugg appear in the control room's doorway, watching him, clutching his ruined leg. The traitorous gnome simply watched him, not lifting his weapon again, as Mekkatorque disappeared from sight._

_

* * *

_

Naruto eyes were shadowed by his bangs as the two gnomes finished the story. He no longer felt anger at the Gnome king for last night. He couldn't be angry, not when…

Not when he had experienced the exact same thing.

Not when his best friend too, had betrayed him.

That gnome had every right to be bitter, every right to be angry and depressed. They were feelings that had plagued Naruto for weeks after Sasuke's defection.

Mekkatorque had just taken it to a different level, and hadn't let go.

Mekkatorque had somehow given up hope of saving his friend, and it seemed only sought to undo what he had done. It seemed that both his pride as a man, coupled with his own determination had led him to reject all help, and was willing to do almost anything to undo what he had done.

It was like him.

Hadn't he been convinced that he was the only one who could bring Sasuke back? Hadn't he been willing, even after just being defeated by the Uchiha, to go into the depths of Orochimaru's lair to search for him, with or without Tsunade's consent?

It had only been Sakura's words that had stopped him.

"_I'm coming with you next time, Naruto, so let's get strong, ok?"_

Because of the girl he had feelings for, he had taken the time to get strong, and he knew that Sakura was probably even more determined to get Sasuke back than he himself was. He had let go of the notion that it was only he that could bring back Sasuke, because Sakura was just as valuable as Naruto was in bringing back their wayward teammate.

Mekkatorque had no such person to tell him that he couldn't hold the world on his shoulders. He blamed himself, like Naruto had, for his friend's betrayal, but he just continued to wallow in that, and turned it into a single-minded drive to undo his mistakes, with no one at his side.

Naruto knew what he had to do.

With, or without Mekkatorque's permission, he was going to help take back Gnomeregan.

He was going to prove to the High Tinker that no one had to be alone.

* * *

Wow…another chapter done. Longest one yet. I actually enjoyed writing this chapter, even though there wasn't much fighting in it. I like the parallelism between Sasuke and Thermaplugg and Naruto and Mekkatorque. 

A couple things to address, I think.

One, the Japanese honorifics that Naruto gives everyone, and the Japanese attack names for World of Warcraft spells. This is because Naruto is using them. There isn't a language barrier between them, though their customs are different, and hence certain things about there languages would be different. Hence, people in Azeroth don't use honorifics, but to show that Naruto isn't from Azeroth, he does. The same is with attack names. Azeroth will use English names, Naruto will be using Japanese attack names. If they are poorly translated, please don't "bust my chops" about it. I use an online translator for them usually.

The word for Frost bolt was actually two words; I just contracted it into one, if that confuses you.

Gnome jutsu- In the Thermaplugg/Mekkatorque flashback fight there were several attacks that don't appear in the World of Warcraft. I'm not even sure what class Mekkatorque is. In this, Gnome's have their own special brand of techniques, all of which involve the use of a mechanical weapon. Naruto will probably learn one or two.

Now, reviewer answers:

**blazer-6- **Naruto will meet the Nerubians, most likely towards the end, when he treks towards Northrend, which I believe is where they live.

**No 1 You Know**- Actually, the boy king, Anduin Wrynn, is all grown up and has a daughter (Kira) in this one. I will still include the real King later, maybe, but for now let's see what happens to the current one. As for Naruto learning Priest spells, I don't think so…that's Kira's job. Naruto can't be too powerful.

If that's it, then I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and keep reading!

General Grievous

_Next, Naruto convinces Mekkatorque to let him help, and they begin to prepare to assault Gnomeregan._

Spellbook:

**Hyuuton: Toukanboruto no jutsu- **Shoots a bolt of frost from the person's mouth, Ice element equivalent of Goukakyuu no jutsu.

**Tsukuridasu Fuudo (**lit. "create food") **no jutsu- **Transforms a small particle of organic matter into an edible substance. Requires lots of chakra.

Armory:

**Earring of Hearing (**hah! It rhymes!)-Increases hearing ability of wearer due to the seals and chakra it contains.


	12. Ockham's Razor

**Disclaimer: "Great Scott!"**

"**What is it Johnson?"**

"**I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft!"**

_dramatically removes glasses_** "My god…"**

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* * *

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Linkizzle and Rurizzle left a few minutes after they had revealed the story of their King to the blonde. Naruto didn't move from his spot on the ground for a few minutes, staring quietly at the ground and dwelling on what the two gnomes had told him.

_He was betrayed…just like me._

This had awoken a plethora of different emotions in the blonde, the most prominent of which was anger. He was angry because Mekkatorque, a genius, someone that was not only older and wiser than Naruto, but had been spoken so highly of by several important and powerful people, had made a mistake that not even Naruto could have made. The stupid gnome had had the gall to call _him_ a child, when the bastard was making an even more childish mistake.

He was throwing away his friends, and the lives of his people, just to get revenge against the bastard who had made his life miserable.

The bastard was like him and Sasuke rolled into one person, only much shorter.

He got up and left the tent, shoving his hands into his pockets to shield them from the frigid air. A slight peppering of snow had begun, and the air was filled with tiny flakes of frozen water, drizzling downwards onto the camp, unimpeded by a breeze of any kind. The blonde trudged across the camp, avoiding gnomes as he went, his mind still trying to comprehend how someone so smart could make such a pathetic mistake.

He knew he would have to act quickly, because Mekkatorque was quickly becoming another Sasuke, someone who would throw away the lives of his friends and people just to get revenge on the one who had wronged him.

He was, in actuality, repeating the very same mistake that Sasuke had made. He was ready to give up anything in order to avenge himself against the person who had wronged him.

And, in doing so, was becoming that person himself.

_Are all geniuses this stupid?_ He thought fiercely, gritting his teeth as he walked.

Did they honestly believe that they could do everything themselves?

Mekkatorque, from what Linkizzle had described, had been a good person. He had been someone that always had looked on the bright side of life, someone who took pride in his achievements, and did his best to improve himself in order to help both his friends and his people. He had been exactly like Naruto in personality, albeit smarter and wiser.

So how had he fallen this far?

Naruto himself had been furious at the Uchiha prodigy for leaving the village, for leaving his team, but most of all for making Sakura sad. He had fought with all his strength to try and bring the Sharingan wielder back, and he had failed.

But had he turned his back on his friends?

Had he become exactly what Sasuke was, an angst-filled, ice cube bishounen?

No.

He had accepted that fact that he had friends, people who were willing to help him in his quest to return Sasuke to the village, and had begun to focus all his time into getting stronger, strong enough to help Sasuke out of the darkness. But he was just a dead-last, attention-seeking, loudmouthed brat, not an intelligent, powerful, and just king, who had years more experience than the blonde.

So how, if this was all true, had Mekkatorque become what he was today?

The blonde had no idea, and the more he dwelled on it, the more he realized that he would have to step up his efforts. He had come here to get the Gnome King's alliance against the Scourge, he had made a promise to both Kira and Magni that he would return Mekkatorque to his old self, and that he would help the Gnomes get back their kingdom.

_But how?_

Furnizzle's brothers and Furnizzle himself had told Naruto that essentially, Gnomeregan was impenetrable. According to Linkizzle, Mekkatorque had already tried several attempts in entering the most direct way, through the front entrance. However, apparently, Thermaplugg had not only installed a new security system in the upper levels, but had changed the configuration codes (whatever those were) that allowed a person to get into the city. This had led to numerous Gnomes being slaughtered, and a full retreat, with no progress made.

They had later tried explosives near an unguarded wall, but that had ended in disaster when they had punched a hole in the exhaust system, dousing the blasting team in toxic waste and killing many. The hole had been repaired in almost a day's time by Thermaplugg's forces on the inside. They had abandoned that idea.

It seemed to Naruto that no matter how much they tried, the new ruler of Gnomeregan would almost always be able to counter a tactic that Mekkatorque had designed. He was constantly evolving his strategies, and at the same time making Gnomeregan more and more impervious to harm.

_How do you break into something like that?_

Naruto had long walked out of the camp, and was making his way across the snowfield in front of a monstrous mountain, equally as large as the one that housed Ironforge. A massive door had been set in the front of it, and even though the snow obscured his vision somewhat, he could see two large metal tubes that resembled rifles mounted on the either side of the door, with two large beams of unnatural red light shooting from just above the tips. They swept along the ground in front of the door, as if looking for something, but did nothing else. Naruto guessed they were the new security system that Linkizzle and Rurizzle had mentioned.

He also saw large holes in the ground littering the field, all covered with metal grates. The holes were constantly spewing a noxious green smoke, which smelled so bad that Naruto had to gag and distance himself as far as possible from them. Against the white haze that was descending from the sky, the poisonous green clouds stood out even more, mixing in with the blank white of the sky, making the area right above them darken as the clouds absorbed the toxic chemicals that were present in the smoke. Naruto shuddered slightly.

How did those troggs survive being doused in the stuff that makes that? They should've died!

**THEY ARE NOT WEAK HUMANS, SUCH AS YOU.**

Bite me, fox.

**GLADLY.**

Naruto was about to retort, when a thought struck him.

No way…it couldn't be that easy.

The small, dwindling spark of hope that he had been fostering in his chest, the feeling that he always relied on in the direst of situations, burned bright.

Linkizzle had never said anything about it, right?

But surely they must of tried it…at least once?

Ockham's Razor.

Naruto grinned.

He had a plan.

* * *

Mekkatorque was interrupted from his work when a loud banging echoed in his ears, causing him to nearly drop the beaker he was holding. He glared at the gnome who was standing by the door, who was looking perplexed, and a bit frightened. He was about to inform the gnome on the importance of being quiet in a delicate environment such as this, when a familiar voice filled his ears. 

"Oi! You stupid old gnome! Get out here and talk to me!" Mekkatorque gritted his teeth, stiffening as Naruto's loud voice filled his ears.

_These walls are supposed to be soundproof…_ He thought, irritated. He glared at the other gnome, his eyes showing his anger, which prompted the gnome to exit, likely to find the source and shut it up.

The shouting stopped for a few seconds, then a loud **clang**, followed by more of the blonde's shouting caused Mekkatorque to lose his last straw.

Hopping off the chair, he crossed the room as quickly as his tiny legs could carry him, throwing open the door and making his way through the now nearly empty tinkering room to the door which led outside.

The sight that greeted him was both surprising and infuriating.

The annoying blonde stood, surrounded by several unconscious gnomes, and even more conscious ones, all holding weapons at the ready. The blonde human had a fierce, almost vulpine grin on his face, and had his arms crossed across his chest. He stood straight, and when he sighted Mekkatorque, his grin widened.

"So the shrimpy bastard finally shows up! I gotta' bone to pick with you!" Mekkatorque looked at the prostrate gnomes littering the ground all around the blonde, and ground out from behind clenched teeth,

"What are you still doing here? I though I made it clear that you were not needed, nor wanted. If you do not leave in the next few minutes I will-"

"Bite me, shorty." The gnomes surrounding them gasped in shock, and Mekkatorque's ire rose a few notches. Grey eyes behind green goggles flashed with anger, and Mekkatorque very nearly drew his sword.

Naruto, smirking at the reaction, continued.

"I'm not leaving. I can't leave. I'm going to stay here until I can pound it into your thick, overly large head that you need help, whether you like it or not. I made a promise, to not one, but _two_ people that I would get your help for this plan, and I never break promises, okay? 'Sides, I have an idea, and considering that you guys are supposedly the smartest creatures in this world, and the fact that you haven't yet thought of it must mean that that title is kinda…well…wrong."

Other gnomes were looking angry with this, but most just stayed quiet, watching their king closely. A mixture of emotions crossed Mekkatorque's face, finally settling on annoyance.

"You really are a child. That plan won't work, no matter how hard you try; it will fail in the end. It is a child's dream, or the dream of a fool. Now leave, _child_, you are not wanted, and your presence is a nuisance and tries what little patience I have."

The boy, surprisingly, didn't get angry. Instead he simply shook his head, still grinning and said.

"Sorry, not gonna happen. I'm giving you help whether you like it or not." Mekkatorque's annoyance vanished, and that void was immediately filled with anger.

"WHAT CAN YOU DO? You are a child, you have no experience in the ways of war, and you have no business in this affair! This is my fight! Not yours! Not Magni's! Not Princess Kira's or King Anduin's, but mine! Leave this place and DO NOT RETURN!"

Naruto's smile evaporated so quickly it was as if the blonde had never worn it, and his face had always been as stone cold as it was at that moment.

He clenched his fists, and spoke in a deadly soft whisper that everyone present could hear.

"Your fight…? Then where do you get off…. throwing away the lives of your people…huh?"

Mekkatorque froze.

Every gnome present stopped.

Even the falling snow seemed to recede, as if shocked by Naruto's statement.

Mekkatorque was at a loss for words, his mind grinding to a stop at the blonde's words. He tried in vain to come up with something to say, but couldn't. His brain seemed to have shut off its control of his mouth, which was hanging limply open, and for the life of him, he couldn't find a word, a syllable, even a letter to say.

Naruto continued, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"You have the gall to say this is only your fight? You think that even after all the help your people have given you, that his is still just your fight? You think that after all the worrying and help that Magni-shuju has been offering to send, after all you two have been through, that this is only your fight? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU? You have NO RIGHT to say that it is just your fight, when your people have been dying for you, trying not only to get back their homes, but to help you get back your honor, help you get back to the kind ruler that you were before! If you are a true leader, you shouldn't be calling this your fight, but theirs! They lost their homes, loved ones, their whole lives. This isn't _your_ fight, IT'S THEIRS!"

At this final word, which echoed across the silent valley, Naruto finished, breathing heavily, his one blue eyes no slightly crimson as a testament to the anger that coursed through his body.

Mekkatorque stood silently, the boy's words piercing his through the haze of images and feelings that had become his mind after years of tirelessly working to avenge himself and to retake the city. That entire time, he had never thought anything else but that this was his fight, his war, and his goal. The blonde's words stirred the spirit of the old Mekkatorque, salvaging it from the deepest recesses of his mind, and the Gnome king realized that he had been wrong.

Just like that.

He was wrong.

It wasn't his fight, it wasn't his war, and it wasn't his goal.

It was theirs.

It was his peoples.

And then, all at once, the emotions that he had long held in check, the anger, the sadness, the guilt, burst forth from him like raging waters shattering the dam that held them back. He crumpled to the ground, eyes wide, and several of gnomes quickly came forward to help him.

He choked back a sob, his eyes gleaming with tears begging to be shed.

_What have I done?_

In his efforts to make Thermaplugg pay, and to gain back what was his, he had made his people suffer. He had thrown away their lives in the foolhardy attempts to gain access to the city, and had never given it a second thought.

He was a monster.

He was no better than Thermaplugg.

Naruto's voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Are you that weak, old man?" Mekkatorque looked up, and met the gaze of the blonde shinobi. Ice blue eyes bored into his own, as their owner spoke once more.

"Get up. You're a king, a protector. You're not supposed to be weak in front of your people. Get up. You're strong. I know you are, 'cause neither Kira-chan nor Magni-shuju would put their trust in a weak guy."

Mekkatorque stared at the boy for a second, before he did just as the boy had ordered him to.

He got up.

He took off his goggles, wiping away the tears unshed within, before replacing them.

He spoke.

"What is your idea…child?" Naruto grinned, looking over his shoulder back at the mountain that housed Gnomeregan.

"It's easy. The walls can't be penetrated right? So why not take a page outta the troggs' book. Why not go underneath, and attack from below?"

* * *

"This is the original schematic for the digging machines, called the DiGMaster 300x, that we used to tunnel into the Troggs' domain. It is one of the few that were taken during the flight from the city. I must admit, that I didn't even think to look in this pile, as it contains things that I thought would merely be useful in the city itself, once it was retaken." 

Mekkatorque, Naruto, and several other gnomish scientists were all huddled about a worktable, pouring over a large scroll, which contained a well-drawn depiction of a digging machine that resembled something like a Dwarvish tank, only with a large drill on the front, and no cannon. The drawing had many arrows pointing to certain parts, labeling them in a curly script that must have been Gnomish. It also had several other views of the machine, even ones without certain parts shown, to show what was on the inside. It still didn't make much sense to Naruto, but he nodded as Mekkatorque spoke. The gnome was looking determined, no longer hiding behind the emotionless mask that he had when Naruto had first met him. Looks like his little speech had worked.

"As for your plan. I believe it can work. There are no security systems, or at least there shouldn't be in the lower levels as the troggs no doubt still occupy it."

"How do you know?" Naruto asked.

"We can hear them, from the grates which filter out the toxic gas, they're bloody loud, if you ask me." Responded a scientist to Naruto's immediate right, whose name he didn't know.

"Correct. It seems that Sicco has yet to clear them completely from the city, which means that he is fighting a constant battle as we are. He will likely have no way of knowing what is going on down there, which means it's the perfect way to enter. But there are some problems, of course.

"First, we need to build the DiGMaster 300x. This shouldn't take more than a few days, as we have plenty of help, and many extra parts in storage. Then, we would have to select a place to dig, and calculate how far down we should dig, and where it would lead. Sicco has likely changed much in the upper parts, but the lower, trogg inhabited part will not have changed, which means we can use the maps for Gnomeregan in order to help us. Next, we must find a way that will allow us to enter the radioactive area. We have several materials that protect us from harm against radiation, but we need to create suits in order to protect ourselves. This will also take a few days. Finally, we must plan out how we are going to retake the city without killing all of my warriors."

He looked around at the group of gnomes and one human, his eyes questioning each one for an idea.

Finally one spoke, a small, green-haired gnome to a few spaces to Naruto's left.

"That is a difficult problem, my liege. The troggs have superior numbers, and their brutality is legendary."

Another nodded, saying.

"I agree, it would seem that in order for this to work, we would first have to retake control of the city, and deal with the troggs after."

Yet another shook her head, calmly gazing back at the two males.

"That's not possible. The sheer number of troggs that one would have to go through would be immense. We would likely lose more than half of our force, and then we would have to deal with the betrayers within, the ones that Thermaplugg kept around in because they could endure the disfiguring effects of the radiation. It would be impossible."

Naruto spoke up at this point, saying confidently,

"You shouldn't count your chickens, gnome-san. There are plenty of ways to get up to the upper levels, and who says we have fight our way up there? While that's usually my preferred way, we could probably, with a small force, get up there and face this Thermaplugg bastard by himself. The rest I guess could find a way to take out all of the troggs in one sitting."

The other gnomes looked thoughtful for a second, while Mekkatorque spoke up.

"Yet another good idea. In order to gain control of the upper levels, we would need to gain control of the Central Control Room, which has essentially access to the up and running parts of the city. The betrayers, as you called them, Frizelda, I don't believe are loyal to Thermaplugg. I believe, for the most part, that they remain with him because he can help them prolong their lives. He will not completely cure them, simply treat them in order to keep them around long enough for them to do his dirty work. We could possibly avoid them; even gain their help if my theories are correct.

"As for your ideas of destroying the troggs in one sitting, that may prove to be far more difficult. We could close off the entrance to their underground lair with explosives, but we do not have enough to completely destroy the lower parts of Gnomeregan. We don't even have enough raw materials to make enough, which means we must find another way to do it…"

A gnome with white hair, and a single monocle spoke up in the back, sounding excited.

"My liege, we do have…_that_ thing…if we spent the next few days focusing all of our research on it, then we may be able to perfect it in order to use against the troggs…" Mekkatorque's eyes widened as well, and the gnome thought for a few seconds, before responding quickly.

"That…may work. It is nearly complete, so if we all worked on it, we may be able to finish it…"

Naruto frowned, looking between the two gnomes, slightly confused. He wasn't the only one; several of the other gnomes were frowning as well, looking to their king for clarification. Mekkatorque saw the looks and said.

"Myself and several others have been working on a special item which we have designed specifically using the data we have collected on troggs. It is a poison, air-born, that reacts specifically to trogg DNA and attacks its unique biochemistry, swiftly killing it. If anyone other than a trogg inhales this than it will not react with them, and they will be unharmed. We have done some tests, but we haven't yet perfected it. We are close, so if we take the time to focus on it completely in the next few days, while the DiGMaster 300x is being built and the suits are being created, then we might have a chance.

"Well then, here is what we will do. I want a portion of you," he pointed to the black-haired gnome who had first spoken and two others next to him, "to lead the construction of the DiGMaster 300x, taking as many skilled workers as possible. Another," he pointed to the girl gnome and another male next to her, "I want you to head the creation of the suits that will keep us alive in their. Make extra, perhaps two or three dozen. And finally, I want you," He pointed to the white-haired gnome across from him, "to help me in developing the trogg exterminator."

Naruto frowned.

"What about me?"

Mekkatorque looked at Naruto, appraising him slightly, then said.

"You will wait." Naruto stared at him, stunned.

"What! I said I was gonna help so-" Mekkatorque cut him off with a glare and said calmly.

"I am not saying that you are not useful, but you possess nothing of the technical knowledge that is needed to help out in these endeavors. You will wait for the next few days, you will watch, and you will learn something, child. You can help, as considering that you were able to defeat several of my guardsmen, you will be coming along with me and my group." Naruto blinked, before nodding, still slightly annoyed. He hated being useless.

Mekkatorque turned once more to the entire group, saying calmly,

"We must make this work, I finally believe that my wits have returned to me, so we must make this time count. I will not allow any more of my people to die for my revenge. They will live, live to see their home retaken." The other gnomes and Naruto nodded, all grinning.

Mekkatorque gave them all a half smile, something that hadn't appeared on his face in years.

"Then let's get started, shall we?"

* * *

For the next few days, the entire camp went into a sort of hyper-drive. Gnome who had previously spent their times standing outside the Research Tent, or practicing in the woods, were now scuttling to and fro, carrying a tool here, taking a part there, and doing whatever they could to be useful. 

On the first day, when Mekkatorque announced the plan, the entire camp had cheered, realizing that their king was gradually becoming himself once more. They knew that Naruto had had something to do with it, most having been present at Naruto's cursing out of the High Tinker, and were all deeply thankful. No longer did they stare at him distrustfully, but greeted him with warm smiles or a nod of acknowledgement. He was treated respectfully and people seemed to enjoy his company now that he wasn't on the bad side of their king. Linkizzle and Rurizzle were completely amazed that Naruto had managed to do something that they had been wishing would happen for years. Naruto had given them back their king, and a renewed sense of hope and fervor had swept through the ranks of the gnomes.

Immediately following the High Tinker's proposition, the camp had moved to complete their king's orders, gathering the necessary materials for the digging machine, and cutting the material for the protection suits. Mekkatorque and a group of his best scientists holed themselves up in the Research Lab, and hadn't been seen since.

For Naruto, the first day was spent watching the gnomes scuttle about gathering materials and taking stock of what they had. He watched them, near noon; begin to put together the machine that would allow them to enter the city. It started out with them taking large sheets of metal, welding them together to form a box shape. Next, they began to put together what would become wheels, first by cutting out large circular metal pieces and covering them in a rubber-like material. On the main body, they built two sidepieces in order to house and protect the wheels. As a portion of them worked on that, another began the length process of forging a drill that was strong enough to punch through dozens of meters of dirt and rock and finally the metallic walls of Gnomeregan proper. First they began to build a mold for the drill, taking a massive boulder they had found in the woods and painstakingly transporting it from its resting position to the camp. After that had been done, they began to cut away and shape it, using strange tools that sliced away rock as if they were slicing warm butter. When it was a rectangular shape, they cut it in half and began to cut out the insides, taking extreme measures to make sure both sides were identical. At the same time they began building a network of ropes and pulleys, which Linkizzle explained was a crane that would allow them heft the liquid metal that they had been melting since they started and pour it into the mold.

Naruto watched in awe on the third day of work as the gnomes finished carving out the mold, as Linkizzle explained to his left.

"Now that they've finished both the mold and the crane, and the metal is ready, they'll pour it out into the mold, careful to keep it warm as not to cause the metal to become brittle, and will let it slowly cool in the snow, before removing the sides of the mold and polishing and finishing up the drill itself. The metal they're using is a variant of iron called Dark Iron, something that the dwarves rarely find and was given to us by Magni himself. It is much stronger than iron, and will serve as a drill splendidly."

Meanwhile, another handful began putting the engine of the drilling machine together. Apparently it ran off coal, and they began to make a furnace within the small confines of the metal box they had started earlier. They constructed the rest of the main body around it as they went, adding a mechanism that allowed the back to rise and fall as needed, allowing the drill that would be mounted on it to adjust the course of its digging. By the time the sixth day had passed, the main body was finished, and they had begun to mount the drill on the main body, while they polished up the rest of the DiGMaster 300x. The end result was a tank-sized machine with a massive drill on the front, a small chair on top, and a hatch in the back for a gnome or two to enter in order to feed and stoke the engines. On the eighth day, the DiGMaster 300x was fully operational, and ready to drill.

During the construction of the digging machine, Naruto also observed another group of gnomes cutting and melting together the airtight suits that would shield their bodies from the radioactive wastes within. Naruto hadn't understood what exactly radiation was, and after a lengthy and rather confusing explanation from Rurizzle, he had a better idea of what it was, and why they had to protect against it. Naruto even saw a group of gnomes making a larger suit, just for him. What made Naruto really interested, however, was that all the suits were probably the best color that anything could have possible have been.

Orange.

Lovely orange.

They were almost the exact shade of orange as Naruto's old jacket (which he still missed greatly) and were slightly reminiscent of the body suits that both Lee and Gai wore. But orange.

Even he'd wear clothes like the Green Beast of Konoha's if they were orange.

Finally, in the dark, temperature controlled laboratory in the King's Research lab, Naruto witnessed a smaller group of scientists, Mekkatorque included, run over notes, mix chemicals, and squirt small drops of a purplish liquid on the small bits of graying flesh, which turned out to be trogg flesh.

At one point, Naruto asked Linkizzle why Mekkatorque wasn't outside working with the others on the machine, because he was High Tinker, after all.

"The High Tinker doesn't have to be all engineer, Naruto. In fact, Mekkatorque's inventions mostly involved the use of some sort of chemical. He is a brilliant scientist and alchemist, and though engineering is his primary trade, he is one of the best scientists that we have. There are plenty of engineers out there who can help create the machine, and we have a limited number of scientists. They need all the help they can get.

Unlike the other trades, this wasn't even the slightest bit entertaining, and Naruto found it hard to keep his eyes open.

At some points he would walk in on the War Room, which he had stayed in when he had first arrived, and watched another small group of gnomes work over the calculations in order to dig directly into the great city of the Gnomes. This was just as boring, so Naruto spent little time watching that.

During these days he gradually shifted between watching the three different projects. He spent most of the time observing, learning, and occasionally napping. He spent all other times training fiercely in the woods with his kodachi, practicing everything he could, and even inventing a few techniques to use with the sword.

By the eighth day, everything but the chemical had been created. Many of the gnomes waited anxiously outside of the research lab, while Naruto, Linkizzle and Rurizzle watched the processed happening on the inside. By this time, the scientists were working fervently, almost never staying in one spot for more than a few seconds. Chemicals were mixed, notes were jotted down, and bits of gray flesh were dropped into a variety of colored liquids.

Finally, a day later, Mekkatorque heaved a great sigh, causing Naruto to jump up in surprise.

"What is it? Something wrong?" The other scientists exchanged looks before turning to their king. Mekkatorque smiled a little once more, and held bottled vial of purplish-red liquid up for inspection.

"I give you…TrogAway."

* * *

It was the dawn of the tenth day that saw a small group of gnomes and one human in the forest, east of the valley which housed the Gnomish camp, and at the foot of a large hill, the very same one that Naruto had first caught the scent of the camp. The digging machine was facing the mountain, the gnome known as Knurlig on top, driving, with two others, name Thirdink and Murgrezzle stoking the fire beneath. It was belching smoke and the hum of life within signified it was ready to go. Mekkatorque nodded approvingly at the machine. 

"It is perfect. By our estimates, it will take several hours of digging before we can get close to the chamber that we are planning to enter. When we first puncture the side, the small group consisting of myself, Naruto, Linkizzle, Rurizzle, Renikle, Quidneer, and the rest will enter and make our way, as quickly and as quietly as possibly out of the lower levels. It will be difficult, no doubt, and it is doubtful that we will be able to bypass the troggs without using hostile force. But we must be a careful as possible, and not dawdle. Once we reach the cleaner areas, we will split up. Group A, myself, Naruto, Linkizzle, Rurizzle and Renikle will make our way up to the control room, to deal with Sicco himself. Quidneer and the rest, which will also contain a clone of Naruto, allowing him to be able to offer his assistance to both groups, will make their way towards the central venting system, closing off the vents that drain the toxic smoke outside, and opening up the vents that send clean air into the lower levels, adding the TrogAway to it, and hopefully annihilating the whole lot. There is always a chance that his will not work, but we cannot give up now."

The group saluted the Gnome King, causing him to give another smile, and turn back to Knurlig.

"Fire it up, Knurlig! Let's show them what we can do!" Grinning, the gnome flipped on a switch, and the DiGMaster 300x roared to life. The drill began to spin, slowly at first, then faster and faster until the drill was a whirling, solid-looking cone that glinted slightly in the light. It started forward, and in the space of a few seconds, struck the mountain, boring straight through. Dirt and rock flew everywhere as the machine bored into the side of the mountain swiftly, before the back lifted itself up, directing the drill at a more downwards angle. Gnomes flooded from either side, following the progress of the drill as it quickly bored through the rock soil. They began immediately to build supports onto the tunnel walls and ceilings, so that a cave-in didn't occur, and their progress was completely ruined.

They worked like this for hours.

When the sun had finally set, the digging sounds far beneath the earth ground to a stop. Minutes later, a small group of gnomes, all covered in dirt and grime climbed out of the tunnel, Knurlig, Thirdink and Murgrezzle last. Knurlig saluted the King.

"It's done my liege. We have but a few feet of dirt, and then we will meet the wall." Mekkatorque nodded, and turned towards the infiltration group.

"This is our chance. Our chance to get our home back. I promise, from the very bottom of my heart, that I will not fail you in this. I will not fail as I have failed for the last few years. We will take back our city; we will take back our homes. And we will not fail."

Every gnome present bowed deeply to the High Tinker of Gnomeregan, while the one human grinned fiercely.

_Now that's a leader, old man, looks like they were right about you, huh?_

_

* * *

_

Another chapter, sorry about it not being as long as the last one. I'll try to update in the next two or so days, but I have SAT's coming up, so I have to try and study for those too.

I've noticed that I have absolutely no patience in writing periods that don't involve fighting or merrymaking. I realize that this would probably be better as a manga than as a story, due to the fact that I seem to rush through things. This will be a very long fic, but please don't get turned off by the seemingly rushed and manga-esque attitude.

Some reviewer answers:

**PersonaJXT**- I made it come from his mouth because that seems more Naruto-esque, and hey, if Superman can do it, why can't Naruto? Summoning spells will be revealed soon.

**Slimeman**- Thanks for the advice, I will try not to rush, but I seem to have a habit of doing it anyways. Naruto doesn't use Kuchiyose no jutsu that often in the manga, when compared to Rasengan, but he will use it eventually.

**Druss the Legend**- Naruto will get summoning contracts, but you will have to wait and see for what (Sorry to keep you all in suspense).

**Ranma hibiki**- Don't judge him so harshly just yet…there is still much to be revealed in that area.

**The Forgotten Lord**- Thrall will play a **very** big part in this fic, but later.

Well, that should be everything, until next time.

General Grievous.

_Next time, The Assault on Gnomeregan!_

**Armory:**

**Radiation Protection Suit**- Made of a special material which protects its wearer from the harmful energies of radiation.


	13. Gnomeregan Underground

**Disclaimer: "My lord, he's being attacked by a giant disclaimer!"**

"**What are we to do?"**

"**I don't know"**

"**Okay"**

"**Who does own Naruto and World of Warcraft?"**

"**That's a question I leave to the philosophers."**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

As soon as Mekkatorque had finished his speech, they pulled on the remaining portion of the suit, the mask. It was a typical gas mask, much like the ones that Naruto had seen on the Rain ninja that had constantly spouted the word "lucky" during the second portion of the Chuunin exam. He strapped it on along with the other gnomes, and though it did feel a bit strange, Naruto knew it wouldn't hamper him in a fight.

When they had finished, Knurlig led them into the gaping hole in the earth, which was alight with small, green glowing lanterns. On both sides of the freshly dug cavern walls were wooden supports that kept the earth and rock from coming down on top of them. In front of him, the cavern was angled downwards into the earth, and thought it wasn't particularly steep, Naruto focused a bit of his chakra into his feet, giving him a bit of added traction so that he didn't slip and break a support.

Even from behind the gas mask, which smelt of rubber, Naruto could smell the earthy smell of the freshly dug tunnel, and could even detect a hint of the putrid radioactive sludge that had pervaded the field above. He could hear the whirrs and clinks of the strange machinery that he would no doubt see in a few minutes. The sounds reverberated through the earth, and it hampered Naruto's ability to hear anything else.

Knurlig led them down at a steady pace, which Naruto found slightly irritating, as he was never one to wait. They walked in silence for the entire duration, each to their own thoughts. Naruto could see that Rurizzle, who stood just in front of the blonde, was shaking slightly. He was nervous, and Naruto didn't particularly blame him. In the front of the group, Mekkatorque strode forwards with light, confident steps. Naruto, however, was no stranger to emotional masks, having used one for the majority of his childhood, and could tell that Mekkatorque was just as nervous, if not more so.

As for Naruto, he felt a variety of things. The excitement of battle was the most prominent, and he found it slightly strange that he was so, for lack of a better word, _pumped_ to fight. He usually got eager when facing an opponent he had never face before, but this wasn't the same.

Naruto felt energized, he felt better than he had previously in other fights, and he found himself picturing what he would do in the battle, rather than what he would do after, as he usually had. He wanted to fight, badly. It excited him to no end.

_Have I always felt this?_ He thought, a little shocked at his eagerness. From the deeper corners of his mind, Naruto could hear the soft laughter of the demon fox. Kyuubi didn't say anything, which irritated Naruto, and the creature seemed to enjoy that fact. It was as if the creature knew something he didn't.

_Care to share, fox?_ He asked.

**IT SEEMS YOU AND I ARE MORE ALIKE THAN I HAD PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.**

Naruto was jolted by the creature's words, and though the feeling of joy for the upcoming battle didn't die, he sobered slightly.

_What did you mean by that?_ He didn't want to even think like that. The Kyuubi was a monster, a demon that had killed thousands of people and took great pride in doing so. The thought that he was even remotely like that creature was horrifying indeed. The Kyuubi didn't respond, merely emitting another, vicious laugh, before it's presence departed from his mind. He shivered slightly.

_I am not like you, _he thought firmly. He could even imagine that he could ever become like the creature that had made his existence hell from day one.

_Though, _he thought, _I bet Sasuke didn't either._

He shivered again.

His thoughts were interrupted when they entered a larger, circular cavern, which had been dug out more than the tunnel that had led them down. At the far end, right across from the entrance, the dirt had been cleared away, showing a large, metal wall. The DiGMaster 300x was positioned right in front of the wall, the drill mere inches away from it. Knurlig hurried across to the machine, leaping atop it in several jumps, before turning to speak to the gathered group.

"That wall, made from normal steel, is the only wall that separates us from the troggs. You will be arriving on the fourth underground level, out of the finished five, in one of the mess halls for miners and engineers. If Thermaplugg has made any progress against the troggs, he wouldn't have pushed them down any farther than this. From there, you will no doubt have to fight your way upwards, using either the elevator, assuming it hasn't been shut down, or the stairways. Go up four levels, up to the 1st ground floor and there you will break up into your prospective groups. One will remain on the floor, and head towards the Central Venting System, while the other will head up to the 3rd floor above the underground, the industrial and control zone. That is where the Main Control Room lies, as your majesty knows, and where the activation and control for the entire city lies. If either group fails…" He left the words unsaid, and Mekkatorque nodded solemnly. He turned to the group of gnomes, searching their eyes as if to gauge whether or not they were truly ready. He must have decided yes, because he turned and gave a curt nod to Knurlig.

"Let's go then." Mekkatorque said calmly, his voice distorted into an airy muffled noise by the mask. Knurlig nodded once, then jumped down into the seat, pulled on his own mask, and then fiddled with the controls again. The drill started up once more, and rolled forwards a few inches.

Immediately the entire cavern was filled with the shriek of metal grinding into metal, as sparks began flying from the point where the drill had struck the wall. Naruto had to cover his ears slightly, the noise almost deafening to his sensitive ears.

_Maybe I should've taken off the earring, _he thought.

The screeching continued as the drill slowly advanced into the wall. It gradually dug inwards, distorting the metal, and periodically sending chunks flying off in every direction. Sparks flew in similar arcs, ricocheting off the clear plastic shield that protected Knurlig from being struck by said sparks or metal pieces.

Finally, Knurlig bellowed over the din, "Get ready, only a few inches left!"

Naruto's hole body became tense, and he felt similar motions occur on the gnomes on either side of him. He grit his teeth, clenched his fists, and grinned beneath the mask.

_Bring it on, bastards_.

And so they did.

The wall was torn outwards as the drill burst through. Immediately, Knurlig backed the DiGMaster up, and a cloud of poisonous green smoke suddenly filled the room. With the breathing masks on, not a soul felt suffered from the coughing fits that the smoke brought. Mekkatorque immediately rushed towards the hole, the others following swiftly. Mekkatorque jumped through first, then Linkizzle, Quidneer, Renikle, a bunch of gnomes whose names Naruto didn't know, and finally Rurizzle and himself. After they had gone, Knurlig plugged the hole with his drill once more, likely to prevent any troggs from escaping.

As soon as he entered the room, Naruto's vision was obscured by clouds of green, but slowly adjusted to it. His eyes widened considerably at what he saw.

The room was gigantic, twice as big as the entrance hall in Ironforge. It was a dull, metallic color, that once might have suited it, but now almost every seam in the walls oozed a greenish liquid, which Naruto guessed was the telltale waste that was responsible for most of this mess. The floor cluttered with debris such as tables, benches, and various eating utensils. To their right, a large opening in the wall revealed where the gnomes would likely get food and drink, as Naruto could see a stove in the back and kitchen utensils hanging from racks on the ceiling. A line the front was probably where the gnomes put their trays in order to pick up the food that was being served.

"Stay alert." The command jolted Naruto from his wonderment, and he saw Mekkatorque staring at him. Naruto flushed a little beneath his mask, annoyed that he had been distracted so easily.

Mekkatorque continued, "We cannot afford to be caught off guard. You must be alert at all times if we are to-" He was cut off when a sudden shout from one of the unnamed gnomes caught his attention.

A sudden flash of movement was all it took.

Out from behind one of the overturned tables, a dark shaped shot, and moving straight at a gnome at the front of the group. His shout alerted everyone else, but he couldn't pull out his weapon in time, and the shape bowled him over, driving a crude looking knife into his stomach. The gnome cried out in agony, but that too was cut off when the creature brutally snapped his neck, killing him instantly.

When it stood up, Naruto got his first look at a trogg.

It wasn't much bigger than a gnome, maybe the size of a small dwarf, and possessed dark blue skin, tinged slightly green, and wild, yellow eyes. It was muscular, but no overly so. Its face was vaguely human, though it was more ape-like than most, with a squashed nose and tangled, greenish hair sprouting from its chin and cheeks. Its disgusting, rotten teeth were bared in a feral snarl, and it waved the bloodied knife that it had retrieved from the gnome's body threateningly, emitting a throaty growl as it did.

Without a second thought, Mekkatorque removed his blade from its sheath, and without breaking stride, removed the trogg's head with a single, deft stroke.

Dark blood erupted from the trogg's neck, and it dropped to the floor instantly, clearly dead. Every other gnome drew their weapons, and Naruto unsheathed Magni's Pride, his eyes flickering to spot any other potential dangers.

Of which, he noted dimly, there were many.

Troggs began to emerge from hiding spots, from beneath tables, behind benches, and from other nooks that Naruto hadn't noticed before. Some were much larger than the first, others clearly smaller. All began letting out roars of fury, some shouted in what Naruto guessed was some unintelligible language, while others emitted no sound at all, simply rushing the party with frightening speed.

Mekkatorque left head began forming half-seals, pointing his sword at an approaching trogg.

"**Magnetic Mark"** A blue beam of light shot from the tip of the sword, striking the creature in the middle of its torso. It had no apparent affect, though a glowing blue mark appeared on the point where the beam had struck. Then a nearby trogg's knife was pulled forcibly from its hand, flying 6 feet through space into the marked trogg's chest. At the same time, fallen forks, knives, even spoons rose up and shot at the trogg as well, while an unseen force dragged metal tables and chairs towards it. The trogg died quickly, its chest full of metal utensils.

Mekkatorque, by this time, had already marked a dozen or so more, not appearing tired in the slightest.

Naruto was amazed by the jutsu, but pushed his awe to the back of his mind as he engaged his first trogg. The creature, burly looking and a darker shade of green than the first trogg, leapt at Naruto with a large kitchen knife, snarling as it did. The blonde parried the blow with his kodachi, then hauled off and kicked the creature in the chest, hard. It flew backwards, crashing into a table, and Naruto summoned a clone, which appeared right next to the trogg, slashing its throat.

He quickly moved on, creating several more clones to assist the gnomes. He cut down two more troggs with his kodachi, drawing a kunai as he did, using it to attack while he parried with the kodachi. He impaled another in the eye with his kodachi as it attacked him, and dodged another's clumsy attempted at a sneak attack. He kicked it in the chest and buried a kunai in its throat. His clones, meanwhile, assisted every gnome possible, save Mekkatorque. The Gnome King's power and skill was more than Naruto had imagined, using a combination of his strange jutsu and his sword to harm his opponents.

The blonde seeing the number of troggs dwindling, quickly, he formed a seal for Kage Bunshin, and as he did, focused as much as he could on the positions behind the remaining troggs. He felt a large portion of chakra disappear, both due to the strength of the attack, and the control needed to send chakra through the air and give it form much longer distance away from his body.

It a series of pops, clones appeared behind the remaining troggs, and Naruto bellowed,

"**Naruto Fukuzei (Ambush)!**" Then, in one consecutive motion, every clone present ended the life of the trogg behind them, slashing their throats clean through, decapitating the majority.

The gnomes watched in astonishment at Naruto's attack, watching as the remaining troggs fell, gushing blood, to the ground. Naruto grinned slightly, feeling the depleted chakra come back quickly. Mekkatorque stared at the boy, amazed.

"Useful trick, child. Can you do it again?" Naruto turned and looked at the gnome, a feral grin on his face.

"Sure can, probably a coupla' more times, depending on the size." Mekkatorque matched his grin, and then turned.

"Good. Let's go."

They quickly ran from the room, leaving their departed friend along with the corpses of more than two dozen troggs.

He wouldn't have died in vain.

* * *

Upon leaving the dining hall, they ran down a corridor, turned left, and then ran down another. They emerged into an even bigger room. This room was circular, and possessed a set of stairs, attached the sides, which spiraled upwards several hundred feet. Naruto saw many other entrances littering the walls where the staircase stood. Mekkatorque nodded slightly, then pointed.

"This staircase leads up to the 1st basement floor, where we will then cross to the elevator." He pointed into the pit, saying, "There was also a freight elevator here, but it has no doubt been destroyed. I suspect there will be many of those blasted beasts on the way up, so get ready." He turned, and made his way towards the where the staircase began. The others followed swiftly, and as he did, Naruto glanced over the side of the railing. His eyes bulged at the sight.

Beneath them, dozens, nay, hundreds of troggs were fighting, snapping and chattering, foraging, or even bathing in the noxious green ooze. He saw some were sitting atop a large, metal platform that was elevated slightly above everything else. It must have been the elevator. A destroyed metal panel near the edge of it confirmed Mekkatorque's suspicions about elevator's fate.

He also saw several troggs subduing what appeared to be a mass of living ooze, which seemed to be putting up a hell of a fight. They beat it into the ground, dispersing it with large clubs, or even their own hands.

And the smell. To Naruto, it smelt as if someone had left rip one loose right in his face, and he was suddenly sympathetic of what he had done to Kiba. He was also very glad that he was wearing a mask, as the smell would have likely been unbearable if he hadn't been wearing it.

He questioned Mekkatorque on the noxious ooze monster.

"Most likely it is an amalgamate of parasites mutated by the radiation, and have adapted qualities similar to it. But I cannot say."

Naruto's attention was suddenly diverted when a pair of troggs came charging down the stairs, both brandishing metal pipes. Linkizzle and Rurizzle rushed forwards, blocking the attacks as Mekkatorque shot forward, hid sword blurring and slicing both troggs in half. Blood and intestines spilt from their cleaved torsos, and both halves dropped to the floor, twitching in their last seconds of life.

Thankfully, the troggs below where either too busy, or too stupid to see the exchange.

They hurried upwards, successfully thwarting three more trogg ambushes of about six each. They by passed the 3rd basement level, and then the second, destroying any troggs that they saw. By the time they reached the top, Naruto's orange suit was covered in trogg's blood, and there were several rips and tears in the suit, which Rurizzle quickly repaired with a jutsu called **Mend Fabric**. His excitement had yet to dwindle, and the mocking laughter of the Kyuubi filled his thoughts once more. He flinched slightly at that, trying to quell the thrill he was getting.

They reached the top, appearing right next to a large outcropping on the ledge overlooking the entire room. A metal panel on the edge identified it as the place where the elevator rose up to.

Mekkatorque looked around, calculating eyes beneath his gas mask and goggles searching for the way out. He spotted it, pointing to a closed door across the room which had a number of strange markings above it, which Naruto recognized as Gnomish, having seen them on the maps and blueprints back in the camp.

"There, that will lead us in the direction of the elevator. We'd best hurry or els-" He was cut off when a menacing cry pierced the air, silencing the chattering and grunts of the troggs below.

The group of gnomes and one human froze.

From the darkness of the other corridors, a large group of troggs emerged. But it was one in particular that caught Naruto's attention, one that was a great deal bigger than the rest.

It stood out in front, more than a head taller than the other troggs. It was a deep green, and Naruto swore that he could see the radioactive smoke rising from its body, signifying that it had likely taken far more radiation than the others, and that fact was also evident in the second pair of stubby, weak-looking arms growing out from beneath the first. Its head was huge, with sparse outcroppings of pale hair sticking out from various places. It's eyes were a luminous yellow-green, and it's mouth was filled numerous dagger-sharp, brown teeth. It clutched no weapon, but the first set of arms, which bulged with muscles, looked more than enough to replace that.

It stopped several yards away from the group, watching them curiously. It let out a low rumbling sound, which to Naruto was reminiscent of a dog's growl. It bellowed once, and the troggs below answered in earnest, shouting and crying things that Naruto didn't understand.

When it had finished this, it charged.

It moved with surprising speed, charging straight at one of the unnamed gnomes to Naruto's right. The gnome ran forward, meeting the huge, mutant trogg halfway. He struck out with his sword, but the creature avoided the blow with surprising deftness, and then grabbed the gnome by the head.

And promptly crushed it, as if it were a rotten fruit.

The other troggs ran forward as well, and pushed the group of gnomes back towards the ledge. Naruto didn't draw his kodachi, instead ran through a motion of seals, and shouted,

"**Hyouton (Ice Element): Toukanboruto (Frost Bolt) no jutsu!"**

From Naruto's mouth, a huge blast of icy chakra erupted, convalescing into a large ball as it flew farther away from the blonde's mouth. It struck the middle of the pack of trogg's and almost instantly ice enveloped three of them, freezing them completely over as well as a good portion of the floor beneath them. Several of the trogg's leapt back in shock at this, but quickly reformed, moving around the frozen group as they did.

The gnomes had engaged the group of troggs, using their strange jutsu to attack and thin the numbers. Naruto had drawn his kodachi, and summoned a group of clones to aid him. The blonde's attacks, combinations of sword strikes and physical blows had separated the group of troggs, leaving the blonde to deal with a group alone, while the gnomes fended off the others.

Mekkatorque was dealing with the mutant trogg, whose speed was an apparent match for the Gnome Kings. Each time he struck out at the creature, it danced away, cackling, and occasionally swung its massive arm at the smaller creature, hoping to knock him off balance.

Luckily it wasn't able to.

Fed up with fight, Mekkatorque blazed through a set of half-seals, shouting "**Magnetic Point**" which caused his sword to glow electric blue. Holding the blade as far away as possible from his body, he pointed it at the creature, and curiously, the mutant trogg was dragged towards it, pulled by forces that it could not comprehend. Mekkatorque grunted a little, feeling an immense pain in his arm, as even the smallest particles of metal, even the tiny molecules of iron within his blood, was drawn to the glowing blade. Through his many experiments with troggs, Mekkatorque had discovered that they had a rather peculiar, yet useful trait. They possessed far more iron within their blood than most creatures, most likely as a result of their living conditions for the past several thousand years. This meant that they were far more susceptible to powerful magnetic forces.

Which meant, in essence, that the glowing magnetic chakra that had been focused into his blade was attracting those iron particles, which was present in every part of the creature's body that blood flowed to.

Of course, being so close to such a strong, focused magnetic force was dangerous for him as well, as it was drawing the iron and blood from the veins in his hand. The focused magnet wouldn't attract anything that Mekkatorque didn't want it to attract, but he wasn't skilled enough to keep it from affecting him as well.

When the trogg was in range, Mekkatorque hammered the blade into the creature's guts, and then pulled it to the side until it exploded out from the trogg's side, spraying black blood across the floor. The mutant trogg howled in pain, but instead of disengaging Mekkatorque, it grabbed him by his head, and squeezed.

Pain erupted from Mekkatorque's temple as the creature's incredible strength attempted to do what it had done to its first victim, mere moments earlier. He tried vainly to pull away, to stop the creature's attack. He stabbed his blade at anything in front, hoping to kill it before it reduced his head to a pile of blood, brains and bone.

His began to crack, and he felt himself growing light-headed, his strength was disappearing.

_I cannot let this happen!_ He thought urgently. He had come too far, he couldn't fail now, he couldn't die, he couldn't-

The creature's painful grip suddenly slackened slightly, and the pressure began to disappear. It didn't let go, but Mekkatorque knew that it was no longer squeezing. Suddenly, he found himself toppling over backwards with the weight of the trogg's arm pushing him down. Between the trogg's fingers he could see the reason for it.

Uzumaki Naruto had arrived with but a second to spare, severing the trogg's arm from the rest of its body. The mutant was howling in pain, clutching the gushing arm with one hand as Naruto moved in front of Gnome King.

"Oi, old man, you okay?"

Mekkatorque pulled the creature's arm off his face, having to sever several of its fingers before he could. He looked up at the boy, surprised, but the blonde wasn't looking at him. He looked past the blonde to where Naruto should have been occupied with the trogg's, his eyes widening when he saw the majority headless on the ground. The blonde snickered.

"Told I could use it again, old man."

Mekkatorque offered him a rare smile, though it was obscured beneath his mask.

He spoke,

"So you did…deal with this beast while I fix my mask, child." The boy grinned, crouching low in preparation for attack.

"Heh, you got it." The blonde shot forward, bringing his blade back behind him. The mutant looked up from attending to its arm, growled and attacked. Naruto's kodachi flashed up, slicing cleanly through the other arm as the creature made to hit the boy. He dodged to the side, and without a second's pause buried the kodachi up to the hilt the creature's chest, then forcing all of his strength into the thrust, slammed the trogg onto the ground, driving the last of its life from its body.

Naruto stood up straight, leaving the kodachi within the mutant's body. He was standing quite close to the edge, the mutant's body laying near the control panel for the elevator. He turned towards the High Tinker, who suddenly shouted,

"Look out, boy!"

Naruto whipped around as fast as he could, only to have a trogg bowl him over, pushing him backwards with incredible strength. Naruto, already dangerously close to the edge of the platform, had nowhere else to go.

But down.

Both he had the trogg dropped like stones, and while the trogg was screeching in fear, Naruto was trying desperately to find something to stop his fall.

Anything.

But here was nothing. He looked down, the mass of troggs below was approaching at an incredible speed, and he knew that even if he survived the fall, they would likely tear him to shreds.

He suddenly had a peculiar sense of déjà vu.

_Déjà vu? When have I ever been-oh…right. I knew you were good for something Ero-sennin._

He drew some of the blood, using his thumb, from one of the many cuts on his arm. He blazed through some seals, and with a loud shout bellowed:

"**KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!**"

There was a flash of blue, and then a huge explosion of smoke enshrouded Naruto's view. He felt himself land on the soft, rubbery skin of the greatest of the Toads, Gamabunta, and then heard a very peculiar sound.

- SPLAT-

Mekkatorque looked over the edge, searching for any sign of the blonde human. His eyes widened considerably when he found that sign.

Naruto was standing atop the biggest toad Mekkatorque had ever seen in his life. The toad was a dull brown, was dressed in a blue robe, had a short-sword sheathed at its side, and was smoking a pipe.

Mekkatorque couldn't believe it. The boy could summon, and even had a contract with a species that Mekkatorque hadn't even realized possessed a contract.

He also, with a sudden jolt, realized where the toad was standing. He winced slightly, not sure if he should feel bad for the toad, or the troggs beneath it.

Naruto gulped slightly as Gamabunta rolled one of its huge eyes toward him.

"**I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTION, KID. ONE, WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, TWO, WHERE THE HELL ARE WE, AND THREE, WHAT THE HELL AM I SITTING ON?**"

Naruto fidgeted a little, trying not to look afraid.

"Uhm….long story, boss."

* * *

"That was amazing Naruto, I had no idea that toads could even be used as mounts! You even called one big enough to crush all of those troggs, well done!"

Linkizzle was sitting next to the blonde shinobi in a small, abandoned house in the residential section of the first basement floor. They had spent almost an hour traversing it, and they were only halfway across.

Naruto sweat dropped, rubbing the back of his hand as he did.

"Hehe, yeah. He didn't seem too happy tho'. He's not the type you piss off either. Hopefully he isn't too mad."

After Naruto had summoned the infamous Toad Boss, he had spent several minutes explaining to the creature what he been doing, where he was, and what now covered Gamabunta's posterior. He promised that he'd give a better explanation later, when he wasn't so pressed for time, or in so much danger. The Toad Boss would hold him to his word, so he hoped that he'd be able to remember to call one of the toads after he got out of Gnomeregan, and had more time to explain.

Afterwards, they had left the stairway room, and had entered the residential section. They hadn't met any more troggs, though they had heard them as they crossed the deserted area. Mekkatorque had suggested that they knew that Naruto had killed one of their strongest, and were keeping away from him until they either forgot about it, or Naruto stopped reeking like a trogg.

Half-way across the trip, they decided to stop for a quick rest, where Mekkatorque and Quidneer, a rather pudgy gnome with a jolly smile and blue hair, and one of the unnamed gnomes, whose name turned out to be Rekkalize, set up a "bubble" that protected all within from radiation. In order to set up the bubble, they stood around the group, about 4 yards away from them. After a few hand seals, they inscribed a few runes on the floor, and immediately the noxious smoke that still pervaded the area vanished.

With his mask off, and his clothes being mended by Rurizzle, Naruto was enjoying a small back of the most disgusting bread he had ever tasted. It was hard and crunchy, and the flavor was horrible. Linkizzle called it a "Gnome Power WaferTM".

"It gives you energy, and I think it tastes great!" Said Linkizzle, smirking as Naruto bit down on another piece, grimacing as he did.

"I'd rather drink spoiled milk." Naruto muttered. He was about to say more when he felt a presence behind him. He turned, and saw that Mekkatorque was standing behind him, frowning slightly.

"You need something, pops?" Naruto asked bluntly, causing several of the gnomes to glare at him for insulting their king. Mekkatorque stiffened a little, but didn't retaliate. Instead he said,

"Thank you…for what you did back there, boy." Obviously, it had taken him some preparation in order to say that, and Naruto decided to respect that.

"No problem pops. I always help out friends." He turned back to his horrible wafer, not noticing the slight look of surprise cross the gnome's face, before he too turned and went back to his spot near the edge of the bubble.

Rurizzle and Linkizzle watched the exchange, both smiling slightly.

Looks like their king wasn't completely gone after all.

* * *

"Here it is."

It was Mekkatorque's first utterance since he they had left the bubble in the residential sector. Now, the group stood at the entrance to an extensive hallway, at the end of which was the elevator they desired. There was however, a slight problem.

Rather than troggs inhabiting the hallway, which would have been easy, the hallway was filled with a variety of strange little machines. The first a most prominent were the small ones, who had flashing red lights mounted on the top of their pathetically small bodies, and two horns which stuck out on either side.

In addition to them, large, bird-like machines stalked the hallway, generally stopping every so often to look around. They vaguely resembled ostriches, with no wings, long feet, and strange, metallic plumage on their backsides. They were painted red, and had glowing green lights for eyes. Atop them small, red, gnome-shaped machines sat, never moving their heads, just looking forward.

Mekkatorque hissed as he saw them.

"Mobile Alert systems…and Mechanized Sentries. They are the dominant security force that once patrolled our hallways. They are, however, much different than I remember. They did not possess the riders atop them, and they are built differently. Considering Sicco was a genius of weapons technology, it is obvious that they are a great deal more dangerous than before. The fact that they have been able to hold off trogg attacks is also testament to their newfound abilities. This poses a problem. I could short them out, but that would risk shorting any chance of us being able to use the elevator. All other ways are sealed off, no doubt. We cannot simply charge in, for that would likely be suicide, as we don't know their capabilities." He turned to the gnomes, "Any ideas?"

Surprisingly, Linkizzle and Rurizzle stepped forwards, twin grins alighting their faces.

"We do. Dismantling is our specialty, as you know, your majesty. We were the prime dismantlers back in Ironforge, it was our business, after all."

Naruto blinked and asked,

"I thought you guys built things, not dismantled them." They grinned at him as well.

"That's our brother's job." They walked forwards, and the two began to form seals, each using the others hand in order to complete the seal. Naruto remembered Ero-Sennin telling him that some suicide techniques did that, but they couldn't possibly be doing that, so what…?

His answer came in the form of a flash of light, when both brothers rammed their hands into the ground. It was as if the ground was alive as a pulse of light shot through, moving down the hallway at a mind-boggling speed. It ended inches before it struck the elevator, and the hall was dead silent for a time.

Then, as if a huge gust of wind had blown through the hallway, every machine present was blasted apart, there pieces flying in every direction, every part almost completely intact. Naruto watched, amazed, as the security system was wiped out in a single attack.

Linkizzle and Rurizzle collapsed at the end, both saying aloud,

"**Rizzle Dismantling Wave."**

Mekkatorque's eyebrows rose beneath his mask, and he said out loud,

"I have never met anybody so good at destroying things. You must have been terrors as children."

Everyone present blinked at the joke, and Naruto snickered. Both gnomes grinned from their positions on the floor.

"Right you are, your highness."

Mekkatorque advanced down the hallway, while Naruto and the others helped the brothers to their feet. He reached the end, and without a word, kicked open the panel on the right of the massive golden elevator. The rest of the group walked through at a much slower pace, glancing down at the destroyed security machines as they did.

Mekkatorque clicked his tongue in annoyance.

_Leave it to Sicco to create such a difficult system to crack, but I can do it. _He thought. He quickly began tearing wires away, reconnecting others, and doing a number of other things that neither you nor me could ever hope to understand. As he did, the group arrived behind him, though something was nagging at the back of Naruto's mind.

He cast another glance back at the hallway of ruined robots, and suddenly noticed that several pieces were moving.

They were sliding together, moving at a quickening pace back towards each other. Naruto's eyes bulged when he saw that some of the smaller, Mobile Alert Systems were repairing themselves already, and the larger machines were not far behind.

_Shit…_

"Uh, guys? You think you could try that thing again, only you know, this time make it work?"

The two brothers frowned, turning to look back at Naruto and ask him why he said that, when they caught sight of the rapidly repairing robots.

"By the seven hells, how are they doing that?" Mekkatorque turned quickly from his tinkering, spotting the now almost fully repaired robotic legion. His eyes widened when he caught sight of a small, blinking blue light in the middle of one of the Mechanized Sentry's chests.

His eyes glazed over as he remembered what it was.

**Flashback**

_Mekkatorque peered over his friend, Sicco Thermaplugg's shoulder, watching the gnome do some calculations on a piece of paper, muttering something under his breath as he did._

_"What are you doing, Sicco? A new invention, perchance?" Thermaplugg looked up from his work, frowning over his shoulder at his friend._

_"That is most bothersome, Gelbin. But yes, I am working on something new." He turned back to his work, and ignored the presence of the chipper gnome. Mekkatorque rolled his eyes, and said,_

_"What is it? Will you tell me? Please? Your inventions are so exciting!" The other gnome glared at him again, and said smoothly._

_"Your conduct is unbecoming of a High Tinker, Gelbin. Grow up, why don't you?" Mekkatorque grinned again, looking hopeful, and so Thermaplugg conceded._

_"I have noticed that if our Mechanostriders are shot down in battle, we have little chance of escaping a large battle, considering our small stature. I am designing a way for us to repair a Mechanostrider without having to use time-consuming tools and expend more resources. My idea is to create a unit that we would place within every model, which would have small, magnetic plates built into every part. That way, when a Mechanostrider is damaged, it will automatically repair itself, allowing for a quick repair job that can allow one to escape or continue to partake in a battle. Ingenious, isn't it?"_

_"The idea is that this small unit would emit electromagnetic pulses that would be on a slightly different frequency than normal ones, that would allow them to safely be emitted, without fear of destroying the computers within. I am still working on how to do that part, but I will find it eventually."_

_Looking very much like a kid who just heard that Christmas would come every day, Mekkatorque said happily,_

_"Amazing, my friend, simply amazing! This will be a great addition to our arsenal! You truly are a genius!"_

**End Flashback.**

_So that's what is happening. He has applied the same technology to his security system._

Mekkatorque shouted a warning,

"Back away, if you must fight, make sure to destroy the main body completely, they have special devices within that allow them to repair themselves automatically!" Naruto nodded, drawing two kunai and wrapping explosive notes around them.

"Just keep doing whatever you're doing, old man! We'll handle these things!" The other gnomes nodded, moving to the front to protect Mekkatorque's back while he worked.

"Take the out in one go, so they can't attack." Naruto said to Linkizzle and Rurizzle, who stood on both sides of him, clutching their swords. They nodded, drawing from their belts small, black spheres.

Naruto hurled one kunai instantly, and it buried itself in the head of one the Mechanized Sentry's riders. The other kunai struck the ground a few yards in front of the first, while the gnomes hurtled their small spheres into the fray. They struck the ground, opened up, emanating a flashing red light as they did. Seconds later.

**THOOOOM!**

The hallway exploded and instantly two gnomes rushed to the front, driving their blades into the ground in front as they formed seals. A bluish haze of chakra formed a dome around the group, so the explosion didn't damage anything within.

As the smoke began to clear, however, it was clear that not everything had been destroyed. In a flash, two beams of greenish light pierced the barrier, striking the two gnomes in the chest. The beams burned through them instantly, and they fell, dead to the ground.

From the smoke, two Sentries emerged, their eyes glowing green.

Naruto tore towards them, unsheathing his kodachi as he did.

He slashed one cleanly in half, but the other had already turned its head towards him, and from the glowing eyes twin beams of light shot. Naruto tried to dodge, but one of the beams struck him in the left shoulder, and it exploded in pain as the beam passed through. His left arm went completely numb, but he ignored it, and ducked beneath the beams again, slashing the robot's head off, then driving the blade through its midsection. Electricity crackled and sparks flew as Naruto then slammed his chakra-engulfed hand into the body obliterating whatever was still functioning within.

He removed his kodachi, and turned back to the group of gnomes, who had already rushed to his side. Linkizzle frowned in concern at Naruto's arm.

"Are you going to be alright?" Naruto nodded slightly, panting as he did.

"Yeah, just give me a minute…"He mumbled. He stood shakily to his feet, and as he did, a humming sound filled his ears. He looked up, and saw Mekkatorque standing on the elevator, watching them.

"You can have a minute up hear, boy. Let's go, we can't wait any longer." Naruto glared at him, but nodded.

When they were all on the elevator, Mekkatorque hit a series of buttons on panel on the platform, and the elevator slowly rose upwards.

There was truly no turning back at this point.

* * *

Whew, another chapter under the belt.

This was fun to write as well, but I realized that, having only been to Gnomeregan once in my life, it was hard to explain and describe. So I made most of this up, as you may have noticed. I hope that doesn't bother you.

Now, onto viewer mail!

**Slimeman-** I hope you like the brief cameo of Gamabunta. I know I did. As for the pairing, you'll see.

**No 1 You Know**- The small base is dead and gone, Thermaplugg would have never allowed them to live. The toxic elementals are explained in this chapter, and you'll see about the bombs, and who needs key cards when you've got the King of The Gnomes?

**PersonaJXT- **No pally spells, sorry, I hate pallys. Naruto is going to have other traits from other classes, but he's mostly a rogue, as are all ninja.

**TankerMDK**- Well, I do love explosions, but I think that a large ball of fire would exploded upon contact with something, if only slightly. I'm not sure what you're talking about when you say the exploding clone used by Itachi, I don't think that was an exploding clone, if anything. Thanks for your advice, anyways.

**Druss the Legend**- Whew, longest review yet, I think. To answer some questions:

Kira will join him on his quest, near the end of the next arc, in fact.

The Scarlet Crusade is an actual faction, and they will be playing a large role.

All races will be considered. The Orcs aren't bad or good, they're just Orcs. Sylvanas will play a large role as well, He will come across the burning legion, and the Naga and Blood Elves will come into play.

I will consider your blademaster advice, truly I will, since I think I might be able to have him learn it soon. I don't know how I can give you an idea of what he will learn without giving away the plot, sorry. All valid points about Naruto's fighting style as well. I don't think that Naruto will find a tome, that wouldn't be fair, sorry again.

The Ravenholdt Assassins will show up later. They are pretty strong, but by the time Naruto gets to them, he'll be stronger.

Now, I have been asked by some to give a brief description of classes, so I will do so.

**Rogue**- Stealthy, backstabbing, poisoning, pickpocketing people who cause a great deal of annoyance to all other classes.

**Paladin-** Buff, strong, overpowered class that has several invincibility shields, and never plays fair ever.

**Shaman**- Elemental masters of water, fire, earth and wind. Use totems to help party, heal, resurrect, the works.

**Mage-** Main caster class, uses fire and ice as main weapons, very powerful and effective.

**Druid**- Masters of plants and animals, can shapeshift into bear, seal, cat.

**Warrior**- Do I need to explain? Strong and no magic.

**Hunter**- Ranged fire, have pets, can set traps, very fun.

**Warlock**- Summon demon pets, steal life, cause pain for other classes.

**Priest**- Healers, have mind magic, nuff said.

Okay, that's all for now, 'till next time!

General Grievous

_Next time, The group divides and conquers, with Mekkatorque and his group are getting closer to Thermaplugg._

**Spellbook**

**Magnetic Mark- **Marks a target with a powerful magnetic force, attracts objects made of metal to damage marked one.

**Naruto Fukuzei**- Naruto summons a group of Kage Bunshin behind his opponents, and has them simultaneously slit the enemy's throats.

**Mend Fabric-** Self explanatory.

**Magnetic Point- **Focuses chakra into weapon, changes into electromagnetic energy, which is still regulated by chakra, so that it only attracts the metal that the user wants, can also be used against troggs very effectively, due to their high blood-iron content.

**Rizzle Dismantling Wave-** Sends an impulse of chakra, disabling and dismantling any machine it strikes. Requires two people in order to use.

**Bestiary**:

**Caverndeep Pillagers, Reavers, Invaders, Ambushers, Looters **(Humanoid)(Elite)- Caverndeep troggs are one of the reasons that Gnomeregan has been lost. They once lived deep within the earth, and only through the gnomes' continued building and drilling were they freed. They are vicious, strong, and brutally effective.

**Grubbis** (Mutant Humanoid) (Elite)- A heavily mutated Caverndeep trogg, very strong and larger than most. His prolonged exposure to the toxic waste has caused him to grow an extra set of useless arms, but has also made him stronger and faster than most troggs.

**Mechanized Sentry** (Mechanical)(Elite)- Part of security system, amazingly resilient due to new technology. They can fire beams of energy from eyes, and are resistant to damage.

**Mobile Alert System**(Mechanical)- Essentially an alarm system on legs, emits loud sounds that attract other security machines.


	14. The Home Stretch

Disclaimer: My other Ferrari is a…well…perhaps I shouldn't finish; I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft.

Here's the next installment of_ The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Naruto sat on the elevator floor as it ascended towards their destination, the 1st floor of the ground level of the great technological city of the gnomes. He clutched the wound on his shoulder, which, while it was healing quite quickly, the blood already having clotted, still throbbed with pain. Linkizzle and Rurizzle were watching him a bit fearfully, ready to repair the damage to the suit when Naruto was finished healing.

Mekkatorque also watched the blonde concernedly, but hid it better the two brothers' did. His eyes lingered on the boy a little longer, before he directed his attention to the entire group.

"We have passed a great obstacle, and I commend all of you for helping us get this far. Now, however, is what will truly count. Once we reach the next floor, we will split up, Group A will follow me to the 3rd floor, where we will attempt to gain control of Gnomeregan once more. Group B will head on that floor to the central venting system, where they will deposit the TrogAway, and hopefully rid us of those beasts for good." Everyone present nodded to show they understood, and he emitted a satisfied grunt, nodding as he did.

He turned to Naruto, and spoke calmly.

"Boy, how long will that clone of yours last? Enough to accompany them to the central venting?" Naruto nodded once, touching the now healed flesh of his arm, while Linkizzle moved in to repair the suit.

"Yeah, it should. I'll put enough chakra into it to make it last longer than just one hit. Ero-Sen…my teacher taught me how to keep track of what it is doing using another jutsu, and I'll know if it is destroyed. Ya' don't have to worry about a thing." He flashed a grin at the gnome king, who nodded.

Back in the camp, during the week that they had taken to prepare entry into Gnomeregan, Naruto had gotten into a heated debate with the High Tinker on what exactly the component of jutsu exactly was. Naruto referred to it as chakra, while Mekkatorque, and every other gnome, called it magic. Naruto had of course argued that magic didn't exist, and that always involved pulling a rabbit out of a hat or making a pencil appear as if it was rubber. On the other hand, Mekkatorque had argued that chakra were points on the body that magic congregated around, and were sensitive to magic influence. While neither had convinced the other that they were correct, they had eventually come to the agreement to call it what they wanted, as it was nothing more than a name.

The entire time, however, the entire population of the camp had not only unanimously decided that the two were far too alike, and that they should never be kept in the same room alone, as both got pretty heated in their arguments and the particular room they had argued in contained a lot of volatile substances.

The gnomes prepared as the elevator slowly began to decrease its speed, and as it came to a stop, they were able to look upon the first floor of the city for the primary time in several years.

The Technological and Engineering District, which encompassed the entire first floor, was a series of labs and rooms that were all connected through small passageways, forming a sort of spider web of rooms if one were to look at the floor plan. The floor was dedicated to developing new types of technology, and provided the majority of the city with jobs. Being just below the business district, which sold food, drink, and every other necessity and luxury to gnomes, it provided easy transport of goods up one floor to sell, or if the goods were required to go up one more floor than that, to the industrial and control district, where offices of war, the control room and the higher class of residents resided.

Though they were only looking upon the loading bay of the technological and engineering district, characterized by the dome shaped roof and the many smaller passages that branched off from it, each one labeled, some with engineering labs (A-Z), others to other elevators that took gadgets, gizmos and widgets to other areas of the city, and some to larger, more important areas such as the central venting system and the main city entrance hall.

Despite all this, Mekkatorque could tell that something was wrong. Instead of the beeping and whirring noises that had previously filled the chamber, were the steady clamping noises of Mechanized Sentries as they made their way down the many corridors that branched off from the main chamber, never moving a inch from their specified paths.

In addition to that, Mekkatorque could here the sounds of worker machines coming from the branch passages, and he swore he could here the accompanying shouts of gnomes throughout the din. _That must mean…_

"There are gnome engineers down here," the High Tinker whispered, his ire rising slightly. The others looked nervous as he said this. Naruto knew why.

The prospect of fighting their brethren was not something that appealed to them, nor to Naruto. He hoped that they would just get out of the way, leaving the group to do their work.

Mekkatorque, gritting his teeth, turned to the others.

"Very well…Group B, you who you are," he pointed to a passage directly behind them, with a label above that read**, Engineering Labs F-H, Central Venting System.** "Go that way, travel and follow the signs that have been placed there, and you will come to the central venting system soon. It is on the other side of the engineering labs, and I urge you to be as quick, and silent as possible. Can you do that?" The members of the group nodded their heads slowly. Quidneer, the leader of that group, drew himself up to his full height, (which wasn't very tall, mind you,) saying.

"You can count on me, milord. I won't let us fail!" Mekkatorque gave him a half smile, and both gnomes new that it was quite possible neither would live to see each other again. Quidneer stood at his full height for a few more seconds, then exhaled, saying in a more somber voice.

"It has been a pleasure, milord, working for you, and I am glad that I have been a part of your research team for so long. I promise that even if I die, I will do everything to ensure that you retain your honor. I will-" Mekkatorque cut him off,

"This isn't about me, or my honor, anymore. It is about my people, you and all the rest. It is I who will prove himself to all of you. I will make myself worthy of being your king. I will not see this as a goodbye, because if you plan to succeed, and so do I, then neither of us must die. This will be a parting of the ways, but we will see each other again, of that I am sure." Quidneer smiled brightly, looking like a child that had just received the highest praise from his teacher. Naruto smiled a little, glad to hear that he had gotten through to the old man.

While they finished exchanging farewells, Naruto turned and formed a seal for his favorite jutsu.

"**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!**" Out of thin air, a single clone appeared with a pop. Naruto then began forming a second, much longer, set of seals, finishing with ram, before placing his palm flat on the clone's forehead.

"**Ikkan Bunshin (Link Clone) no jutsu!**" When Naruto removed his hand, a glowing simple had appeared on the clone's forehead. Naruto felt a great deal of his chakra leave him, not only from using the jutsu, but the large amount that he had given to his clone for its own reserves. The jutsu was one that Jiraiya had taught near the beginning, because of Naruto's fascination with the Kage Bunshin technique. Jiraiya had explained that the clone was still a shadow clone, but had the ability to use its own chakra in order to perform jutsu of its own inclination. The jutsu didn't have any practical use in the heat of battle, however, due to the large amount of chakra it required, and the inconvenience of its casting, but before battles it was an excellent way to gather information, or, if fighting a weaker opponent, to not get one's hands dirty.

On several occasions during his sojourn into this strange world, Naruto had contemplated using this jutsu, but had disregarded it do to a warning that Jiraiya had given him.

"_Brat, this jutsu is useful, and strong, but like most jutsu it has its weaknesses, and this one's weakness glaringly obvious. The link that you establish with the clone is a chakra link, but it also has a mental link, in order for you to know what the clone is doing, and seeing through its eyes, as well as for the clone itself to use some of your abilities while its fighting. This poses a problem, because if you are looking through it, and it is dispelled, the backlash could very well kill you, or shred your mind apart because it has experienced death first hand, something you can't recover from. So if you use this jutsu, never, ever, ever, **ever**, use the link when there is a very large possibility that the clone will be destroyed. Stay away from it's mind, and even though it's fighting skills won't be up to par with yours, it's better than the alternative, okay?"_

Numerous times Naruto had been in the heat of battle since he had arrived, and when he had thought to use it before, that warning had come fresh to his mind, staying his hand. Using the link was something that had to be done in order for the clone to fight on par with Naruto, but the prospect of having his mind torn in half was not something Naruto enjoyed.

But now, it seemed, it was necessary.

He nodded to the clone, which nodded back, grinning. Naruto could feel the link in the back of his mind, and he realized that it felt much like his recent link with the Kyuubi, which not only puzzled him, but also disturbed him slightly. He felt around for that link, but the creature was obviously either sleeping, or simply watching.

He didn't know which annoyed him more.

With the clone created and ready for battle, and Group B set and ready to go, Mekkatorque addressed the group once more.

"There isn't much else to say…but I implore you, do not fail." Quidneer nodded, before he and the 6 other gnomes that made up his group turned and rushed towards the passageway that Mekkatorque had indicated earlier. Naruto's clone followed in fast pursuit. As soon as they were out of sight, a couple of shouts and the ring of metal on metal signified their encounter with a Mechanized Sentry.

Mekkatorque said a soft prayer, wishing them a silent good luck. He then turned, and spoke to the others.

"Very well, then we must be on our way as well. Our passageway is over in that direction," he pointed to a smaller passage on their left that had been labeled, **Second And Third Floor Freight Elevators**. Without waiting for so much as a nod, he hopped off the elevator and hurried towards the passageway. The others followed swiftly.

Upon entering the passage, they spied to Mechanized Sentries near the end of straight corridor, both moving in opposite directions. Mekkatorque, rather than going for his sword, withdrew another weapon, a smaller rifle that Naruto remember Linkizzle had called a pistol, and aimed it at the sentry that was making its way slowly towards them. He squeezed the trigger twice, and a fraction of a second after the pistol's end had exploded, the bird like sentry's chest area burst apart, spewing electric sparks and the Mobile Alert System at its feet shattered apart, causing enough commotion to draw the attention of the second sentry. The small Mobile Alert System at the second sentries feet, as if sensing something was wrong, began to emit a high-pitched beeping sound, before the trumpets on either side of its body began blaring and extremely loud sound for nearly a half a second before a kunai punctured it's body, abruptly ending the sound.

Naruto straightened, sighing in relief as he did, then began to pick at his ears muttering something unintelligible. Mekkatorque caught a part of the muttering, which sounded like,

"-dunno why I wore it, just keeps hurting my ears…geez." Mekkatorque shook his head, smiling slightly before he hurried down the rest of the corridor, the rest of the group following, Naruto at the back.

Upon reaching the end of the corridor (having only stopped once for Naruto to retrieve his kunai), they entered another large, dome-shaped room, also with many other branches springing off from it. An elevator stood in the middle, but Mekkatorque shook his head, saying,

"That isn't our elevator, that goes to the second floor. We want the third." He looked around, and then pointed to a passage a little to the left from where they had entered. It was appropriately labeled, **Third Freight Elevator**. He started towards it, only for a sound caught his ears, forcing him to halt in his movements.

At first, it sounded like nothing more than a few Mechanized Sentries making their ways towards them, however, in addition to the steady clamping that they brought, a heavier, louder thumping that suggested that something much larger and much sturdier. Mekkatorque, though he knew he should leave, couldn't move, and could only watch as the source of the noise emerged from the largest passage in the room, which incidentally was adjacent to the very passage that they needed.

What luck.

From the large passage, a huge armored machine appeared, each movement causing the floor beneath them to shake slightly, unsteadying several of the gnomes. Though far bigger than the Mechanized Sentries, and far more human-like, the behemoth nonetheless possessed the same crimson coloring, with a bit more gold, of the smaller machines, and seemed to be made from the same material. Extended out in front of it were two wicked looking metal claws, and in the place of a head was a small, round light.

To Naruto, the thing was as amazing as it was frightening, there was nothing in the shinobi world like this, a metallic behemoth that from the looks of things had no operator but the small computer with a specific set of instructions loaded onto it. As soon as he thought of its amazing qualities, his brain began to generate ideas of how to destroy it.

To Mekkatorque, the machine represented something else. He recognized it instantly, knowing his own handiwork anywhere. And yet it wasn't what he had built. The **Peacekeeper Security Suit** (PSS), had been designed much smaller, more dwarf-sized, and had been designed as a complement to the Mechanized Sentry. When he had first built it, it was denser, stronger, and possessed stronger weapons than the sentries did, but due to this, it was harder and more time consuming to make, so he simply created a few, knowing that they would last a long time. They were designed for situations that were far more serious, such as riots, direct attack from an enemy, or even radiation leaks. Thusly, they could take an enormous amount of damage, and would still function properly. They were even immune to outside electromagnetic forces, due to the plating.

However, considering that the monstrosity that stood before them, which, if he was correct, possessed the same technology that the sentries, in that they would be able to automatically repair themselves using electromagnetic devices implanted in their body cavities, it was clear that despite the apparent resemblance, this wasn't his creation, it was something Sicco had taken and perverted for his own usage.

Mekkatorque's eyes turned to ice as that thought crossed his mind, and he drew his blade, hearing his fellow gnomes and the boy ready themselves for battle behind them. He held out a hand, saying out loud,

"Destroy the sentries around it, the larger one is mine." His eyes flickered to Naruto's, as if challenging him to say otherwise. Oddly enough, the blonde didn't seem to mind all that much, as if sensing how important this was to Mekkatorque.

Perhaps the boy wasn't as stupid as he thought.

When the PSS had fully entered the room, it turned itself towards Mekkatorque, and emitted a loud, blaring noise that caused Naruto to clutch his head in pain from the pitch, and consequently rip the small, silver earring from his ear, depositing it in his weapons pouch.

The blaring continued, and the Mechanized Sentries converged around the PSS and their glowing, yellow eyes suddenly turned crimson. The cyclopean light on the PSS also burned red, and almost simultaneously the robots turned to face the organic beings, ready for battle.

Mekkatorque wasted no time in rushing the group, his short blade at the ready. As he neared them, he flashed through a series of half-seals, touched his blade with his free hand, and shouted, "**Diamond Cleave!"** His sword glowed white, just as he drew it across the Peacekeeper's torso area. It passed through the metal as if it were but air, and the though the machine was far to thick for the gnome's blade to pierce completely through, it caused irreparable damage to the robot's body. Electric sparks erupted from the slashed area, but regardless, the machine didn't falter in its first attack, swiping at the little gnome with deadly force. Mekkatorque dodged to the side, and the huge claw embedded itself in the floor, piercing through the solid steel as though it were a sheet of mere aluminum. Mekkatorque easily avoided a beam, whose owner Naruto destroyed shortly after. The spell upon his sword having ended, Mekkatorque attempted a different tactic, removing something from the satchel at his side, he ducked under a second attack, and thrust his tiny hand forward, depositing something in the gaping gash within the robots chest.

Before he could attempt anything else, however, the PSS bent its left "leg" and from the place where a human's knee would be, a small hole opened, and from the hole emerged a small, tubular piece of metal, with a red tip and gnomish letters printed on the side. His eyes widening, Mekkatorque had scarcely time to move before the missile erupted from the hole. Mekkatorque jumped over the projectile, and it shot across the room, striking the wall of a passageway, exploding as it did. The explosion didn't faze the Gnome King, who lifted something from his satchel, holding it out in front of him. It was nothing more than a cylindrical piece of metal with a small button on the top.

Without a second thought, he pressed the button, which caused the tube to vibrate, sending several unseen and unheard signals to the object that had been deposited in the PSS's body cavity. The object happened to be a small, localized EMP emitter, which was used for this exact situation. When a machine malfunctioned, it was deactivated, studied to see what went wrong then fixed accordingly. The PSS itself, while immune to outside electromagnetic forces, was vulnerable to them on the inside. Thusly the action of placing the bomb directly inside the machine had been necessary.

Mekkatorque, however, didn't see the point behind doing the second two processes at this point, and in a small burst of bluish light, the EMP bomb released, shorting out every circuit, process, and anything remotely technological within the Peacekeeper's body. From the outside, following the small flash of light, the robot simply stopped moving, sagging slightly, and the red light on its face going dark.

Rather anticlimactic.

Lowering his blade, the Gnome King looked around to survey the battle scene.

Naruto, Linkizzle, Rurizzle, and Renikle all stood, alive and well, around a multitude of destroyed sentries. Each robot had been almost completely obliterated, in great contrast to the relatively intact Peacekeeper unit. Mekkatorque sighed slightly.

"Young people…" Naruto grinned proudly at the utterance, Rurizzle and Linkizzle blushed slightly, and Renikle smiled weakly, still panting heavily as he did.

Shaking his head, Mekkatorque strode past the remains of the robots, muttering,

"So much for stealth…" With that, the group hurried down the passage towards the elevator.

* * *

Quidneer gasped a little as he sat down, the rest of his group following suit. The Naruto clone, however, remained upright, and the gnome couldn't help but think how strange it was that the boy could create a doppelganger so perfect. Such a spell would most likely be incredibly difficult to master and use, and seemed to use a lot of magic (or as the boy called it, chakra). It was amazing that such a young child had managed to use master it.

Group B had just fought their way through the first of the three engineering labs that though would be required to go through in order to reach the central venting system. Unlike what one might expect when they hear "lab" which would imply the it to be one room, the Gnomeregan engineering labs were many rooms large, each having their own separate purpose and a certain number of engineers. Lab F, for example, the one that they had just gone through, had specialized in creating and developing gadgets for everyday use, for providing gnomish families with the comfort and ease that they needed in these times. Before the troggs' attack, it had been a rather pleasant place to be.

At this point, however, Quidneer never wanted to go near the lab again, and was most certainly not looking forward to the other.

For in the last one, Quidneer had experienced hell.

Hell in both the metaphorical and physical sense, as he had the wounds to vouch for it. Upon entering the lab, after fighting their way through several Mechanized Sentries, they had been mortified to discover what the population of gnomes who had remained, having been poisoned by the radiation, had become in the time they had been gone.

Gone were the rosy cheeks that almost all gnomes possessed, as were the variety of hair colors and even the hair itself from these gnomes. They now sported sickly green skin, milky white cataract eyes, and not hair at all. Some had even begun to deform in other ways, some growing longer, pointier ears, some growing extra limbs, some even growing taller than a normal gnome would.

At first, they took the earlier words of their king into consideration. Perhaps these gnomes didn't want to fight, and would simply let them by?

Wrong.

At once, the gnomes had dropped their various tasks and swarmed the small group, some grabbing at their suits and begging them to take them away, others crying and mumbling incoherently, while still others babbled incessantly about nothing at all. The entire situation was terrifying, and it seemed that either years of working within an engineering lab, their minds poisoned by the radiation, had taken its toll on the people. They weren't totally gone yet, the fact that they were working in an engineering lab was testament to that fact, but Quidneer knew that it would be impossible to get them to see reason at this point, especially when confronted with perhaps the first healthy gnomes they had seen in years. Terrified, the gnome had taken the only course of action he had seen fit at the time to get them to move out of his way.

Striking out with his fist, he knocked one away and then drew his sword. The other gnomes in the group began following his example; the Naruto clone didn't draw his blade, but began attacking the Leprous Gnomes with his fists.

Shocked by the attacks, the Leprous Gnomes' addled minds responded in the only way they could, by retaliating to the attack. They swarmed around the small group, and began attacking with whatever they could. Some picked up wrenches or similar tools, using them to bash the healthy gnomes, who tried to defend from the clumsy, though frequent attacks. Quidneer whirled when a scream was issued from his group, and a group of leprous gnomes converged on a healthy one, dragging him away from the main group and beating him to death with frightening ferocity.

Knowing that the crazed gnomes would kill the rest of the team in the same fashion, Quidneer's hand flashed through some half-seals, before he slashed it through the air in front of him, bellowing,

"**Concussion Edge!**" A yellowish stream of light erupted from the sword as it swiped through the air, and it blasted every gnome within its path backwards, clearing away a large section for the group to go through. Wasting no time, he had rushed through it before the leprous gnomes could fill it up. The other members followed as fast as they could, leaving only the Naruto clone and two others behind before the leprous gnomes filled the hole that Quidneer had created. The clone, however, grabbed both by the scruffs of their necks, and leapt up, high enough to reach the ceiling. It fastened itself to the ceiling, and then ran along it until the clone had reached the other end of main lab room, before leaping to the ground in the same fashion, just in front of the group. The two gnomes whom he had grabbed looked slightly shaken, but alive.

En masse, however, the leprous gnomes were rushing after them, and so the group ran, weaving through hallways and rushing through both empty and inhabited rooms, some with sentries, others with leprous gnomes who hadn't been present in the main lab room.

When they had finally departed Lab F, they had taken refuge in a small storage room, which looked as if it hadn't been used in years. Rusty old parts littered the floor, there was a thick layer of dust covering everything, and the light didn't work.

While a gnome mended the rips in the suits, which weren't as necessary as before, Quidneer sat in thought.

_We cannot afford to lose more time going through the next lab, but there is no other way. How can we cross it without losing more of our men?_

In addition to himself and the clone, there were only 4 other gnomes left, Grediggle, Mortizzle, Furnbariz, and Shikozzle. Undoubtedly, the next two labs were filled with leprous gnomes, both as bad, possibly worse, then the ones in Lab F.

For once, he had no idea what to do.

Quidneer had always prided himself on being one of the most loyal and helpful of Mekkatorque's advisors. In the time since Gnomeregan had fallen, he had helped numerous times in the larger scale projects for the king, designing new types of chemicals, and leading the study on the troggs. He had gained the trust of his king, and that was something he knew that was valuable, especially after Thermaplugg's betrayal.

That was something that he didn't want to lose. He wanted to complete the task that his king had given him, as well as the one that his friend had. True they were the same task, but it didn't matter, and he wanted to be acknowledged as not only the king's advisor, but his friend as well.

He didn't want to fail.

As his mind worked through various plans, and discarded them just as quickly, the clone, who had remained silent for the entire time, suddenly blinked and looked more aware, rather than the blank look that he had possessed before. He looked around a little, and then spoke.

"Where are you guys? Is this the venting system?" The group turned to look at the clone, and Quidneer was suddenly reminded of what the boy had explained earlier in the final briefing at the camp.

"_The clone I'm gonna use is a special one, which I am linked to and can use to communicate with the other group. It'll be able to hold its own in a battle against most things, because it unconsciously uses some of my knowledge of fighting. I can also take control of it and fight up to my usual par with it. If it gets too hairy, though, I will have to abandon it, cause if it's destroyed while I'm still inside, then I die too."_

_So the boy is using the clone to speak, interesting._ Quidneer stood up, and spoke calmly,

"We have just crossed the first lab, and it seems that the remaining population of gnomes are insane, which means they will not help us. What about you, is the king all right? Where are you?"

The blonde clone nodded and said, "We're on the elevator goin' up two floors to the top. The king's fine, so don't worry. So where are we? Some sorta' closet or something?" he looked around, sniffing the air tentatively, and recoiling as he did.

"Yes," Quidneer grunted, before continuing, "we are trying to devise a way to get through the last two labs without having to fight our way through hordes of our brethren. What do you suggest?" The Naruto clone thought moment, before he spoke,

"I got it! You guys get closer, okay, this is gonna be hard, but I think I can do it for a while. We just gotta go very quickly." Quidneer stood up, frowning, but came forward anyways, wondering what he sought to do. When the five gnomes were all huddled around the clone, he formed a seal and said calmly,

"** Amatai Henge (Mutli-Transform) no jutsu!" ** In a heartbeat, the group was encased in a puff of smoke, which, as it cleared, revealed their new forms to the group.

Instead of a group of orange-covered gnomes, they now resembled a group of leprous gnomes, complete with scaly green skin, milky eyes, and baldheads. They gaped at the change, touching the their new skin with wide eyes.

"How…what…what is this?" The blonde clone grinned, saying cheerfully,

"It's Henge no jutsu, it transforms a person into the object or thing they desire. It uses up lots of chakra, though, especially since I gotta keep all of you covered. I got the idea to use the green gnomes from the clone's memories. If we hurry, we can get through both, or at least one of the labs before I can't hold it any longer, and I'll have to drop it in case the clone pops. I still need chakra to fight myself, ya know. Don't bump into anything either, it makes it harder to hold the transformation, cause I'm doing it on so many people."

Quidneer gaped at the transformed boy, then grinned. He felt the despair be replaced by a shining hope. _Perhaps we can win this yet!_

Without delay, the group left the closet, and ran down the corridor that separated the two labs.

The tentatively opened the door, and they were met by the sight of dozens of gnomes working away on the task designated for them, all working without sound or complaint. Several looked up hopefully, doubtlessly having heard of the commotion in the adjoining lab, but looked down disappointedly, seeing them as only more of their kind. Quidneer looked around, gauging their reactions, then walked forward, taking care not to bump into any them, the rest of the group following suit.

It was unnerving to walk through a room full of creatures that would likely kill or maim you if they knew you were there, and simply be ignored. They weaved through rooms as they did last time, doing their best not to touch anything, thus making it easier for the Naruto clone to keep them under the transformation.

Soon, they reached the exit of Lab G, and upon entering the corridor that sent them to Lab H, the Naruto clone released with transformation with an exhausted sigh, slumping to the ground as he did. Quidneer looked at him in concern.

"Are you alright?" The blonde clone nodded tiredly.

"Yeah, I just gotta rest, build up my reserves a bit. I was using my own chakra, rather than the clone's, so it affects me more." The gnome nodded, and sat down while the boy clone recharged his chakra.

Quidneer chose this time to ask the boy a question that had been bothering him for some time.

"Boy…why are you helping us? You say it is because you made a promise to someone, but I don't believe that is the entire reason. Why are you risking your life to fight for a people who are not only a different race than you, but also you have known for a week at the most? Just for a promise?" The blonde clone sighed a little, staring at the floor in front of him.

"No…I guess you're right about that, I'm not doin' this just because of a promise. Old man Mekkatorque…he's like me. He's suffered the betrayal of a friend just like I have," Quidneer's eyes widened at this, but he made no sound. The clone continued, "I'm doing this because I have felt what he has, and I want to make sure that he doesn't drag his whole race down with him. I'm doing this because I once thought that bringing back my friend was something only I could do, but I realized, because of the words of someone important to me, that I have friends to help me, and that they can help me bring the friend that betrayed me from the darkness." The Naruto clone grinned a little at this.

"I'm not going to let that old geezer destroy his reason for living, his people, and make him into just what caused him so much pain. That's why I helping, and that's why I'm risking my life." Quidneer continued to look at the boy in surprise, before he sighed and smirked a little.

_What a strange boy…_

They waited for several more minutes, before the Naruto clone stood up and said,

"We should get goin', the elevators up and I'm running on autopilot in my real body." Quidneer nodded and stood up, the rest of group doing the same.

After the clone had once again placed the transformation jutsu on them, they walked down the corridor, and as they neared the door, Quidneer heard the faint clomping sounds of Mechanized Sentries from behind the door. He stopped, frowning.

Sure, there had been sentries in the other two labs, but the noise of their clomping was usually drowned out by the whirring and whizzing noises of the gnomes working within. He noticed that there were no sounds other than the clamping, and a creeping sense of dread filled him.

One of the gnomes, Mortizzle, crept up beside the door, and opened it by pressing the side panel.

Less than a second later, twin beams of light struck his head, burning two small holes through it, killing the gnome instantly.

Several feet in front of the door, a Mechanized Sentry stood, eyes glowing red, the small Mobile Alert System flashing its lights, and upon sighting the still-disguised group, it began to emit the loud, hitch-pitched beep that suddenly alerted the dozen or so other Mechanized Sentries in the lab to the situation. Quidneer growled angrily,

"A trap! They knew that we were coming here!"

The Naruto clone immediately released the transformation and flashed through series of hand seals, and the end of which he bellowed, **"Hyouton: Toukanboruto no jutsu!"** From his mouth a blast of arctic air erupted, coalescing around the sentry and freezing it solid. Quidneer charged forwards and struck it down with his sword, shattering the brittle, ice-covered metal like glass. Grediggle, Furnbariz and Shikozzle came in at the rear, weapons drawn and ready to fight.

The Naruto clone's eyes took in the situation, and he realized that it was extremely dangerous for him to in here, when it would take not but a single blast to end his life.

At the same time, however, he couldn't care less.

As he readied another jutsu, he got a flash of an empty room, Mekkatorque looking back into it at him, before walking away. The vision was gone almost as fast as it had come, and Naruto somehow knew that he had been seeing something in that his real body had seen. Cursing, he looked around to try and end the battle as quickly as possible.

Forming a seal, he bellowed, "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" **Half a dozen clones appeared, and with the last of his conscious thought, he directed them to obliterating the group of Mechanized Sentries that had just entered through the back of the room.

"I gotta go! That old geezer needs my help! You got things here?" Quidneer didn't even look at the boy as he shouted,

"Go! We will be fine!" The clone nodded once, and without a second to spare, the slightly glazed look that had been eternally on the clone's face returned, and the clone moved to assist his own clones in battle. Quidneer then rushed forward and drove his sword into the chest-area of one of the sentries, destroying the auto-repair unit and then pulled his sword upwards, slicing all the way up until his sword burst up through the bird-like sentry's and scythed the rider on top in half.

Meanwhile, Grediggle was forming two half-seals and then shouted, slamming the small hammer that he wielded onto the ground as he did,

"**Shock Pulse!**" A powerful shockwave of energy erupted from where the hammer struck, emanating outwards away from the gnome's body. Three Mechanized sentries were blasted backwards; two were smashed to pieces as they struck the wall, causing huge dents in the side. The third smashed into a fourth sentry, and both were sent careening into a worktable covered in various tools and machine parts, where they were obliterated by the tremendous force.

The gnome then rushed at the first pile of machine parts that had once been sentries, and sure enough he saw a small blinking light on a small part amidst the rubble, and parts of them were gradually gravitating towards it. He brought down his hammer, crushing it, and the parts stopped moving. He moved on to the others, whose repairs were further along.

Furnbariz stood back to back with Shikozzle, both gnomes fending off the laser-eyes of a pair of sentries with their shields. Furnbariz hissed as the thick, Dark Iron shield that had once belonged to his father began to grow hot from absorbing so much energy, hot enough that he felt his skin begin to sizzle where it hung from his arm. He knew that unless he did something, both he and his friend would be killed. He hurtled a dagger at the Mechanized Sentry's head, smashing through the eyes and cutting off the laser vision. Completely ignoring the pain he rushed forward and finished it off with a second dagger to the chest, destroying the electromagnetic regeneration unit.

Shikozzle, on the other hand, flashed through a several half-seals, gathering his magic into the shield, and bellowing,

"**Reflector!"** His shield glowed bright red, and the beams that were striking it were suddenly reflected backwards onto the wall near the sentry's head. Being a machine, it wasn't able to comprehend the danger it was in, only that its attack wasn't working anymore. Before it could initiate whatever program ended the lasers, Shikozzle tilted the shield to the side and down, so the beams cut directly into the sentry's chest, destroying it instantly. Grinning he turned back to Furnbariz, a one-liner ready on his lips. Before he could expel said one-liner, however, a peculiar sound reached his ears.

It was a stomping sound, signifying that something very large was coming, and something very bad.

He turned around, attempting to locate the source, but was never able to complete the turn, as the huge, metal door that he was standing by that led into a separate section of Lab H was smashed outwards, slamming into him and flying across the room towards Furnbariz's position. The gnome yelped and jumped out of the way, allowing the heavy door to sail past him and smash into the wall.

Shikozzle died swiftly as the door met the wall, forcing everything in between to become nearly the width of a piece of cardboard.

Furnbariz's eyes widened, however, not because of the death of his friend, but because of what had caused the death.

From the door, a huge machine emerged, far bigger than the sentries, and far more imposing as well. It stood about eight or nine feet tall, a steely grey color with the reddish symbol emblazoned on the front. It had no recognizable head, save for a large, glowing red light on the top of its chest area, near where a neck would be, which sunk into the metal slightly and had a hood of metal covering the top. Its feet were large and gripped the ground like claws. For hands, rather than possessing gripping claws like the Peacekeeper Security Suit, it had huge, flat-fronted cylinders. Steam poured from two large pipes on its back as it stomped into the room.

Quidneer, from his position near the entrance, witnessed the destruction the monstrosity had caused, and cursed.

_What is that? It looks like…no…the **Crowd Pummeler 9-60**?His majesty had that shut down and dismantled! It was too dangerous! And more to the point, where did Thermaplugg get the plans for it? Mekkatorque destroyed them! It is different than the original, but it is obvious that that monster added his own touches to it. This isn't good. The fact that it is here means that Thermaplugg is trying to prevent our plan from succeeding. For some reason, he seeks to stop us from destroying the troggs, but why? We cannot let this happen! We have come to far, but if we tarry any longer here, then the chances of us reaching the Central Venting System become slimmer. _

He glanced at the Naruto clone, who was standing amidst the destroyed remains of almost a dozen Mechanized Sentries, and was now focused on the behemoth that had entered. Even with faced with this new dilemma, he could not help but marvel at the power the boy possessed. And the clone wasn't even up to par with the real thing. The boy would no doubt easily surpass Mekkatorque's level at some point. He then glanced at Grediggle, who was glaring fiercely in the same direction. He moved forward, stepping up near the other gnome and whispered,

"We must end this quickly, if we stay any longer than they have more time to place a security force sufficient enough to destroy us in the Central Venting System room. What do we do?" The other gnome didn't respond, just continued glaring at the Crowd Pummeler 9-60 as it moved steadily towards them, turning to its right as it left the door frame, not increasing its speed in the slightest. Furnbariz had moved away from the deadly machine, and rushed quickly towards the two remaining gnomes and clone, avoiding several blasts from the remaining Mechanized Sentries. The gnome came to a stop in front of Quidneer, panting as he did.

"What do we do? That thing is going to take all of our strength to finish off. If we don't hurry-" Quidneer cut him off,

"I know, I know. We must do it as swiftly as possible. Like the other models of this kind, it is immune to outside electromagnetic forces, thusly that is not an option unless we open it up. I suggest that we-"

He was cut off, however, when the Naruto clone stepped in front of him. Frowning at the animated chakra, he asked point blank,

"What do you want, this isn't time to-," The clone pointed, however, towards the door from whence the Crowd Pummeler had emerged, grinning as he did. He looked confused for a second, and then managed to say,

"You go. I stay, fight." Quidneer's eyes widened as he looked at the clone, not believing it capable of speech. He then realized that the link that Naruto had mentioned earlier was two ways, and that the clone would inherit some of Naruto's abilities, more so than his personality traits or memories. It seemed that when Naruto had occupied the clones body, he had transferred more of his memories and abilities into it, gifting it with the ability to speak, albeit limitedly.

He looked at the clone, dead serious.

"You can't win. You are strong, and so is the boy, but this is a machine, and thusly physically superior to organic beings. It is more durable, stronger; it can shatter diamonds with those hammers on its arms! Only his majesty knows enough about these machines to know their weaknesses, so you can't-" Once more he was cut off when the boy shook his head, still grinning.

"Me not fail. Is promise," he said, nodding, and then turned back to face the behemoth made of metal.

Still looking faintly surprised, Quidneer nodded, and then grabbing onto the hands of the two other gnomes, rushed towards the other end of the room, slashing apart a sentry as they ran by. The huge, slow moving Crowd Pummeler tried to turn to face the trio as they rushed through the door, but was prevented when the Naruto clone and several shadow clones obscured it's vision. The clone grinned.

"Me blow you up." The shadow clones rushed forwards, and the fight began.

* * *

After rushing through the rest of the lab, which was completely deserted of both sentries and leprous gnomes, they entered a hallway that split into three directions. Glancing at the sign that hung from the ceiling, he saw that straight went to another hub of passages, left was a shortcut to another lab (I), and right went to the Central Venting Systems. Without a second thought, he went right, Grediggle and Furnbariz following close behind. They weaved through the hallway, encountering no sign of gnome or machine, before reaching a large doorway, marked in Gnomish, "Central Venting Systems, Authorized Gnomernel Only" From behind the door, a loud humming could be heard.

He moved to the side panel, and pulled of the top, before he began to fiddle with the wires underneath, a bead of sweat forming at his brow. The other two waited, weapons up, ready for anything that stood behind the door.

A few moments of tinkering later, the door emitted a beep, and opened. Both gnomes tensed, ready to attack whatever leapt out at them, but when none came, they relaxed slightly. Quidneer entered, his heart pumping, their goal close.

_Soon, if we do this, it will be our day. We can't fail._

The Central Venting room was spacious, mostly because the equipment used within was so large. It was dark and shadows filled every corner of the room. A large catwalk sat in middle, suspended above a deep opening in the ground. In the opening, on either side of the catwalk, huge fans blew air in vain down into the depths of the city, likely to clear out the noxious gas that resided and was continually produced by the poisonous radiation below. Near the end of the large room, fans blew upwards to push air into the upper parts of the city. Quidneer remembered the fields outside, and how the fans in the depths had been directed to blow out the poisonous gas.

A row of computer panels stood on a platform in the middle of the large catwalk, and Quidneer knew that it was there he would find the means to shut down the filtering fans below. He gave a sigh of relief.

_We've almost done it._

He moved down the steps and then towards the catwalk. When he made to move towards the platform, he caught sight of a large form, standing in the middle of the platform, unmoving.

He stopped cold.

No… 

He could clearly see its features, even though most of it was shrouded in the darkness. It was humanoid, nearly 8 feet tall, and was a dull grey. Huge metal claws were attached to its arms, and a circular light bulb was attached to the upper part of its chest.

Another Techbot series? Will this ever end? 

Grediggle and Furnbariz had by now seen the robot, and had frozen in similar states of shock.

Quidneer held his sword aloft, ready to fight.

But nothing happened.

Frowning, he moved a little closer, adjusting his goggles to see better as he did.

He noticed, rather belatedly, that the light on its chest was unlit.

It was broken, or shut down.

He gave a sigh of relief. He turned to the others, saying quietly,

"It's not activated. It's okay." The other two gnomes relaxed visibly, giving great twin gestures of relief. He started forwards again, moving cautiously, just in case it was a trick. They moved right up to the edge of the platform, and the robot had yet to move an inch.

Up close, he could see that the machine was older than the Crowd Pummeler 9-60, by a lot. It was rusted slightly, and had many dents and scuffmarks on its body. Years had also dulled the shine that it once must of possessed. Quidneer inspected the machine for a little while longer, then turned to the panels. He located the one he was supposed to, and began typing at a furious rate, hoping to override the locks that had been placed on the system. He cursed a few times, muttered something under his breath, and then turned to the two others.

"I can't get in. I knew there would be locking programs, but I never expected this level. I won't be able to break them without a lot of time, something that we do not have." Grediggle frowned, leaning against the unmoving robot.

"There must be a key then. Key cards usually got us around everywhere, but thanks to you and his majesty, we've been able to bypass of them. Don't they keep emergency key cards around here?" Quidneer nodded.

"Usually, but Thermaplugg would have removed them. He's not stupid, and is probably too paranoid to ever consider giving one to any of his leprous followers." Grediggle cocked his head to the side, still frowning.

" I don't know, Quid, I know he's not stupid, but if you had a city to run, would you remember to take all of the key cards from their positions? I doubt it, so if we look around, I'm sure we-"

_**CHUNK!**_

Quidneer's eyes widened in horror, and Furnbariz gasped as a spray of Grediggle's blood hit his face.

Grediggle looked down to the huge metal spike sticking from his small chest, nearly ripping him in half, and then slowly up at the glowing red eye of the once immobile robot.

Lifting its arm slowly into the air, it twitched the "finger" that had impaled the poor gnome, generating enough force to completely sever the gnome's body in two. Blood and organs spilled onto the ground, the two pieces of the former gnomish warrior hitting the ground with two consecutive thumps.

Without warning, the robot swung it's other arm, striking Furnbariz in the chest, before he could move an inch, and lifting him off his feet. He flew through the air, over the railing, and was swiftly annihilated as he struck the deadly spinning fan below, sending parts of his body in every direction.

It then turned it's single glowing "eye" on Quidneer, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that his death was imminent.

He drew his sword, and readied himself to fight the last battle he ever would.

"I will not fail you, my king."

He rushed forward with a cry.

* * *

_Earlier…_

Mekkatorque cursed slightly as he watched Naruto smack into another wall, completely oblivious to the pain. The boy shook himself a little, but didn't scream or curse, instead simply turning his body until he was parallel with the wall, and walked two steps to the door that he had been trying to enter, before turning and entering the room after Renikle.

He sighed a little, wondering why they had even taken the boy along.

Earlier, on the elevator that led up to the third floor, Naruto had linked up with his clone, in order to see what was going on with the other group. He had returned briefly to explain what the situation was, before going back in to aid them.

He hadn't been back since. And they were now stuck with a complete lackwit rather than a somewhat annoying moron.

This Naruto didn't speak, but obeyed simple commands, and seemed to have some semblance of logic, even if that amounted to finding his way around various obstacles that impeded his path. That only, of course, was because he had run into said impediment first, and moved around it after he had struck it.

Mekkatorque sighed in annoyance. Though they hadn't fought any sentries, (of which Mekkatorque was glad, as fighting while worrying about Naruto getting in the way did not appeal to the King of the Gnomes), they had avoided a few, and were currently in an empty weapons storage room on the way to the Launch Bay, and then the Tinker's Court, where the Main Control room resided. The sounds of production and work surrounded them, and Mekkatorque knew that he would sooner or later encounter one of his people, forced to work and build for Sicco while the cancerous disease that they had contracted from the radiation ate away at their minds, making them into mindless monsters.

It made his him smolder with rage at the thought.

He looked over at Naruto, who was now sitting silently on the floor, not moving, just staring off into the distance. He shook his head.

_He had better get back soon, or else we're leaving him here._

Linkizzle looked at Mekkatorque, asking,

"Should we go, your highness? Or wait for Naruto to get back?" Mekkatorque mulled over the question for a bit, then said,

"We will go. He is smart, and will be able to find us if he needs to." Mekkatorque stood, and walked out of the room, glancing about around to see if there was anything dangerous. Finding none, he exited the room, followed by Renikle, and a hesitant Linkizzle and Rurizzle. It was clear that they didn't want to leave the boy behind, and thought Mekkatorque was grateful for the help, especially with the other group, they needed to complete this, and though he didn't like the sound of it, this wasn't Naruto's fight.

It was the people of Gnomeregan's.

Naruto had helped, that much he admitted, and he would be reward the boy for doing so much, but Naruto had no place his this battle, and never would.

It wasn't something he could understand.

Sighing, he took a final look back at the boy, who was staring in his direction, not exactly at him, but towards him. He stood there, simply watching the boy, before turning and walking away, shutting the door as he did.

He caught up with Linkizzle, Rurizzle, and Renikle, who were parted to make way for him as he walked.

It was the home stretch.

Nothing would stop them now.

* * *

The third floor of the city of Gnomeregan was predictably the most important. It was where the wealthier gnomes, or the ones who worked directly under Mekkatorque himself, lived as well as where the two main facilities of the city were. The Tinker's Court, and the Launch Bay. The Launch Bay was where almost every main weapon that was built was mounted, and then sent into the field, and more recently the place where the research for flying technology was developing. Flying technology wasn't new, not by Gnomish standards anyway, but Mekkatorque had always been fond of flying machines since he was young, and had helped develop that system after he had become High Tinker.

The Tinker's Court, however, was where those who worked under the High Tinker, the other tinkers, such as Mekgineers, Wartinkers, and Tekgineers worked and on occasion, lived. It was where the Main Control Room resided, where the High Tinker oversaw the entire city, making everything go as smoothly as possible. It was where the security system control was, and possessed an override for nearly ever machine in the entire city.

In short, it was where Mekkatorque needed to go in order to control his city once more.

And he had to pass through the Launch Bay to do so.

Several minutes after leaving Naruto in the storage room, Mekkatorque and his group reached the entrance to the second floor of the main lobby of the Launch Bay, and from there it was only a short way to the elevator that took them to the Tinker's Court.

And to Sicco Thermaplugg.

After overriding the door's lock, Mekkatorque drew his blade and entered swiftly, but as soon as he did, he stopped cold.

With it's impressive size, the Launch Bay could impress anyone, even someone who had seen it so many times in his life. Since the day he had set foot in it, Mekkatorque had loved the Launch Bay. It was a massive room, egg-shaped, with almost twelve massive hangers that were spread out through the second and first floors. There was no flooring between the first and second floors, having only a walkway on all-sides above the first floor, and several catwalks that connected the two sides. The first floor was usually dedicated to ground based weaponry and technology, with the creation of Mechanostriders and Gnomish tanks being the most prominent. The second floor was devoted to flying machines, from the small gnomish "spy planes" as Mekkatorque liked to call them and the bomber planes that had still been in development when the troggs had attacked.

For Mekkatorque, seeing the place he had remembered most fondly for the years that he had been away was both awesome and terrible. It was awesome because it still had that feel, the feel that in it, anything could happen, and though it sounded cheesy, dreams could come true.

But it was terrible in that instead of the smiling faces that he had seen everyday back then, he was met with only the white, milky stares of so many of his people.

He let out a small gasp of surprise, his eyes widening as he saw what had become of his people. Their greenish, scaly skin and milky, blank stare shocked him more than he could have imagined.

At first, several of the gnomes didn't even see them, they were too busy completing whatever task had been given to them, their degrading minds finding reprieve from thinking by focusing on the one task that had been given. Slowly then, several of the lepers stopped, staring at Mekkatorque as if he was some sort of mutant. Gradually, others began to stop as well, until it seemed as if the entire room had stopped to look at him.

It was at that moment that Mekkatorque felt as small as he really was, each of their stares, though incomprehensible to normal people, accused him of betrayal, of abandoning them, of leaving them to this fate, this horrible, mindless existence as a slave to the monstrous man who had facilitated this entire thing. Mekkatorque backed up a few steps, eyes wide, even though not a single leprous gnome moved.

Tears streaming down his face, he spoke to them,

"By the gods…what has happened to all you…? What has he done to you? What…have I done to you? This cannot be…no…" Still doing as much as possible to stop from sobbing, he dropped to his knees, his sword clattering to the floor.

He had though that nothing could have hurt worse than having one's best friend betraying you.

But he had been wrong.

This hurt so much more than that. He had done this to his people, regardless of what Sicco had done afterwards, he had poisoned his people, and he had killed them.

One of the gnomes slowly walked forwards, stopping a foot away from Mekkatorque, watching him blankly. The gnome then hunkered down, and looked directly into Mekkatorque's eyes. The High Tinker whispered,

"I'm sorry…" the leprous gnome looked at him, and Mekkatorque could almost see an expression of pain and to his surprise, forgiveness, in the blank eyes of the gnome. The gnome reached out and caressed his face, now unhidden by the gas mask, as the air was clean up in the higher levels.

Then, with a cry of animalistic fury, the gnome raked his fingers across Mekkatorque's face, tearing away flesh and drawing blood. Jerking backwards, he had no time to defend himself as another gnome leapt at him, screaming incoherently. It was hard to believe that just seconds ago, the gnomes were as docile as lambs, and somehow smart enough to complete duties that involved engineering. Now they were ravenous monsters, no more intelligent than a wolf, and hell-bent on ripping him apart. He knocked one away, and crawled towards his blade, lifting it up and brandishing it in an attempt to scare them off.

It didn't work.

One charged directly at his sword, ignoring the possibility of death. He lowered the blade and struck the gnome in the face with his fist, knocking him out. However, they continued to swarm, and used everything in their reach to try to hurt him. He knocked a few out with the flat of his blade, but the continued coming, willing to die just for a chance to even scratch him.

He could do nothing.

They were his people.

What could he do against his people?

Linkizzle, Rurizzle and Renikle couldn't do anything either, as they were quickly overtaken and disarmed by the horde of leprous gnomes.

One bit at his arm, another clawed at his face, yet another began hammering his fists onto his chest. He was perfectly capable of defeating them, but not without fatally injuring all of them. That was something he couldn't do.

He had already caused them enough pain.

And then it stopped.

Every gnome stopped biting, clawing, and hammering, and then simultaneously, they lifted him upwards, before they began walking, still carrying him. He could barely move, as several hands that didn't seem to want to let go gripped every side of him tightly. His vision was blurry and he had trouble focusing his thoughts.

He dimly wondered if the others were all right.

He hoped so.

And then, he was dropped, rather suddenly, to the ground. He winced in pain as he landed hard on some of his new wounds, before slowly raising his eyes as a shadow passed over him.

"Ha ha ha! Hmmm? Whatever do we have here? Oh? Is that you, ikkle kingy wingy? I didn't recognize you, with those bruises! You look troubled, care to talk about it? Heh heh heh!" The voice, high-pitched with a maniacal twist to it, was not Sicco's. But he'd recognize it anyways.

"Terko…is that you?"

"Ho ho ho! He speaks! And he's so clever; he got my name in one guess! He should get a prize! Hee hee hee!" As his vision slowly cleared, he got his first look at the former Tekgineer, Terko Electrocut.

Though his face and eyes were the same as any of the other leprous gnomes, signifying that he too must have suffered at the hands of the radiation, it was the vehicle that he was sitting in that made it unique. It was a large, black machine, with six jointed appendages that stuck out from a small, pod-shaped body. It resembled a spider or insect in this fashion, and in front it even had two large "mandibles" of metal that glowed an electric blue. Terko himself sat on top of chair in the pod, which fit snugly around him and seemed to provide him with a great deal of protection.

What was different, however, about Terko, was that he did possess the blank stare that all the other gnomes had. Instead, he had a maniacal, crazed grin, and continued to laugh as Mekkatorque looked at him.

Tekgineer Terko Electrocut had been one of the Tekgineers that had sucked up to Sicco and Mekkatorque on a daily basis. He was intelligent, but was too obsessed with money and fame to ever amount to anything higher. That was why Mekkatorque had never really tolerated his presence, though Sicco seemed to have taken a great deal of interest in the younger gnome, which at the time, Mekkatorque had though nothing of. Perhaps Sicco had just found an apprentice (though he did wonder how Sicco could stand the little urchin) and had decided to pass on his knowledge to the next generation.

In reality, Terko had been the one to flush the toxic waste tanks, which had forced the gnomes to flee the city in the first place.

_How ironic_, he though smugly, _that the one who helped cause all of this now suffers like the rest._

"What are you doing here, Terko? I don't believe you have any skill in the making of flying machines or weapons, so why are you here?" The gnome giggled, saying in obnoxious singsong voice,

"Hoo hoo hoo! What a sarcastic little tyke he is! He still thinks he's better than me! Well, kingy wingy, I'm working here 'cause my bestest buddy ever…Siccy Wiccy, Thermy Wermy, asked me too! Yep! He knows that ikkle Terko is such a good engineer! Hai hai hai!" Mekkatorque looked at him with a disgusted look.

"You…good? You were always mediocre, Terko, and it was only because of Sicco that I made you a Tekgineer." The obviously insane gnome stopped giggling, and glared down at him. One of the spider-like legs slammed down on the floor, inches from Mekkatorque's head.

"Har har har! He insults me? He is the one that runs into a city full of troggs and robots and bears, oh my! He is the one that is caught by my ikkle slavie wavies! Hya hya hya!"

Mekkatorque's eyes widened.

"Slaves…what are you talking about?" Terko sneered at him.

"Hyuck hyuck hyuck! These little gnomes that he sees are all under my little control! Siccy Wiccy developed a really cool gadget, that he puts in everyone and they obey him and me without question! Isn't that cool! Huh huh huh!"

Mekkatorque's eyes blazed. He tried to stand, ready to use whatever force necessary to destroy this bastard. He didn't get far, however, as suddenly a massive jolt of pain rain through his body, freezing his limbs and causing him to fall over, stunned.

Terko laughed wickedly at the prone gnome,

"Hi hi hi! Do you like my ability? My spiderbot gives me the ability to electrocute people, whenever I want! That's why I call it the **Electrocutioner 6000! **Clever huh? Hoa hoa hoa!"

Mekkatorque tried to stand, but failed once more. But his mind was working furiously. Now it made sense.

His people were being controlled, they weren't mindless, not totally, at least, it was Sicco! He was controlling them all!

"I swear to the gods in heaven, you little fool, that when I get the chance, I will kill you."

Terko laughed again, his eyes shining with crazed amusement.

"Hyar Hyar hyar! That's a good one, ikkle kingy wingy, but you're gonna die soon, so it won't matter! Your people are gonna kill you, yep they are! He he he!

"Oi, spider freak, how about you fight like a man! Try me for instance!"

Mekkatorque's eyes widened at the voice.

_Is that…?_

Uzumaki Naruto, Linkizzle, Rurizzle and Renikle all stood behind the crowd of leprous gnomes. Naruto's arms were crossed, his eyes were set, and he had a big scowl on his face. He was, in short, angry as hell.

Most of said anger was being directed at Mekkatorque, however. The blonde shouted angrily as he said,

"How the hell could ya' leave me behind, you stupid bastard! As soon as I kick this guy's ass, I'm gonna kick yours for leaving me in that place! Geez, the thanks I get!"

Terko was frowning at the boy, before he seemed to recognize who it was.

"Hyun hyun hyun! He's the likkle human that came with the ikkle kingy! He's a lot weirder looking than I thought! He says he wants to fight? Fine with me! Just let me kill this guy, and we can-"

"Who the heck says "hyun?" nobody laughs like that!" Terko blinked, frowning at the boy. He then grew angry.

Very angry.

"Hya hya hya! He is making fun of me! I gotta kill him now! Hyi hyi hyi!" Waving his hands, the crowd of gnomes parted, clearing the path for the two. Terko advanced forward, past Mekkatorque, stopping at the edge of the crowd, grinning wildly. Naruto grinned as well, gripping his kodachi in its sheath.

Mekkatorque stood slowly to his feet, staring at the boy.

_Even now…he still fights for us…why? What have we done for him?_

Naruto met the King of the Gnomes' gaze and he spoke loudly.

"Oi, old man. You, Linkizzle, Rurizzle and that other guy go defeat Thermaplugg. This guys mine, okay?" Mekkatorque stared at him, trying to discern what he was trying to do. He finally said,

"Okay…don't fail boy." Naruto smirked.

"'K!"

Mekkatorque shook his head slightly, then focusing his magic into his feet, he leapt over the crowd of gnomes, landing smoothly next the blonde. He gave Naruto a final look, before he, Linkizzle, Rurizzle and Renikle ran towards the door on the other end of the Launch Bay that led to the elevator to the Tinker's Court. Terko yelped angrily that his prey was getting away, so he shouted, pressing a button on the control panel in front of him as he did.

"Hu hu hu! Get him, all you of you! Don't let him get away! Ho ho ho!" The crowd of gnomes turned and ran towards the door, but Naruto had something different in mind.

"**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"** He bellowed, and seconds after a massive wall of clone appeared in front of the rushing crowd, preventing them from moving any farther. A second seal later, another mass converged around the other side of the crowd, preventing them from turning back. Naruto walked towards the Tekgineer, smirking.

"How about we keep this between us, huh?" Terko scowled at both the effective trapping of his gnomes and the horrible one-liner.

"Hee hee hee! I'm gonna make sure you never get up again, likkle human baby! Ha ha ha!"

With that, the spiderbot tore forwards with incredible speed, surprising the hell out of the blonde. The machine reached Naruto nearly four seconds after it started, bringing up its front leg and smashing the side of it into Naruto's stomach, flinging the boy backwards until he struck the wall, causing a large dent to appear, and the boy to cry out in agony.

Terko moved in for a second shot, slamming one of the sharp legs down at Naruto, who rolled out of the way, jumping to his feet as he did. The blonde moved to attack, bringing his blade downwards, aiming it at the joint of one of the legs. Seconds before it hit, however, the blade bounced back, and Naruto felt a shock of energy shoot through his body, freezing his movements, and causing a jolt of pain to rock his senses. Terko saw the opening, and slammed the leg into Naruto's stomach again, this time sending a jolt of energy through him as well as knocking him back.

He landed back a few yards, skidding to a halt as he did.

He stood shakily to his feet, tremors of pain running through his body.

Terko looked triumphant.

"Heh heh heh! He gets a nasty shock whenever he touches the Electrocutioner 6000, doesn't he! My field of electricity makes it hard for anybody to heart me, yes it does! Hyuck hyuck hyuck!"

_Fuck…_

_

* * *

_

Quidneer stood on his last legs.

His body was beaten, broken, and his sword felt heavier than anything he had ever held before.

He was going to die.

But more importantly, he was going to fail his king.

He would rather die than do that.

Now he would do both.

He had backed up and was standing on the catwalk, a few yards from the platform, with the monstrous killer robot advancing steadily towards him. He could either fight, or run, and he had the energy to do neither. Whatever he through at the machine didn't seem to work. His sword, predictably, didn't cut through, even using magic. Raw magic didn't work, as the robot seemed to absorb it. He remembered hearing about it somewhere, but he never thought he'd be facing it in combat. He even remembered the name…**Arcane Nullifier X-21. **

It was older than the other models, and somehow its builder had combined magic with technology in order to create a machine immune to magic. With the immunity to EMPs like all members of the Techbot model had, and the durable armor that made most weapons useless against it, it was impossible to damage, and Quidneer knew he would never be able to defeat such a being.

He stood up slowly, using the railing to steady himself as he did. He held the sword out, even though it hung limply in his hand.

The Arcane Nullifier continued moving, not affected in the slightest.

Quidneer closed his eyes, preparing to die, preparing to break his promise not to fail, and preparing to lose the trust of his king.

He raised his sword,

"**ADMIRABLE, LITTLE GNOME, BUT ENTIRELY UNNECESSARY.**"

Quidneer stopped, dropping his sword in surprise at the voice. It reverberated through the room, powerful and deep, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. He suddenly felt a massive presence behind him, something that couldn't have fit inside the room, something so huge that only a Titan could compare.

He turned, shaking madly, to the source of the voice.

Standing at the end of the catwalk, enrobed in reddish light, was the Naruto clone. But it appeared different, more animalistic, and monstrous. Its eyes were a deep, blood red, with cat-like slits for pupils. The three faint markings on its face were now blood red and very pronounced. Its hair was tinged reddish, and it was hunched over in a primal way, claws decorating its hands.

Or hand.

For the left arm was no nothing more than a stump, and he could see that the shoulder was beginning was disintegrate, slowly burning off to join the aura of red that surrounded its body.

The demonic Naruto clone had a feral grin on its face, its remaining hand twitching in excitement.

"**IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE HAD A BODY OF MY OWN…THE BRAT ISN'T THE KINDEST OF WARDENS. BUT IT SEEMS THAT HE HAS ALLOWED ME THIS LITTLE CHANCE TO HAVE A BIT OF FUN…DON'T WORRY, LITTLE GNOME, I SHAN'T KILL YOU, THERE ISN'T ANY POINT, REALLY."** The demon hissed as another chunk of its shoulder disintegrated, and said angrily,

"**IT SEEMS THAT THIS BOYS CHAKRA AN D MINE DON'T PLAY WELL TOGETHER…I ONLY HAVE A SHORT TIME IN THIS WORLD. I HAVE ALREADY FINISHED OFF THAT OTHER MACHINE, IT WAS TRULY PATHETIC. PERHAPS THIS ONE WILL BE A MORE ENJOYABLE CATCH, HMMM?**"

The demon's image flickered, and suddenly it vanished, appearing seconds later in front of the gnome, a few feet away from the Nullifier. The demon sneered up at it.

"**YOU REEK OF ANCIENT CHAKRA…BUT MINE IS FAR OLDER, AND FAR STRONGER. YOUR POWER WILL NOT WORK ON ME.**" The machine predictably didn't respond, instead raising it's left arm and bringing it downwards in a wicked attack, which would have killed any normal person.

The Kyuubi, however, was anything but normal, and it didn't even have to lift a finger for the attack to fail. The Arcane Nullifier's arm was deflected by the red aura, which seemed to lash out and grab it, squeezing it until the claw had been crushed utterly. The Nullifier didn't pull back; instead attacking with it's other arm, which the Kyuubi grabbed with its remaining hand. The demon laughed, and ripped the arm clean off the machine, causing electric sparks and smoke to erupt from the place where it had been torn off.

With a final laugh, the Kyuubi pulled its hand back, and then thrust it forwards, the red aura extending outward with the thrust. A massive, ethereal claw, made from the reddish aura slammed into the Arcane Nullifier, lifting it off its feet and backwards. The claw carried it all the way down the catwalk, and struck the other wall. The force flattened the armor plating, crushed the metal deep into the wall and caused a spark from the friction of metal rubbing against metal to ignite the fuel tanks in its chest. The Nullifier exploded in fiery symphony of light and sound, all the while the Kyuubi laughed, demonic red eyes glittering in the reflection from the explosion. It retracted its "hand" and when it had, turned to face Quidneer.

Quidneer had never been so scared in his life, facing a machine was one thing, but a demon was an entire other!

The creature spoke,

"**IT WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED, I SUPPOSE. HERE, LITTLE MORSEL,**" the Kyuubi flipped a square object at the gnome who caught it, and stared. It was a key card!

"**I FOUND IT ON THE MACHINE.**"

"Why…are you helping me?" The demon laughed.

"**BECAUSE, THE BRAT WOULD NEVER LET ME HERE THE END OF IT, AND HE WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IF YOU DID THAN IF YOU FAILED AND DIED. I VALUE MY LIFE, GNOME.**" The demon cursed, as a part of his head began to break away.

**"I'VE DONE MY PART, BRAT, NOW IT'S YOUR TURN.**"

* * *

Mekkatorque stepped onto the polished metal floor of the Tinker's Court, his eyes searching. It had changed slightly since he had been there last, but as had everything. The large statues of the previous High Tinker have loomed over the huge circular room, their golden faces stern and commanding. Hanging above the huge room was a large cocoon-like structure that Mekkatorque knew was the control room. He looked around wearily, his eyes searching all over, trying to find some sign of his former friend.

The other three gnomes stood behind him, ready to back him up if need be.

_Tap tap tap._

Mekkatorque stopped, his eyes widening at the noise.

_Tap tap tap_

The others froze as well.

_Tap tap tap_

Mekkatorque's eyes suddenly fell on the source of the noise, the rhythmic tapping of metal on metal. The source smiled coldly.

"Hello, Gelbin."

* * *

HOLY SHIT, that was the longest chapter I've ever written! Holy jesus! Praise me!

I apologize for the lateness, I planned for this to come out sooner, but it kept getting longer…so that's why.

Tekgineers and Wartinkers are both my creations, so don't correct me on that.

Reviewer answers:

**Obsidian-fox** – Thanks, sorry I got that confused, but I read way too much X-men…

**The Forgotten Lord – **You are correct, and as I said, the orcs will play a roll. As for the magnetic point, maybe, but I don't think so, since it requires more control than Naruto has currently (he'll get better.) Yep, Night Elves live in Teldrassil, as well as Ashenvale and so other places. Illidan and Arthas will most certainly show up, and all of the other Naruto characters will show up, but in time (a long time actually for them to see Naruto, but we'll be seeing some more of them soon).

**Slimeman** – good questions. Naruto told Gamabunta that he's somewhere else, but he'll explain more later. Naruto can send messages, but only by recitation, no actual messages. It seems to me that summon techniques can't take physical objects away (what's to stop them from taking a human away, for example?) so no, Jiraiya won't be able to send scrolls.

**PersonaJXT – **You sir, are what I enjoy about writing. You keep me on my toes, and that is good. As to your Priest/Mind Magic question, I believe that members of the Church of Stormwind won't use some of the darker spells in the Shadow line, of which there are many including several mind spells (Mind Flay, Scream, Mind Control etc.) I think that in order for them to help their patients more, they must be able to understand the pain, and thus be able to treat it better. So that's why they focus on more of the mind magic abilities instead of anything else.

I am a rogue, by the way, so I know they are deadly and fun, but the annoyance I talk about is when level 60 rogues, usually night elves, camp weaker characters, killing them. This is less common now, what with the honor system, but my annoyance of both Alliance Rogues and Paladins go back to those days, when there wasn't an honor system. So I know that Paladins aren't that overpowered, but they annoy me anyways. I love Shaman, because I am a Horde guy through and through. They are the most fun to play. I am biased, so don't hold to much value in my statements in that area, they will always be biased.

Well, that's all, I'm going to sleep.

General Grievous

Next time, Mekgineer Thermaplugg! 

Spellbook:

Ikkan Bunshin no jutsu: Creates a special link with an existing clone. It allows a two way chakra and mental connection that is perfect for spying and/or fighting against annoyances. It is dangerous to use in combat, because it is slow to cast and if it is dispelled while you are using the link, it will cause irreparable damage to your mind.

Amatai Henge no jutsu: Puts henge no jutsu on multiple people.

Diamond Edge: Makes sword as sharp as diamond.

Concussion Edge: Creates wave of chakra that knocks down all those struck.

Shock Pulse: Emits powerful shockwave.

Reflector: Reflects energy

Bestiary:

**Peacekeeper Security Suit (Mechanical) (Elite) – **Part of the techbot series, designed by Mekkatorque to take control of things in hazardous situations such as riots, chemical spills. Outfitted with repairing ability by Thermaplugg. Very durable, EMP immune.

**Crowd Pummeler 9-60****(Mechanical) (Elite) –** Part of the techbot series, designed by Mekkatorque but discontinued because of excessive force. Later upgraded by Thermaplugg and put back into use. Possesses incredibly powerful hammers on its hands, resistant to damage, EMP immune.

**Arcane Nullifier X-21** **(Mechanical) (Elite) –** Part of earlier techbot series, is a unique blend of chakra and technology to create a machine immune to magic. Is activated by touch, extremely deadly, EMP immune.

**Electrocutioner 6000 (Mechanical) (Elite) **– Designed by Mekgineer Thermaplugg, given to Tekgineer Terko Electrocut. Resembles a spider, incredibly fast, durable, can be surrounded by electric field that renders anyone who attacks paralyzed and open to attack.


	15. Mekgineer Thermaplugg

**Disclaimer: After s o many years…I've finally done it…I've finally…wait…wait…never mind. Naruto or World of Warcraft doesn't belong to me…yet…hHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!1!LOLOLOL!**

Here's the next chapter of: _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_!

-------------------------------------------------

"Hello, Gelbin."

Mekkatorque's eyes narrowed, and his muscles tightened involuntarily. His focused his narrow gaze on the one person whom he had seen in his nightmares for the past few years, ever since that day…

Mekgineer Sicco Thermaplugg stood watching him from his position near one of the massive golden statues that surrounded the Tinker's Court. In the years since he had last seen his former friend, he knew that he himself had changed a great deal.

It seemed that Sicco had changed as well.

The gnome's inky black hair was almost gone now; leaving only a few sparse hairs that covered his green-tinged skin. Behind his the same green goggles, his eyes were no longer the cold, calculating black that they had once been, but were now a fading grey, soon to become white as the other leprous gnomes that inhabited the lower parts of Gnomeregan. The gnome was dressed in the same black jumpsuit, but now leaned on a sleek, reddish cane with an ornate dragonhead set on the end.

Mekkatorque felt a sudden pain lance through his side, right on the place where Thermaplugg's first bullet had struck him, the first sign of his betrayal. He looked at the other gnome's knee, which bent slightly to the side, and he knew that the cane was likely for that.

Somehow, even now, he could not help but feel sorry for his friend.

Thermaplugg limped out into better view, leaning on the cane as he did. He smiled coldly, gazing up into the bright lights that light the area, high above on the ceiling of the massive room. The whole effect was strange to behold, and with the gold light basking down on the leprous gnome, it made him seem like the great statues that surrounded them, imposing and powerful.

Mekkatorque grit his teeth, the question he had been waiting to ask for so many years ready on his lips.

However, Thermaplugg spoke first.

"Don't even say it, Gelbin. You're far too predictable." The question died on Mekkatorque's lips and before he could reply, or do anything for that matter, Thermaplugg continued.

"'Why did you do it, Sicco?' Isn't that what it was?" Mekkatorque scowled, trembling with rage, but said nothing.

Because Thermaplugg had been absolutely right.

He continued, "I believe we went over this before, didn't we? I did it because it was my destiny to rule this city, and being the proverbial golden boy that you always were, stole it away from me. Have you ever had you're dreams crushed, Gelbin? No? Then you'll never understand what it felt like for me. You'll never understand really, why I did it, because you can't put yourself in my position. There is nothing more to say, in that regard. Do you wish to ask something else, before I kill you?"

Mekkatorque was clenching his fists so hard that Linkizzle could see beads of scarlet drip from them, where his nails dug deep into his palms. So Mekkatorque asked the second question that he had been wondering, all those years.

"How? How did you know of the trogg's existence? How were you able to keep them from overrunning you this entire time? How?"

Thermaplugg smiled.

"Therein is quite a tale, Gelbin. Considering you will likely use this time to formulate an over-complicated and unnecessary plan, which will likely fail, I might add, I will nonetheless humor you."

"The trogg's, as you well know from history, were once the guardian race of this world, put there by the Titans in order to watch over it. However, because of some unknown factor, they reverted into a more primitive state, becoming brutish, cruel creatures that delighted in fighting and killing simply because it was amusing. Because of that, it is said, the Titans banished them to the center of the earth, imprisoning them so that they could not harm the other races that were to be born on Azeroth. Since that time, they have been there, unchanging as time flowed, waiting for a chance to return to the upper world.

"As to how I know, well, I had a most wonderful informant. She was extremely helpful in providing with both the information in how to release the troggs that dwelled beneath the city, as well as how to keep them…controlled, as it were. Taking this advice to heart, I suggested to you that we might build another level of storage facilities, to which you agreed, as you always did.

"When I got to the depth that I had been told that the troggs inhabited, I the workers that were loyal to me, and still are, and gave the shifts to other, unassuming gnomes, ones who had no idea that there was anything beneath where they were digging.

"As you know from there, the troggs came forth and took control of the lower levels with relative ease, astounding me with their brutish strength and amazing ability to adapt. I then put forth the second part of my plan, ridding Gnomeregan of all weakness, or, those loyal to you. Being the blind and foolish moron that you are, you flushed the tanks to the radioactive waste tanks, killing thousands upon thousands of gnomes, whereas only a few hundred troggs met their ends. The rest, of course, adapted to the radiation, and thus became even stronger than before.

"My true plan though, was to rid Gnomeregan of you and your followers, Gelbin. Only two days after the tanks were flushed, you ordered the retreat from the city, just like the coward you are. You, of course, tried to make me come with you, but what resulted was you fleeing in tears, after shooting me in the knee." Thermaplugg's dull grey eyes seemed to gain back some of the former life, but instead of the calculating glint, it was a psychotic gleam that seemed to twist his face into an insane look, despite it remaining as collected and calm as before.

Thermaplugg continued,

"Afterwards, I did what I could to make this city prosper. The gnomes who remained behind, both those who were loyal to me, and those who were loyal to you, remaining only because they couldn't escape in time, I put to work on cleaning up the upper floors. I myself traveled to the lower levels, and met with the troggs' chieftain, making sure that he understood what was his, and what was mine. He was a very agreeable creature, well, mostly. I had to implant one of my control units in him, so that he wouldn't decide to get greedy and attempt to take control of the upper levels.

"The same control units I used on the gnomes that didn't swear allegiance to me, of which, I am disgusted to note, was quite a few. It seems that your followers are almost as craven as you, Gelbin." Mekkatorque flinched again at the "coward" remark, but remained silent, staring with unconcealed rage at the leprous gnome.

Thermaplugg once again smiled frostily, now more crazily, at the look that Mekkatorque was shooting him, and limped farther into the center of the room, standing just below the cocoon-like structure of the control room above. He smiled into the light again, before turning back to Mekkatorque, his smile fading.

"I hope that explains it, Gelbin. I also hope that you have put the finishing touches on whatever plan that you have created, so that we can get no with this."

Mekkatorque let his hand fall onto his sword, before speaking, his voice soft,

"Did our friendship mean that little to you, Sicco? You never once told me that you wanted this position, so how could I have known? If you had just –"

"Told you? Told you that I wanted the position? Would you have given it to me? Would you have admitted that you were not fit for the position, and that you would give it up simply for our friendship? Hah! You are a naïve, little child, Gelbin. You know as well as I that you would have done no such thing. But it doesn't matter. _I_ am now the High Tinker, and you are nothing but a pathetic, little gnome who thinks that he can make up for putting his people through so much suffering!"

Mekkatorque's eyes burned with a bright, almost insane anger and the grip on his sword was so tight that he didn't think he'd ever be able to let go.

"You are the child, Sicco! Just because you didn't get your way, you had to destroy thousands of your own kind in order to get it! You are a MONSTER!"

Thermaplugg cocked his head to the side, his smile becoming more twisted.

"Monster? Perhaps. Child? Oh, no, of course not. You never believed in destiny, Gelbin, but I knew that it was mine to become High Tinker. I knew that I would become the most powerful gnome and engineer in history. I am right, aren't I? I am the first in thousands of years to have caused the downfall of this city. It could only take someone of my intelligence and strength to bring it down, and using those same traits, bring it back, stronger than ever. With me as leader, I have no use for alliances. The Dwarves, Night Elves, Humans, all pale in comparison to the might that is Gnomeregan."

"You are insane." Thermaplugg laughed, his insanity made clearer by his high-pitched voice.

"Perhaps the radiation has gone to my head. But then again, you must be insane leading only a small group of gnomes, and one human, into this city, which is under my control, thinking that you can retake it. It is sad, however, that despite the fact that you seem to have had a temporary burst of enlightenment, choosing a plan that isn't so complicated as the ones that you tried previously, you still seem to overlook even the most obvious of details."

Mekkatorque's anger dwindled some, confusion taking its place.

"What are you talking about?" Thermaplugg chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me earlier, Gelbin, likely too wrapped up in overcomplicating your plan to defeat me. I said that the troggs long to return to the upper world, but are they in the upper world? Of course not. So while you, the 'king' of the Gnomes, are here, chatting away with me like the hero and villain in the old stories my mother used to read, while my machines are completing a tunnel in the first basement level that will lead up into the main entrance. I will open the doors, and the troggs, eager to see the light of day, will pour out into the world, rush across the fields in front, and completely obliterate the first thing that gets in the their way…your army. The troggs have only grown in numbers, while yours have steadily dwindled. They won't stand much of a chance."

Mekkatorque's anger had completely disappeared, replaced by a sickening cold spot in the middle of his stomach.

_No! This can't be…I thought…he…saw through my plan…again._

Thermaplugg, now sporting a truly psychotic grin, said,

"Honestly, Gelbin, even if you had, by some chance, taken the city, how would you rid yourself of the troggs? You weren't able to do it before, so why now?"

Mekkatorque could hardly believe it.

_He doesn't know! He doesn't know about the TrogAway! We might have a chance!_

Mekkatorque suddenly smiled, and Thermaplugg frowned slightly, wondering what his old friend was up to.

Though he was insane, he was not stupid, and having known Mekkatorque for many years, he knew almost every facet of the other gnome's personality. He knew that Mekkatorque knew something that he didn't, and that bothered him a great deal.

Mekkatorque said calmly, drawing his sword as he did,

"It seems you don't know me as well as you thought, Sicco. You too have overlooked something in my plan, one that will cost you greatly, I think. But we have finished talking, now is the time, like in the stories that _my_ mother used to read, that the hero fights the villain, and wins."

Thermaplugg looked impassively at the other gnome, then said,

"You are still a child, Gelbin. I was merely using that reference to poke fun at the fact that you listened to my entire explanation without even trying to attack me. Before this, you could have struck me down in a second. I know that since you destroyed my leg, I am unable to fight as well as I used to. You could have ended this fight, and taken your revenge, but you didn't, and now it is going to cost you. This isn't a story, Gelbin, and you're going to find out that there is no such thing as a 'hero.'"

Thermaplugg pressed the small button on the tip of his cane, and the ground beneath him exploded upwards, shooting him high into the air, as a monstrous shape erupted from the golden disc that signified the middle of the Tinker's Court.

Thermaplugg landed, wincing as he did, on the outstretched hand of a monstrous, crimson robot, larger than the previous one that they had encountered, and far more dangerous looking. The hand that held Thermaplugg was a huge metal claw, while on the other was a giant cylinder with a hole in the center, and three large, claw-like clamps surrounding the hole.

The machine was probably ten feet tall, a gleaming crimson and was far more human-like and developed. It was sleeker and less bulky than the previous versions that Mekkatorque had seen. Huge pipes on the back spat greenish fire and smoke into the air. A small red glowing sphere sat in the middle of the front of the chest plate, and instead of a single, glowing eye where the head should have been, a clear dome of glass was visible, with just enough space inside for a gnome to fit.

The machine pulled its hand back, holding it just above the small compartment, and Thermaplugg, after pressing a second button on the side of his cane, jumped into the compartment, which shut in an instant.

Mekkatorque and the others could do nothing but gape stupidly at the monstrous form of Mekgineer Thermaplugg.

From inside his Mekgineer suit, Thermaplugg's voice filled the Tinker's Court, high and cold, as he said,

"Do you like it, Gelbin? I made it myself, to make up for the fact that I cannot fight unaided anymore."

Mekkatorque felt a slight shiver of fear run through his body, as he faced the gigantic robot that he was going to have to fight. He steeled himself, however, for he knew that if he lost, then so would his people.

The fate of the Gnomish race would be decided in the next few minutes.

------------------------------------------------

"Ho ho ho! He's a persistent little brat! How is he going to fight me, if he cannot touch me? Hu hu hu!"

Naruto bared his teeth in a snarl of frustration as he picked himself up from the ground, smoke rising from his body, pain shooting through almost every nerve in his upper body, a reminder of the many burns that he now sported.

The blonde stared at the spiderbot-riding gnome, his anger growing as he saw the shit-eating grin and hearing the twisted insane laughs that dotted the leprous gnome's speech. His body was healing, but it wasn't fast enough to recover fully between each attack, and the he had yet to get a hit. After his initial failure, he had hurtled several kunai, but the machine simply dodged them, using the eight powerful, jointed legs to propel it out of the way.

Naruto cast a look at the group of still trapper leprous gnomes, his Kage Bunshins keeping the crowd together. Strangely none attacked, despite the order that Terko had given them.

Terko suddenly lunged forwards, almost catching Naruto off guard. The blonde created three clones as the Electrocutioner rushed forwards, which blocked the path it was taking to attack him. Crying out an insane war cry, the Tekgineer's spiderbot thrust its two front legs forward, impaling two of the three clones, while it hit the third with its main body, knocking it backwards. Naruto had by this time gotten out of the way, and seeing a chance, threw some shuriken at the spiderbot, which had by now skidded to a halt. Seconds before they struck their intended target, the spiderbot crouched and leapt in the air, avoiding the shuriken, and to Naruto's left, it's rider still laughing insanely.

"He he he! He still tries to get the drop on Terko! What a complete idiot he is! He can't even hit me! But I think that it is time to kill him, and help out the High Tinky Winky in exterminating his other foes! Hai hai hai!"

The Electrocutioner 6000 leaned forwards, and the two "mandibles" on the front began to glow even brighter. Blue sparks crackled around them and the leprous gnome that was controlling it cried out, "**Electrocution Spear!"**

The tips of the mandibles suddenly flashed, and twin bolts of lightning streaked across the room, faster than Naruto could react, and struck him in the midsection. The electricity shot through his body causing his muscles to tense and his body to freeze. Pain erupted in every direction, and seemed to grow exponentially as time passed. Naruto cried out in agony, before the electric current died away, and Naruto slumped to the ground, unmoving.

Terko gave a twisted giggle, saying to himself,

"Hyuck hyuck hyuck! He doesn't know what he got himself into! Better go finish him off! Har har h-"

"Shut up."

The Electrocutioner froze.

Naruto stood up, shakily, his limbs giving off spasms every few seconds. He stood hunched when he finally made it to his feet, and he through involuntarily gritted teeth he said,

"You know… this is about the time…when I usually spout some moral crap that pisses you off, or makes you laugh, and then we fight again. But…I am so…freakin' _pissed_…at that laugh of yours…that I'm gonna just save that badass shit for later, okay?"

Terko blinked, and even his messed up mind seemed to pause slightly, before he uttered the first word that wasn't between two fictional laughing sounds,

"Huh?"

Naruto summoned two clones, which charged forwards the second they were born into the world, Naruto following a little behind. The startled gnome didn't do anything, knowing the attack would fail, but also trying to comprehend the boy's previous statement.

The two clones slashed their cloned swords at the spiderbot, before both received huge electric shocks from the barrier surrounding the Electrocutioner. As they disappeared in twin bursts of smoke, which obscured the Tekgineer's vision, two kunai flew out of the smoke, striking the middle of the Electrocutioner, puncturing the metal easily as they were buried deep into the metal plating.

Terko jerked backwards in shock, leaping away from the still clearing smoke, back near the ledge that led down to the first floor of the Launch Bay.

When the smoke had vanished completely, Naruto stood unmoving, his blue eyes glaring hard at the Electrocutioner 6000. He made no more moves to attack, simply standing and watching.

Terko grinned insanely again, before a soft sound filled his ears. The crackling of burning paper, and a slight hissing sound that one might hear if the fuse of a bomb was lit.

Bomb.

Uzumaki Naruto said in a perfectly audible voice,

"**Ninpo: Naruto Ansatsu Bakudan (Assassination Bomb)**

Terko was able to utter a final laugh before the two explosive notes that Naruto had attached to the kunai he had previously thrown detonated. The Electrocutioner was completely engulfed by a tremendous fireball that utterly obliterated everything within. The machine was torn apart, flinging debris in every direction, and Terko Electrocut was completely wiped from the face of the earth.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief, saying to himself,

"Geez, that guy made me skip out on the badass stuff…and I had a really great speech too!"

He turned to leave, absentmindedly dispelling all his clones, before looking up.

The crowd of leprous gnomes stood in front of him, barring his path, a sea of green skin and blank faces.

"Get out of my way." Naruto said, his voice raising not a decibel.

The gnomes remained unmoving.

"You guys…are you so weak…that you let yourself be controlled by that freak? If you're that weak…then you don't deserve to be called gnomes, because if old man Mekkatorque is your king, then you shouldn't be that weak. Get out of my way, or I won't hesitate to beat the hell out of all you guys, so that I can get through and teach that old bastard that you can't always fight alone."

The gnomes stood for a few more seconds, completely still.

Then they slowly parted, creating a path for Naruto to go through.

He grinned.

"Thanks!" With that, he hurried off towards the door that the other gnomes had left through, unaware of the gnomes stares as their eyes followed him all the way through the door.

----------------------------------------------------------

Mekkatorque took a few steps away from the gargantuan robot, his mind racing. Though he hadn't come up with a suitable plan while Sicco had been talking, the one that he had been thinking of had been shot to hell by the emergence of the body armor. Linkizzle, Rurizzle and Renikle remained frozen in their positions for a few seconds, but soon began to move as the body armor became mobile.

Thermaplugg shot forward suddenly, moving faster than Mekkatorque could believe of something of that size, and swiped at Mekkatorque with his huge clawed arm. The King of the Gnomes dodged the attack, which buried itself into the floor, causing the ground to reverberate, unsteadying the gnomes. Mekkatorque dodged a second attack from the behemoth, as he readied a counter, forming seals as he did.

"**Energy Beam!"** a flash of bluish light shot from his sword, and was promptly deflected by the heavy armor plating of Thermaplugg's mount. Thermaplugg then moved in swiftly, hammering his huge clawed left hand into the floor once more, this time purposely, throwing the other gnomes of balance once more.

Thermaplugg then rushed and thrust the claw forward, ready to impale the Gnome King, but Mekkatorque expertly grabbed one of the claws, flipping over the danger and landing on the body suit's forearm. He rushed up the side, taking several bombs from his satchel, and tossing them at the "head." They bounced off at first, but when they had fallen to about mid-chest level, they exploded, causing the later ones that hadn't fallen so far to explode.

Mekkatorque leapt off the arm, propelled by the blasts, and landed a few feet away.

Thermaplugg's suit was engulfed in at first fiery red smoke, which drifted off to a charcoal black, obscuring the main section of the body. The suit remained motionless, but Mekkatorque knew that Thermaplugg wouldn't have built a machine that couldn't take a few gnomish bombs.

And he was correct.

From beneath the veil of smoke, Thermaplugg's voice, slightly distorted by the speaker, cried out,

"**You wish to play with bombs, Gelbin? Then we can do so, but you should realize that you are far outclassed when it comes to designing weapons!"**

The sounds of gears turning and machinery coming to life suddenly filled the air, and Mekkatorque got a slight cold feeling in his stomach, which he desperately tried to crush down. As the sounds grew louder, Mekkatorque suddenly caught movement above. The mouths of the great statues that encircled the Tinker's Court suddenly began to move, at first shaking slightly, before one of them, to Mekkatorque's right, opened completely.

A small dark object fell from the open mouth, which closed quickly, and a beeping sound reached the gnomes' ears.

At the foot of the statue, a small, perfectly spherical, black object stood. Two small metal, "feet" protruded from the bottom, holding it upright, and blinking red lights had been horizontally along the circumference of the object. Occasionally, it would emit a high-pitched beep, and it began to move forwards, steadily increasing in speed as it neared the group.

The beeping sound grew louder and more rapid as well, and Mekkatorque roared to the others,

"GET OUT OF THE WAY! IT'S A BOMB!"

Linkizzle, Rurizzle and Renikle bolted, but the bomb was no sprinting towards them, never veering from its path as it closed in on the gnomes.

Hissing in anger he grabbed a bomb from his satchel, activated it, and threw it at the running bomb.

It hit the ground a little in front of the running bomb, and seconds later exploded, causing the running bomb to explode as well.

In a colossal flash of light, Linkizzle and Rurizzle were thrown forwards, and Renikle, who had run in a different direction, was thrown near the base of the one of the other statues.

Mekkatorque scowled, whipping around to meet the creator of the bomb, only to have the huge mech bearing down on him. He avoided a strike from the claw, and began some half-seals, but as he did, Thermaplugg thrust his right arm forwards, the cylinder with the three prongs surrounding it. A fiery glow appeared in the center, growing quickly brighter as Thermaplugg's voice shouted,

"**Fire Beam!"** Mekkatorque could barely conceal his surprise as the attack exploded from the arm. He narrowly avoided it, so narrowly that he could feel the hairs on the top of his head burn away from the heat.

Mekkatorque moved away from the mech, but Thermaplugg pressed forward, another glow beginning to appear in hole on his arm, this time a blue. Thermaplugg slammed the arm into the ground bellowing,

"**Electrostatic Blazer!**" An impulse of bluish energy erupted into the ground, creating a huge shockwave of electricity that covered nearly the entire room. Mekkatorque countered the attack in the same way he had done before, driving his sword and molding his chakra into the ground. It took vastly more than he would have expected, but the suit must have enhanced the power of his attacks a great deal, because stopping the surge took a huge chunk away from the gnome's reserves.

He stood to his feet, shaking, but was unable to do anything else when a huge explosion rocked the Tinker's Court.

Earlier, when the first walking bomb had exploded, Renikle had landed near the feet of one of the large golden statues.

Groaning, he right himself, only to here the sound of metal striking metal as a small black object hit the ground in front of him. A beeping cut through the ringing in his ears, and he suddenly realized that he was in a huge amount of danger.

The tremendous explosion vaporize him seconds after he realized that, as it sensed a life form within a certain distance of its body.

Rurizzle covered his head with his hands as the bomb exploded, killing Renikle and stopping the battle between the two ex-friends temporarily. Linkizzle sat by him, in the same position.

From where he was standing, Thermaplugg couldn't help but snicker at the unfortunate gnome's death.

"**And stay dead!**"

_Thunk!_

Rurizzle's head snapped up at the sound, which he had felt more than heard in the din of the previous explosion. Another bomb had landed no more than two yards in front of him, at the foot of another statue, and grabbing his brother, he bolted away from the bomb, which began moving in their direction almost immediately, gradually increasing its speed as it went.

Linkizzle, having recovered from the initial shock, was now running on his own, and lifting a dagger from it's sheath, he twisted his torso, throwing the dagger at the running bomb, which was growing ever closer. It struck near the top of the bomb, knocking it backwards. It exploded not a second later, once again filling the room with a brilliant flash of light and a huge roar of fire. The two brothers were blasted forwards, tumbling along the floor next to another statue.

_Thunk!_

Gasping for breath, Linkizzle could only watch in horror as yet another walking bomb dropped from the mouth of the statue, beeping as it struck the floor, the red lights beginning to blink.

Mekkatorque watched the proceedings out of the corner of his eye, and suddenly an idea came to him.

"Run towards me!"

The two brothers didn't hesitate for a second in obeying their king, rushing towards the dueling gnomes as fast as their little legs could carry them.

Thermaplugg laughed.

"**You're naivety is showing, Gelbin! I can remote control those bombs, meaning I can deactivate and reactivate them at will! I don't even have to press a button! The suit is connected to my spinal cord, and moves to my wishes, like my body should!"**

The two brothers didn't stop, nor did Mekkatorque tell them to. The bomb was closing in on them, and Thermaplugg was moving towards Mekkatorque, preparing another attack, as its right arm was beginning to glow, this time a blue-white.

As the brothers rushed past their king, Mekkatorque withdrew a small cube from his satchel, and saying a silent prayer, and held the cube out towards the bomb.

The bomb stopped dead, the blinking lights on its chest almost solid from such rapid blinking, and the beeping reached a crescendo. Almost as the bomb detonated, Mekkatorque pressed a button built into one of the cube's faces, and the entire cube opened, emitting a glowing blue light. The fire from the explosion was almost immediately sucked into the glowing light, as were the remnants of the bomb that had only partially exploded.

The second the fire had vanished, Mekkatorque released the button and the cube closed, the light vanishing.

The Court was silent.

Thermaplugg was, for once, stunned. He had never expected Mekkatorque to create something like that!

Turning towards Thermaplugg, Mekkatorque pressed a different button on the cube and then threw it. It hit the ground a foot or so in front of Thermaplugg, who suddenly had a very strong urge to flee.

He didn't get the chance.

The cube opened, and still exploding bomb erupted forth, blasting the huge mech apart from below.

Thermaplugg disappeared in a huge flash of light, and Mekkatorque was blasted backwards by the force, landing a few yards away, breathless, as he watched the effects of the explosion.

As the smoke began to clear, and the fire died away slightly, Mekkatorque got a glimpse of Thermaplugg's mech. It lay against one of the statues, its arms and legs both at separate ends of the room. What remained was a large portion of the main body, though all of it ruined scorched by fire. The clear glass casing that surrounded Thermaplugg was cracked, though Thermaplugg himself was quite alive and awake.

**EXPLOSIONS! MORE EXPLOSIONS! I GOTTA HAVE MORE EXPLOSIONS!"**

Thermaplugg's crazed, high-pitched voice rang through the air, as he reveled in the destruction, even if it was his own mech.

Mekkatorque suddenly realized how far gone his friend was. Thermaplugg, grinning insanely, asked,

"**What was that?"**

Mekkatorque smiled slightly.

"My greatest invention, Sicco. The cube contains a pocket dimension, one that I took many years to create and develop, so that it can hold almost a limitless amount of energy and matter. There is no such thing as time within the dimension, so everything that goes in will come out exactly the same. Interesting, yes? This is why I became High Tinker, Sicco, because I am not as stupid as you seem to think."

Thermaplugg began to laugh psychotically, and once again a chill ran down Mekkatorque's spine.

The usurping gnome smiled insanely, the fire that was reflected in his goggles giving him an even more crazed look.

"**Admirable, Gelbin. But I never underestimated your talent as an inventor. You are smart, in some respects, but in many others, you are as moronic as a trogg."**

The glowing, pulsing red light in the middle of the chest piece on Thermaplugg's mech began to glow blue suddenly, and Mekkatorque had a horrible realization.

_The magnetic repairing!_

Almost immediately, the parts of the mech that had been blasted clear began moving at a rapid rate back towards it. What remained of its left leg reconnected to the socket, but it was slowly repaired, the glowing blue light intermittently changing back to red. The metal that had been distorted or broken into smaller pieces glowed white hot, and then automatically grafted themselves onto the limbs.

Within mere seconds, Thermaplugg had regained use of its legs, and the arms, which were more intact, were nearly repaired seconds later.

Mekkatorque took a few steps back, shocked at the spectacle.

"**I built into this machine an enhanced version of the auto-repair. The core is part magic, part science, and uses aspects of both in order to repair my body with ease. I feel no pain, no anything, and I can recover as many times as I want."**

Raising his right hand, Thermaplugg pointed the same bright blue-white glow at Mekkatorque, shouting,

"**Gnomefire Bomb!"** From the tip, a huge sphere of blue and white light erupted, shooting across the room, straight at Mekkatorque. Regaining his wits, the gnome leapt back, avoiding the blast as it struck the ground where he had just been. It didn't explode, but it burst apart, almost like a balloon filled with water, and began to eat away at the metal, spreading rapidly as it did. Mekkatorque backed away quickly, before focusing his attention back on Thermaplugg.

Thermaplugg moved quick, charging across the room towards Mekkatorque, huge feet creating dents in the metal, greenish smoke billowing from the pipes on the mech's back. He leapt, not high, but easily made it over the hole that his previous attack had created, slamming its claw down at Mekkatorque.

The gnome was able to avoid the first blow, but lightning fast, the right hand came across, smashing into the gnome with enough force to shatter stone. Mekkatorque flew backwards, slamming hard into a column near the entrance. If he hadn't absorbed a large amount of the blow using a thin layer of chakra over his skin, and enhancing his bones, he wouldn't have survived.

As it stood, he could barely move, and was helpless as Thermaplugg marched up to him, claw hand extended, ready to deliver the final blow.

Linkizzle and Rurizzle, nearly halfway across the room from having watched the scene unfold, found their wits and rushed towards their king, praying they would make it.

_Shing!_

Linkizzle stopped startled by the sound, as it wasn't the sound of metal hitting flesh.

It was the sound of metal hitting metal.

Rurizzle stared at the scene, a familiar elation rising in him as he saw what had happened.

Mekkatorque stood stock still, staring in amazement at the sight.

Thermaplugg was still trying to work out what had just happened.

Naruto, however…

"Geez, you leave you old geezers alone for what, ten minutes? You're already breaking out the giant robots."

The blonde pulled back, letting Thermaplugg's left arm fall to the ground as he pulled his sword through the rest of the arm. He held the gleaming kodachi out in front, smirking as he looked up into the leprous gnome's goggle-covered, insane eyes.

Thermaplugg sniffed,

"**You're the human, aren't you? Terko failed, then, hmmm? Well, it doesn't matter…get out of my way, boy, this is my chance! I will rid myself of this pointless little thorn in my side! LET ME THROUGH!"**

Naruto scowled, bringing the kodachi up, and said,

"I don't listen to anyone, you crazy bastard, so why would I listen to you?" Thermaplugg let out a feral growl, his anger rising. It seemed that the more excited the gnome got, he less rational he thought.

From behind the blonde, Mekkatorque stared dumbly at the boy's back, utterly baffled.

_He still fights…he's covered in burns, and clearly didn't have an easy time with Terko…and yet even now he fights for me…why?_

He spoke up, "Boy…get out of the way…this is between me and him…now at least…"

Naruto snorted, not even looking back at the gnome.

"I thought I told you, old man…this isn't your fight, I'm fighting because I want to get revenge on the guy who split up Furnizzle's family, and who helped kill a bunch of his own people, and enslave the rest." He finally did look back at Mekkatorque, and the gnome could see a great fire burning in the boy's eyes, like miniature suns at their zenith.

"Besides…you aren't the only one…who's been betrayed…by his best friend…"

And suddenly it all made sense.

The boy was doing this because he had felt the same thing Mekkatorque had. He was doing it to show the gnome that…_you don't need to fight alone._

Thermaplugg was still simmering as Naruto finished his statement, his arm repaired, and growing both impatient and annoyed, he snarled,

"**Then I'll kill you first, human!"**

Naruto jumped over the first strike, allowing Mekkatorque to move away as well. Thermaplugg turned to engage the blonde once more, his right arm beginning to glow with a strange, grayish light as he bellowed,

"**MekMissile!"** The missile shot towards the blonde, who avoided it easily, rushing forwards to get in an attack. Thermaplugg, however, had already prepared a second attack, slamming his right arm into the ground, bellowing,

"**Shock Pulse!"** The wave of energy ripped the floor apart around the gnome as it expanded outwards, slamming hard into the shinobi. Naruto shot across the Court, slamming hard into one of the statues.

Linkizzle bellowed,

"Watch out for the bombs, Naruto!"

Naruto blinked; looking around, then up as a sound caught his attention above. The statue's mouth began to open, but seeing this, Naruto summoned a clone, which appeared right in front of the hole, catching the falling bomb as it dropped from the compartment. The clone leapt away from the statue, as did Naruto below, not wanting to draw the attention of another bomb. In mid-air, the bomb detonated, dispelling the clone and filling the room with light. Naruto clutched his ears in pain; glad he had taken off the earring earlier.

Thermaplugg let out a frustrated growl, lumbering towards the blonde, raising his claw to deliver another strike.

But Naruto was prepared. Gathering a huge amount of his remaining chakra, he pooled it into one seal, shouting, "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!**"

The room was suddenly filled almost to the brim with Naruto clones, and Thermaplugg stopped mid-stride, staring around him in shock. The crazed gnome had never seen such a technique, and seeing the huge number of blonde humans was overwhelming.

The Naruto clones drew their swords as one, and the original spoke softly, so much so that it was almost impossible to hear him.

"This ends now…I won't let you hurt anybody else…"

Then, they spoke as one, their shout so loud that even down on the first floor, Quidneer swore he heard Naruto's voice…

"**NINPO: HAYASHI NO TOUKEN (Forest of blades)!" **

As one, the clones shot towards the stunned Thermaplugg, who looked in almost every direction, trying to find the original. He smacked three approaching clones out of the air, but more converged, their blades slicing into the body of his mech. But they moved past, allowing more to get in, each striking a different point, slicing through metal with little resistance.

In seconds, they had shredded the seemingly invincible armor into hundreds of pieces, leaving only a portion of the main body intact.

Mekkatorque suddenly rushed forwards, unable to stop his feet, weaving deftly through dozens of Naruto clones. He reached the torso, and with a cry, slammed his sword through the glowing core of the machine, leaping away to safety seconds after he did so.

The core destroyed, the armor itself was unable to function, despite having Thermaplugg still connected to it. In a tremendous flash, the rest of the armor exploded, ejecting Mekgineer Thermaplugg from his seat. He sailed through the air, twisting once, twice, thrice, before landing with a crash on his back, in the center of the room, near the hole from where he originally came through, one of the sharp edges from where his own mech had ripped through the floor impaling him through the chest.

Clones were flung back by the explosion, disappearing in puffs of smoke as they did.

The original landed near Linkizzle and Rurizzle, on his back, gasping. The two gnomes rushed to his aid, but stopped when they saw where he was looking.

Mekkatorque stood in front of his old friend's unmoving body. The flames danced in his goggles, concealing what his eyes were depicting. Thermaplugg stirred slightly, and he opened one graying eye behind the bright green goggles. He managed to croak out a few words before the blood completely filled his lungs.

"My…destiny…my…dream…why…did…you…steal…it…from…me…?"

Mekkatorque didn't answer, his own gray eyes never wavering from Thermaplugg's body.

Mekgineer Thermaplugg gave a final rasp, before he passed from this world for good.

Mekkatorque fell to his knees, tears forming pools in each of his goggle lenses.

He had done it.

He had taken back what was his…no…what was his people's.

No…_they_ all of them…every gnome who had died in every foolhardy attempt to retake the city, every gnome who had rushed to their death, simply because he had asked them to. It was them. They had done it.

And so had the boy.

The boy had been the most essential part…whether he like to admit it or not. The boy…Naruto…had helped them achieve what they had been trying to do for years.

It was because of him.

"Boy…come here for a second…will you?"

Naruto, who was sitting cross-legged at the same spot he had landed, got to his feet, a little confused. He managed to hobble over, still slightly unsteady from the explosion.

When he stood directly behind the gnome, Mekkatorque turned, lifting off his goggles as he did.

He then handed them to Naruto, who stood stalk still, startled by the offer. From behind him, he heard to soft gasps from the Rizzle Brothers.

_That…is the greatest honor the High Tinker can give a person…he is acknowledging that they are equals…amazing… _Thought Linkizzle, gazing in awe.

Mekkatorque spoke,

"Thank you…Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto looked down at the gnome for a second, then, he lifted the goggles from the gnome's hands, slipping them over the top of his head, so that they came to rest where his forehead protector usually did.

He grinned back.

"No problem, old man."

Naruto then looked down at Thermaplugg, feeling no pity, but he could not help but think to himself,

_It won't be like this…Sasuke. I'm going to bring you out of the darkness…_

_------------------------------------------------------- _

Days later, King Magni Bronzebeard smiled as a gnomish messenger finishes reciting a message from High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque that the gnomes have agreed to enter the new Alliance, and were requesting help to rebuild and clean up their city.

_I knew that it would be you…boy. You will be a legend, I am sure._

_--------------------------------------------------- _

Ahh, the final chapter to the Gnomeregan arc!

I found it fun to write, but I have also noticed that I am not the most verbose person in the world, having to refer to the Thesaurus often in order to find words that are fresh and new. I have also noticed that I repeat things a lot…I'll try to improve in the future.

The fight against the Electrocutioner…I kind of got bored with it, so I made Terko so annoying that not even Naruto wants to fight him, instead just taking him out in one fell swoop.

I just heard about the new expansion pack, and I am psyched! I already planned for a trip to Outland, so now it will be more in canon with the World of Warcraft universe!

Reviewer answers:

**The Forgotten Lord –** I just included the little argument for fun really. And chakras are actually points on the body that are particularly influential places, like the forehead, that chi congregates around (I think). As for what server, I am Burning Blade, with a 39 Undead Rogue named Myrdraxxis.

**Slimeman-** Yes Naruto does have a few, but he isn't skilled enough to use them without water around. As I understand it, only people like Hokage can create water out of their own bodies. The Link Clone would be effective, but it takes a lot of chakra and time to use in battle, so it isn't that effective unless it is created before.

**The DragonBard-** Well, I think that the clones can talk well because they are near Naruto, and basing their actions of his mannerisms. At a longer distance, it might be slightly harder for them to communicate, since they are just sacks of chakra. The Link clone is the same way, only it learns and adapts, eventually becoming as smart as the orignal, after prolongued exposure. And the Link clone can do jutsu on its own as well, but it is more effective when Naruto is manipulating it.

**A very curious person-** I thought that the High Elves and Blood elves were the same…The Blood elves being the High Elves after Arthas destroyed their city.

**PersonaJXT-** Nah, he can't if he dies, his mind dies, so it can't be possessing the clone. Naruto doesn't actually enter the clone, he merely extends his conciousness through the link into it. The same goes for the Kyuubi.

Well, if that's all, I'm heading to bed!

General Grievous

_Next, we see what has been happening to Kira, and Naruto begins the next leg of his journey._

**Armory:**

**Containment Cube- **A cube that contains a miniature dimension that can hold an infinite amount of matter or energy in where time has no meaning.

**High Tinker's Goggles- **Given to Naruto by Mekkatorque, signifying that they are equals.

**Spellbook:**

**Electrocution Spear- **Used by The Electrocutioner 6000, emits a pulse of electricity which travels through the air and strikes anyone directly in its path. Very quick and dangerous.

**Naruto Ansatsu Bakudan-** Naruto creates two or more clones, then sends them to attack his opponents, then dispels them (or lets them get dispelled) and while the smoke obscures their vision, he throws two explosive kunai (or regular, resulting in the Naruto Ansatsu proper) which kill or maim his unsuspecting opponent.

**Energy Beam** – 'Nuff said.

**Electrostatic Blazer-** Emits a pulse of electricity through the ground (only works on metal surfaces) which damages anything it touches.

**Ninpo: Hayashi no Touken**- Naruto creates hundreds of clones, which attack en masse and scythe his opponent apart.

**Gnomefire Bomb**- Emits a huge blast of energy that spreads like a liquid, destroying anything that it touches.

**MekMissile-** Fires missile that explodes on contact.

**Bestiary-**

**Walking Bomb (Mechanical)- **A bomb that walks, immensely powerful, can be remotely detonated.

**Mekgineer Thermaplugg** **(Mechanical/Humanoid) (Elite)**- The betrayer of the gnomes, and one of the smartest gnomes in history, Mekgineer Thermaplugg went insane, both because he lost the title he believed he deserved to Mekkatorque, and because of the radiation seeping into his brain. Because of his ruined leg, he has built a powerful mech that enhances his speed, size, strength and magical ability. He can regenerate much quicker, and can produce attacks twice as strong as any other gnome's. Brutally insane, he also controls the walking bombs that drop into the arena in which he fights.


	16. The Council of Stormwind

**Disclaimer: One time I did own Naruto and World of Warcraft…those were good times…but now…_they_ own them…_they_ are always watching me…_they_ want to hurt me…_they_ are everywhere…_they _are…(clichéd gurgling sound then abrupt silence)**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_!

* * *

"It is beautiful today, isn't it my lady?" Kylia declared, staring up at the gorgeous blue sky, the sun reflecting off her shiny black hair. She reveled in the warm feeling the sun brought on her skin.

Beside her, Kira smiled at her best friend and hand-maiden, nodding yes to the question, and following Kylia's gaze up into the endless sky above. The two girls were sitting in the castle gardens, blowing off Kira's first free time in almost a week. It had been almost two since her father had declared the alliance with the Scarlet Crusade, and since Benedictus had begun pushing extra hard during their sessions. Simply put, she was worried and weary, and was very glad to have some time off.

It wasn't much off, though. She'd return to training that evening, after Benedictus got back from sorting out a few matters that had come up in the Cathedral. The old man hadn't told her what, but she had a feeling he would soon.

She continued to gaze up at the sky, almost losing herself in its vast blueness. It took most of her willpower not to consider just staying in that state forever, abandoning all worry and pain and any burden that she held. It was so tempting, she decided, to just not care. But she didn't even want to think about such a thing. It was a saying that Benedictus had said to her once.

"_Once you partake of forbidden fruit…it will be impossible to resist it again."_

Apathy was a forbidden fruit for her, it seemed.

Sighing a little, she slumped to the ground, ignoring Kylia's squawk of disapproval. She was wearing a white dress, made of silk, as her father didn't believe it was proper for a princess to wear anything less than the finest. She wore it to please him, mostly, as it was difficult to put on and got dirty easily. During training, she always wore the robes that novice's wore, wool dyed brown with a hood sewn on.

"I'm hungry." She exclaimed suddenly, startling the other girl as she did. Kylia got up, blushing a little, then asked,

"What can I get you, my lady?" Kira sighed again, wondering when her friend would drop the "my lady" and start calling her by her proper name. She shook her head, before standing up.

"Nothing in the castle, let's go get something in the town, I haven't eaten there for ages!" Kylia looked a bit frightened, and hastened to suggest an alternative,

" My lady…it could be dangerous for you…surely we can't just…sneak into the kitchens as we normally do?" Kira shook her head, smiling cheerfully.

"I never thought I'd hear you say that, Ky'. But no, as much as I like Master Chef Fredrick's food, I'm in need of something more…I don't know, common. I'm sure we could find something we'd both like, and I'm not defenseless, so we don't have to worry."

Kylia looked undecided a moment longer, trying to find a way to convince the other girl to just stay in the castle. Kylia knew what it was like outside the walls, whereas Kira had only experienced what little of the city that she'd been escorted through during her youth. Before becoming Kira's handmaiden, she had lived with her father and mother, in a small, dingy house in the slums near the Dwarven sector. Her father had been and abusive drunk, and her mother a neglectful witch. When she was five, she and her mother had returned home to find her father dead on the ground, in a pool of his own vomit, indicating that he'd most likely died of alcohol poisoning. Horrified by the sight of her dead husband, Kylia's mother had slit her own wrists, crying over the dead man, while Kylia watched in shock. The entire time, she hadn't even looked at the poor girl, ignoring her until the very end.

Afterwards, Kylia had wandered a little through the streets, hungry and vulnerable, until she'd ended up near the castle walls. She'd been found there by Kira's mother, who'd been searching the ground near the walls for different types of natural herbs and plants that grew there. The woman brought her in, healed her and fed her, then made her a servant, providing her with a home and the knowledge that at least someone in the world cared about her. She met Kira there, who was almost four at the time, and they'd become fast friends, and so Kira's mother had made her Kira's personal handmaiden.

She died not three days later on her way to the north, ambushed by Scourge on the road that led to a small town that needed her assistance.

From that day on, Kylia had not only become Kira's friend, but her sister, almost. Kira's mother had entrusted her with Kira's safety and needs, and she'd honor that to her dying day.

And Kira loved her for it.

Finally deciding that she would never be able to convince Kira otherwise, she said,

"I suppose we could…if we hurry back, you wouldn't want to be late to your lesson, would you?" Kira grinned at the other girl, hugging her lightly. She then turned and hurried through the gardens towards the entrance into the castle atrium.

* * *

"It's been so long since I've been out like this! It's great, isn't it?" gushed Kira as the two girls weaved their way through the thicket of people that crowded the streets of Stormwind. Kylia nodded slightly, keeping most of her attention on her surroundings. Being as clumsy as she was, she didn't want to risk tripping and falling into someone who wouldn't be as forgiving as the people who frequented the castle.

They walked across the bridge that had been constructed over the river that ran through town, pausing once so Kira could get a good look at the water. She grinned at her reflection, distorted by the constantly moving water, and said calmly,

"I haven't been out here for ages! I can't believe how much I've missed it!" Kylia smiled a little at her friend's enthusiasm, standing patiently by her side as she watched the water rush by. Kira then turned and they hurried across the remainder of the bridge into the main square.

Kira didn't know why she hadn't done this before. While her father hadn't exactly forbidden her from going into the town, he had taught her enough about it to make sure that she wouldn't want to. But in the years that she had begun training with Benedictus, her confidence had grown, and with it her desire to see the rest of the city. Up until now, she hadn't had much time, or will, in order to venture out. Between her lessons with Benedictus, and the lack of energy she had after those lessons, as well as the knowledge of her father's obvious disapproval, she had never been really willing. She new the castle grounds by heart, and had poured over maps of the city, but had very little experience in actually seeing the city.

The Main Square of Stormwind city was amazing in almost every way. The same white stone that made up most of the castle made up the cobbled street, though it was dirtied by the constant coming and going of travelers. It was circular, and surrounding the circle were dozens of shops and restaurants, the owners of which stood outside, calling to people and showing them what they sold or what the day's specials were. In the center, a massive, also circular, fountain existed; a large statue of the former King of Stormwind, sword raised, had been placed on a square pedestal in the middle of the fountain, water shooting out from all sides.

They wandered the beautiful square for a while, with Kira peering in shop windows, talking to vendors about their various products, and simply enjoying the day. Kylia was happy as well, because to her, Kira looked happier than she had in a long while. With the knowledge of the war that plagued the people outside the walls of the city, and the rifts that were ever growing between the races of the world; more recently the knowledge that her father may have fallen prey to a wicked woman, and entered an alliance that was sure to bring disaster, it was amazing that Kira remembered how to have fun, and simply enjoy herself.

After peering around a bit, they left the square, in search of a tasty, cheap meal for them both to enjoy.

They walked around the outer section, peering at menus and speaking with waiters on what they recommended. Or rather, Kira did that, while Kylia stood in the back, hoping that no one would be offended by her mistress's forwardness.

Kira wasn't impressed by most of the restaurants, having tried most of the dishes they offered back in the castle; she wanted to try something new.

They finally found a good place offering something that Kira had not tried, "Stormwind Noodles".

"But my lady…haven't you had these at the castle as well?" Kylia asked quietly, looking nervously at the faded sign and worn appearance of the entire building.

"Yes, but they are always with something else, never just by themselves, so this might be kind of nice!" She walked in, and almost as soon as she did, was greeted cheerfully by a pretty brown-haired girl, who seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Hello! Welcome to our shop! Can I get you anything to drink? Eat?" Kira was a bit startled by the girl's over-enthusiastic greeting, but smiled slightly and nodded.

"Umm…yes, we are here to try some of your noodles! Could we see a menu?" The girl smiled brightly and nodded.

"Of course! Take any seat you like!" They did so, and Kira browsed the menu, before nodding and deciding what she wanted. Kylia took a bit longer, trying to decide if she should get the fish or the chicken. She finally settled on fish, and placed her order along with Kira. The girl disappeared through a door behind where they were sitting, then returned, carrying two glasses of milk, and set them down before the girls.

"It should be ready in a minute!" Kira smiled at the girl.

"Thanks! My name's Kir-…um Kitara! This is Kylia, my best friend. It's nice to meet you." The girl returned the smile, holding her tray against her chest as she did.

"It's nice to meet you both as well! My name is Eliza, and I can't tell you how grateful that you decided to come." Kira blinked.

"Why's that?" Eliza looked down at this, sighing as she did.

"We haven't had much business lately. A side from a few regulars, we haven't gotten the service we used to, and we may not have enough money to pay the bills." Kira looked sympathetic, asking,

"Is there any reason for that? I mean, did you get lots of business before?" Eliza nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh yes! According to my father, when he just started, people flocked here! He said that lately, people haven't come because they are too focused on their own affairs. I think that other restaurants have experienced this as well, most likely due to the constantly decreasing number of travelers. That was our main source of income, you see. If you live in Stormwind, noodles are very common in the dishes that are served here, so why come to a small shop like this if they can get better noodles somewhere else? Our target customers were the travelers that came to the city, wishing to eat something simple and cheap. Since it is very dangerous for travelers to be out nowadays, we have gotten less and less customers. The last out of town person that came was several weeks ago. He was a nice blonde boy who came from some place called Konoha…but it seems that he has left the city, because he hasn't returned."

Kira blinked at the description, a little shocked that Naruto himself had eaten here of all places.

Small world… 

"That's terrible. Are you in danger of going out of business?" Eliza thought a moment, and then shook her head.

"I don't believe so. My father says things will pick up soon, and since I find it easier to look on the brighter side of things, I tend to agree." They shared another smile, before a booming voice came from the door that Eliza had gone through earlier.

"Order up! One Prawn and One Fish! On the house!" Kira spluttered at the announcement as Eliza entered the kitchen, returning seconds later with two steaming bowls of noodles.

"We can't take this for free! It wouldn't be right!" The other girl laughed a little.

"It would be improper not to give our Princess a free meal, to insure that she returns." Kira gaped again, and even Kylia looked at the girl in surprise.

"How did you…?" Eliza giggled.

"You carry yourself much differently than most I have seen, your highness. And that dress and pendant are very expensive looking, far more so than any that usually comes in. On top of that, it is known that the princess has golden hair and violet eyes. Since such traits are very rare, I simply guessed." Kira spluttered more, causing Eliza to laugh a little.

"Do not worry, I won't tell!" Kira could not help but giggle at Eliza's cheerful demeanor, and began to eat her noodles in earnest.

She had made another friend.

* * *

They returned to the castle later, both having downed three bowls of noodles, and grinning broadly at the pleasant conversation that they had had with the young waitress. After finishing their meal, they had walked back through the Main Square, and snuck past the guards again, as they had on their way out. It took but a simple illusion for them to not pay them any mind, and Kira was glad for the help her abilities provided her.

She went quickly up to her room and changed into her robes, before parting with Kylia and hurrying down to the chapel.

When she entered, she wasn't greeted by Benedictus' usual snoring. Sensing that he was in the room, though, she walked towards the altar to find the old man pleasantly waiting for her, his sharp golden eyes not leaving her form as she stopped in front of the altar, bowing as she did.

He quirked his lips into a smile, amused at the fact that a princess was bowing to him, instead of the other way around.

"We have much to discuss, Kira." Kira looked up in surprise, as they usually jumped right into the lesson, not wasting time for idle chatter.

"What is wrong, master?" She asked quietly, taking a seat on one of the wooden chairs behind the altar; Benedictus sat down next to her.

"Many things are wrong, as you no doubt know, girl." He said calmly, arching an eyebrow at his apprentice. She flushed.

"You know what I meant." He nodded.

"Perhaps. Regardless, I have been thinking these past few days, and I have reached a decision that will benefit both of us, I think." She looked at him puzzled, so he continued.

"You have no doubt heard that the Council of Stormwind is convening in a day's time, to no doubt discuss your father's somewhat foolish proposition, correct?" Kira nodded.

"Yes…"

"I want you to attend."

Kira wasn't fazed by her master's bluntness, having gotten used to it over the years. She asked,

"Why? My father would probably let me, but I don't think I could do much else, other than watch…"

"Which is exactly what you will be doing." Benedictus said calmly. "You will be watching the proceedings, both because I believe it will be a good experience for you to see politics in action, and because I want you to be more aware of what is going on in our world. I want you to see what others have to say about these troubled times, and this is the perfect way for you do hear the opinions of others. It would also allow you to see both myself and your father deal with the inquiries of others. You will need to deal with them as well, once you become queen."

Kira nodded a little uncertainly. It seemed incredibly rude to ask her father if she could just watch, and no doubt he would immediately suspect Benedictus of doing something. Nevertheless, she did want to hear what was going on in other parts of the country and world. Benedictus hadn't said much in the way of if Naruto had succeeded in getting the Gnomes and the Dwarves, so she wondered if there might be any information on that.

"Okay master, I will do it." He nodded, smiling a bit.

"Good. Now, the next thing I want to talk to you about is why you felt the need to leave the safety of the castle today." She blushed a little, embarrassed that she had been discovered, and knowing that he wouldn't tell her how he knew, she simply said,

"I had some time off. Is it really that bad that I decided to leave? I came back fine, so why should it matter?" He rolled his eyes, snorting.

"Because the longer you spend out there the more likely you will be exposed to the wile's and tricks of the women on the streets. I don't train scarlet women!" She blushed horribly, fighting down her ire at the old man.

"I didn't do anything! Leave me alone you old bat!" He laughed, his eyes twinkling, as he stood up.

"Perhaps, perhaps. But nonetheless, it is best that you rest. After you convince your father to let you sit in, go to bed, for I need your mind sharp and alert tomorrow."

She nodded, and stomped away, muttering as the old man shooed her off.

* * *

The next day Kira rose early in preparation for the task she had been assigned. After she had left the chapel the previous night, she had gone to her father, who at the time was still at dinner. After quickly eating herself, she had asked quietly if there was any chance for her to sit in on the meeting.

"_Please father, if I am to be a princess, shouldn't I have experience in this sort of thing?" Her father didn't answer at first, taking another bite from his steak, and apparently thinking._

_Finally he said,_

_  
"I will allow you to, Kira. It would be a good lesson for you, but you must promise not to say anything. It would be improper for you to suggest anything, seeing as how you are not on the council, so I am asking you to simply watch. Is that alright?" Kira grinned broadly, got up and ran around the table, embracing her father enthusiastically. _

"_Thank you so much father!" she said, meaning every word. He smiled a little at her, returning the hug, and she held on so long that she missed the slight gleam of suspicion in the man's eyes, which had passed by the time she had pulled away._

"_The meeting begins just after breakfast, so do not be late."_

After that, she had retired to her room for some much-needed rest.

When she had finished dressing, several soft knocks on the door alerted her to Kylia's presence. She quickly opened the door, letting the older girl in.

"Are you ready, my lady?" Kylia asked smiling as she did. Kira nodded, checking over her outfit as she did. She had to look proper, like a king's daughter, which entailed for her to wear her finest dress, a red silk one with flowery patterns adorning the edges of the sleeves and hem. She had tied her hair back into a tail, and hid her mother's necklace beneath it. It wouldn't do for her father to see it, as she would have no idea how to explain how she got it.

When she had finished primping herself, she walked out into the hallway, Kylia right behind her, and towards the stairs that led to the ground floor, and consequently the dining room.

They passed numerous servants on the way, all busily hurrying to complete their assigned chores, such as setting up the guest rooms, delivering ingredients to the chefs or simply cleaning whatever they thought was dirty. All of them acknowledged her presence on the way, with either a bow of the head, a slight smile, or a friendly "hello lady princess".

They reached the dining room, and saw that it was almost completely full already. The members had likely come early to partake of the King's food.

The Council of Stormwind was a rather new system that Kira's grandfather, Varian Wrynn, had developed during his reign. Because several of the previous Kings had abused their power, leading either thousands to die in wars or simply taxing the citizens to poverty, he organized the Council, made up of 12 of Stormwind's most prominent and influential nobles, to keep the power of the king in check. Whenever the King made a huge decision that would affect all of Stormwind, the Council convened in order to debate it. They had met on many occasions in the last few years, starting with the dissolution of the Alliance, and then Stormwind's shutting off of the tram that led to Ironforge and then the law that banned dwarves from living in the city. On each occasion, they had let the decision rest, because the majority of the nobles favored the king and most of his decisions. Several were downright racist, which had helped in banning dwarves from living in the city.

The Council had lost some power after Varian's mysterious disappearance on his way to Theramore Island, of the coast of Kalimdor. After his disappearance, Kira's father had been made king, only ten years old at the time. While Anduin was still young, High Lord Bolvar Fordragon held the actual authority of the king, and was charged as Anduin's protector as well as the regent of Stormwind. Bolvar had been a fierce leader, and hadn't taken much advice from the Council, using his own ideas and power to do what he thought was best. This had led to the Council's advice being shunted aside, and for the years up until her father's true crowning, had been ignored almost completely, despite the frequent meetings it had.

When Anduin had taken the thrown, and Bolvar had been demoted to protecting Anduin's betrothed, and Kira's mother, he had begun to call on the Council's advice once more, thinking it best if the most influential minds of Stormwind continued to play a role in the political affairs of the city.

After dismissing Kylia, Kira quickly took a seat near the door, not wanting to be in the way. She helped herself to some food, then sat back and waited for the meeting to start.

As she waited she let her eyes drift over the twelve members, six on each side of the long, rectangular table, her father at the head. She knew all of them, having met them at one point or another during her lifetime.

To her father's immediate right, Lady Prestor sat, her beautiful black hair gleaming in the morning sunshine, her face graced with a pleasant, kind smile that made Kira's mood brighten. Lady Prestor had been one of the first to be admitted onto the Council, and thusly held a lot more influence than most of the other members.

To his left sat the Captain of the Stormwind City Guards, Captain Reinhardt Schaun. He was easily recognizable with his large build and bushy brown beard, which covered the majority of his face. Aside from being much taller, he was built rather like a dwarf, sturdy looking and strong. He too held much power in the council.

She scanned the rest with less interest and focus, only vaguely remembering their names and titles, until she reached the other end of the table, where her master, Archbishop Benedictus, sat. Dressed in his familiar golden robes, the ancient man seemed to radiate power, and Kira could almost tell he was as eager to begin as she was. He was the moderator of the council, since the entire system was designed to keep the king in check, therefore a third party had to be moderator, so that the Council could convene even if the king didn't order it to.

Finally, when the last of the food had been consumed, Benedictus stood, his shrewd eyes surveying the table.

"This Council has convened today to discuss the current state of affairs in our city, though most notably the decision His Grace has made in allying with the Scarlet Crusade. I am opening the room to discussion now." He sat down, and at once the nobles began to speak at once, until Benedictus held up a hand for silence. He looked to a man to his right, a noble named Marcus Trenillias, whose family had lived in Stormwind since it had been built.

He stood, and spoke confidently.

"I have always supported the king's ideals and decisions, as I believe that he has had nothing but the best interests in mind when he made them." He paused slightly, and Kira could see her father's face lighten up a little, pleased by the statement. It disappeared, however, when Marcus spoke again.

"But in this case, I do not believe it is proper. The Scarlet Crusade, though human, is an extremist faction that does not have the best interests in our country at heart. Alliance with them may lead to the destruction of the Undead Scourge, but it has an equal chance of the destruction of our own city and country." He sat down, and the room was uneasily silent. Another man stood, this time in the middle on Benedictus' left. The man, possessing oily hair and a face that resembled a scavenging rodent, whom she identified as Bartholomew Shrund, a wealthy merchant, stood.

" I disagree with Lord Trenillias' decision. The Scarlet Crusade has always considered us friends, so what right do we have in refusing their help? We need it, so what is the point?"

Anduin smiled triumphantly as Shrund sat back down, but once again the smile vanished as the man directly next to Benedictus on his left spoke,

"The holes in your logic are so large that a kodo could walk through it. The Crusaders have killed as many undead as they have normal humans. They do not differentiate between a ghoul and a human with a cold. Allying with them would not help us in the slightest." Lord Sevenius Coutrend, a powerful mage and philosopher that controlled much of the city's history and ancient texts, had spoken this. Kira didn't particularly like the man, whose acidic wit and generally unfriendly demeanor caused her to bristle with anger whenever he spoke, as he was almost always in direct opposition to her father.

Of course, even when she agreed with him, she still bristled.

Anduin stood up, and was about to speak when a soft, yet commanding voice cut him off.

"Lord Coutrend, it is true that the Crusaders have harmed many in the past, but one cannot say that what they have done was simply out of fanaticism. They have held back the hordes of Scourge in Stratholme, and have a keen eye over the Banshee Queen's kingdom to the north. They have fought with the interests in preserving our race, and if we were to ally with them, we would certainly have an advantage that we did not possess in the days of the former Alliance." Lady Prestor spoke with such fluidity and power that she hadn't needed to raise her voice. She never did, and that was yet another testament to her influences and power.

Kira felt a little shocked. She had believed that Lady Prestor, who was as smart as she was pretty, would see that it allying with the Crusade was an incredibly bad choice. It hurt that her heroine had taken the side that Kira herself believed was wrong.

When Anduin sat back down, Lady Prestor continued.

"It is quite advantageous in our position. We have no allies, and if we were to be without allies in the future, then there is no telling what harm could come to our city. Is it not true that the Dwarves and Gnomes have once again allied themselves?"

The room exploded with shouts of denial, astonishment, and outright anger. Benedictus silenced the room once again with a hand, and then looked at Lady Prestor, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"How do you know this?" he spoke softly, but like Prestor, it carried a wave of power and influence in it. She smiled pleasantly.

"I have heard the merchants and traders speaking of it. It is amazing what the people have to say, no?"

Benedictus' eyes did not leave the women for a few seconds, and then he swept them across the table to Captain Reinhardt, who had held his hand up.

The bearded captain cleared his throat, and then spoke loudly.

"I too have heard of this. I think that it is in our best interests to extend a helping hand to them. My reports state that the gnomes have reacquired their capital city, Gnomeregan, and are in the process of rebuilding, with the dwarves by their side. If we were to extend a hand to them, perhaps we could re-forge the majority of the alliance. Then, we would not have any need to ally with the Crusade."

Benedictus nodded slightly, and Kira felt her heart nearly burst with joy.

_He did it! He did it! I knew he could. Well…I hoped he could…_

Lady Prestor suddenly spoke.

"My belief is that someone, or perhaps _something_, is re-creating the Alliance by themselves. The gnomes were previously unable to retake their city, and after years of failed attempts, would it not be logical to say that they had even less of a chance of retaking it now than then? They refused both King Magni's help, and ours so it is obvious that someone has been helping them, and if this someone were a threat to our forces, then wouldn't it be prudent to have alliances ourselves?

"Would it not be more beneficial to keep the Crusade in the Alliance? And who is to say that the dwarves will even accept our hand? Was it not we who scorned them? I believe that there isn't any reason to not accept the hand of the Crusaders. What danger is there? If we allied with them, wouldn't they simply see us as friends, and thus not attack us like they have in the past? The entire reason they have attacked us in the past was due to the foolishness of travelers passing to close to the Plaguelands, and the lack of any identification. If we allied with them, they would have no reason to betray or harm us, because they see us as a means to rid the world of the Scourge." She smiled again, and let her purple eyes drift across the room, which was silent once more.

It was Benedictus who spoke next, his eyes once again boring into Lady Prestor's.

"One could easily argue, Lady Prestor, that they are in the perfect position to betray us. If they used the alliance as a means of getting close to our leaders, and eventually did betray us, they would be in a fantastic position. The confusion that would follow would likely cause their ranks to swell, as people, fearing that Stormwind would not be able to last without its leader, or leaders, would join to protect themselves, if anything. Fear can make those of weaker wills to do anything, and for those who are ignorant of the Crusade's ways, joining it would seem like the best option. The years after Varian's disappearance and before His Grace took the throne are in everyone's mind, when the factions of our kingdom were incredible divided, and people were not as safe as they are now. If you recall, those were the years that the Crusade grew even more rapidly, and it is logical to say that the same would happen if the Crusade betrayed us.

"Furthermore, they are in a geographical location that leaves them completely invulnerable to our attacks. Their stronghold lies either on the outskirts of Stratholme, in the Plaguelands, or in the mountains of Lordaeron, where the Undercity and the Banshee Queen rules. If we were to retaliate, we would have to wade through veritable thickets of Scourge and Forsaken in order to get to them. If we even did, they would easily destroy us with their superior numbers. So, in essence, they have the perfect incentive to betray us.

"As to your claim of another organizing this, it isn't likely that Magni or Mekkatorque would yield to another, as that is what caused this mess in the first place. My opinion is that we extend a hand to our former allies. They have years of trust built up between them, as well as us. I believe that we can regain their trust if we simply-"

"NO!"

Benedictus was effectively silenced by Anduin's shout, who was standing once again, his face twisted into a frightening mask of rage. He spoke through clenched teeth,

"You don't seem to realize that our alliance with them is over, and will remain so. They are not trustworthy, and it is obvious that they have kept secrets from me. Magni dishonored me by not submitting to my request of unification. Mekkatorque dishonored us by simply leaving in the middle of the war, and Malfurion and his bitch did so in the same way. I have worked for years to unify our country, and because of me, Stormwind is not only a city, but a country as well. I asked Magni to submit, and under my leadership we would be able to defeat the Horde, and the Scourge. He refused and so I will not call on him again.

"I am ordering you now, to cease all talk of alliance with the dwarves and gnomes. My word is final: we are allying with the Scarlet Crusade, and I will not stand for a disagreement. Furthermore, I want travelers into this city, especially dwarves, to be questioned thoroughly of any information involving this new alliance. Any reports of who this new leader is to be delivered directly to me. I will not tolerate anything otherwise."

Lord Coutrend snorted in disgust.

"Your _Grace_…you do know that we have the power to veto any order that we believe is unjust, and perhaps…_tyrannical?_ Perhaps voting would see if the others agree with me on this?"

Anduin's eyes blazed, and he roared,

"DO…NOT…QUESTION…ME! I AM THE KING, SO IT IS I WHO WILL DECIDE WHAT IS TYRANNICAL OR NOT!"

His blazing eyes flashed across the room, his face red, and perhaps would have continued shouting had he not spotted Kira's face.

The girl was shaking madly, her eyes wide. Tears had pooled in the corners of her eyes, and she looked more frightened than he had ever seen her.

She had never seen her father like this.

It was terrifying.

At once, the anger and hate drained from his expression, and he strode across the room, walking up to Kira, and hugging her tightly. The girl flinched at first, then returned her father's embrace. They remained there for a time, simply hugging each other. Eventually, Anduin released her and stood up, turning to face the council, shame displayed as prominently as the symbol on his chest.

"Forgive me…I do not know what seized me in that moment. I retract those orders, and we will hold another meeting soon, to continue this discussion. Right now I must rest…I am…so very tired…"

He hung his head slightly; a rare gesture for a king, and slowly the Council members stood, and began filing from the room, casting several worried or suspicious glances at the King.

Benedictus sighed.

_What is happening to you, Anduin?_

_

* * *

_

Kira sat by her father's bedside later that night, and watched the king sleep. It was a restless one, with him tossing and turning, obviously troubled. She longed to reach out and wake him, to save him from the nightmares that plagued him, but couldn't bring herself to. She was still shocked by her father's outburst that morning, and was wondering if the man that lay in front of her was truly her father.

She jumped when a hand fell on her shoulder. She looked up into the wizened face of Benedictus.

"Are you alright, child?" She nodded a little feebly, further enhancing the fact that she was not, in fact, alright.

"What is happening to him? Why did he say those things? He's always been friends with Magni and the High Tinker…and he's never been that cruel sounding. What is making him do this?" She looked at her master for a response, her eyes pleading. He sighed, and spoke softly, watching the King toss and turn in his bed.

"I have several theories, little one, but none of which have any substance to them at this time. I will not tell them to you, for fear of worrying you more. I may tell you in time, but for now, you must simply focus on your training. I have received a missive from Magni, earlier today, which has brought me up to date on what their situation is." At her inquiring look, he explained.

"Magni easily agreed to joining the new Alliance, but he was skeptical about how one would approach the other races. He says that that boy stayed with him for a week, training, before departing to find the gnomes. He then says that the boy was able to help the gnomes retake their city, rather surprisingly, and is currently on his way to Kalimdor…where he hopes to enlist the help of Thrall and the Orcs."

Kira was surprised, but felt her spirits lift a bit, knowing that she had chosen correctly. She let her eyes drift back to her father, but steeled herself.

Her father was strong, and she knew that whatever was afflicting him; he would fight to the very last. She wanted desperately to help, but she somehow knew she wasn't experienced enough to break whatever curse had been placed on him. So she looked up at Benedictus, determined.

"Then we'd better start training, right? I'm going to need to be strong, so that I can help that pervert when the time comes." Benedictus smiled and the girl's courage.

_You are so much like your mother, little one. Your fire, even in the most trying of times, does not so much as flicker. You chose right in entrusting that boy as well, for I believe that he is of the same mould._

_

* * *

_

"My lady, have they accepted the alliance yet?"

"No…but they shall soon, I imagine. The King is strangely receptive to my advances, so it shall only be a matter of time before I have him under my control."

"Shall we alert His Mightiness, and Her Greatness that we are succeeding?"

"Not yet. This is my plan, I don't want that hag interfering, and taking the credit. We shall simply wait and see what happens."

"Of course, my lady."

* * *

"Alright, you remember everything?"

"Yeah, yeah, keep yer pants on, _baka_. My brain may be small, but I ain't stupid. I'll tell the chick with the big bazooms everything you told me."

Naruto stared in annoyance at the orange toad that sat on the wooden deck in front of him. Though it had been awhile since he had seen the foul-mouthed little toad, Gamakichi hadn't changed at all. He was the same size, wore the same little blue vest, and still had a mouth like a sailor's. Naruto didn't know why he even bothered in summoning the toad. He almost wished he'd summoned Gamatatsu instead.

But then he realized that Gamatatsu would probably forget everything he said after "hello".

"Well, if that's everthin' than I gotta split! Oh and by the way, if you summon Pops again, then try ta' do it somewhere else, k? He's pretty pissed at ya' for giving him weird sores all over his ass!"

And with that, the little frog disappeared with a "pop".

Across the deck, Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by an incoherent shout from one of the small, green-skinned creatures that were constantly scurrying about the zeppelin deck. The creatures, known as goblins, were about the size of gnomes, had pointy ears, noses and shrewd, greedy little eyes, with sleazy grins plastered on their angular faces. They were in charge of running the zeppelin, and Naruto had taken an instant dislike to all of them, as they'd cheated him out of half the gold he'd one from the gnomes in order to take him to Orgrimmar.

_Orgrimmar…I wonder what it's like…_

After the death of Thermaplugg, the remaining gnomes and Naruto had entered the control room, and Mekkatorque had deactivated the security system, effectively neutralizing the remaining Mechanized Sentries.

After that, he had activated the security cameras in the area that the tunnel Thermaplugg's machines had created, which was clearly labeled on one of the many maps that littered the room. They were in hopes of finding out if Quidneer had been successful. In the screen, which showed the first basement level, they could see mounds of dead or dying troggs.

**Flashback:**

_Naruto gaped at the screen, not quite believing what he was seeing. Rather than hordes of troggs preparing to flee into the world, there was nothing but death._

_Lots of death._

_Mounds of troggs were scattered throughout the area, some twitching sporadically, while most simply remained still. The greenish smoke had mostly disappeared, replaced by a more purplish colored one. The TrogAway._

_Linkizzle and Rurizzle hugged each other, laughing and cheering. Naruto broke out into a huge smile, and quickly joined them in the celebrations. Mekkatorque smiled._

_No, that would be inaccurate._

_He grinned._

_So widely that it seemed his head would split in half._

_They had done it! The troggs were no more, Thermaplugg was finished, and his people's lives were saved._

_They had a home once more._

**End Flashback**

Afterwards, they had left the Tinker's Court, and headed to the Main Entrance. One the way, however, they encountered an obstacle.

The leprous gnomes.

**Flashback:**

_As soon as Mekkatorque stepped off the elevator that led into the Launch Bay, he was surrounded. A sea of greenish, scaly faces, and milky eyes stared back at him, and he recoiled, his had gripping his sword. He expected them to attack in a heartbeat. He expected them to attempt to bludgeon him and his friends to death without remorse._

_What he did not expect, however, was for them to bow._

_Staring in confusion at the bowing gnomes, he suddenly remembered what Terko had said back when he had first arrived in the Launch Bay._

_They were being controlled._

_He relaxed, but continued to gaze, sadly at the gnomes. He spoke quietly,_

_"I am sorry…I have failed you, leaving you to become slaves to Sicco…Forgive me." One of the gnomes looked up, and Mekkatorque could see the first expression he had seen in a long time on him._

_"It is…us that must sorry…we fail king…not strong to resist…forgive us?" Mekkatorque gaped in shock at the group._

_"Forgive you…?" he whispered, eyes wide. He looked at all of them, and he saw the remorse on their faces. He saw the shame that they had, in submitting to Thermaplugg, even if it was because of some device. He smiled._

_"Of course…you are forgiven…my people." The leprous gnome's face lit up in a bright smile, which was slightly creepy, but as the others began to smile as well, the tension dissipated. They were no longer enemies. They were once again his people._

**End Flashback**

After taking the elevator down to the first floor, the leprous gnomes in tow, they suddenly met up with Quidneer, who was sitting near the massive doors of the main entrance. When they approached, he got up to meet them, wincing as he did, and had embraced Mekkatorque, smiling as he did. He greeted the other two gnomish warriors as he did, but when he met Naruto's eyes he flinched and looked away, frightened.

Naruto flinched a little as well, knowing exactly why Quidneer had reacted like that. On the way down, the Kyuubi had explained his little misadventure. Frightened that he had unwittingly created a form for the demon fox, he silently vowed not to use the Link clone again, not wanting to give the fox a chance at escaping.

When they had opened the doors, the leprous gnomes were assaulted with the first daylight they had seen in years. Some recoiled, covering their faces with their hands in an attempt to ward off the light. Others stood still, reveling in the light that they had dreamed about.

They had crossed the snow fields in front of the great city entrance, and upon sighting the camp, broke into a dead run. Linkizzle and Rurizzle had skipped across, cheering happily, Naruto at their side. The leprous ones hung back, still getting used to the light, while Mekkatorque stood in between them, Quidneer at his side.

When they had reached the camp, Naruto swore he had never seen a better sight. Dozens upon dozens of gnomes had crept from the encampment, and were standing in front, in a single line, and single, uniform expression of disbelief written on their faces. When they had sighted Mekkatorque, however, and his entourage, the lines broke.

The gnomes, both leprous and healthy, charged together, embracing each other, laughing, crying, cheering, and simply reveling in the presence on one another. Friends met each other, brothers and sisters were reunited, even parents and children met once more. Naruto was beaming, never having seen a greater sight in his life. The ones that had been changed by the radiation were recognized instantly, despite their almost identical looks. There was no sign of disgust, horror, or anything of that sort.

The Gnomeregan Exiles and the Gnomeregan Betrayers were no more.

Now, only the gnomes stood.

Then, they had celebrated.

The mountains had echoed with cries and whoops of cheer, or with songs and sounds of merriment. The camp was alive with activity, as gnomes danced, joked, sang, ate, or in some cases, healed. Not a single gnome was left out of the party, and for once, Naruto was the center of it all.

He drank strange drinks, some sweet and cool, others spicy and warm, while still others were bitter and hot. On several occasions Linkizzle forced alcoholic beverages down his throat, but as soon as he felt tipsy, the feeling disappeared.

_Stupid Kyuubi._

He ate strange foods, most of which was freeze dried, but found a particular liking in a soup called Gnome Hair Surprise. It wasn't really gnome hair, but looked a lot like it. It was full of spices and was a lot like ramen, in Naruto's opinion.

He danced, laughing as he switched partners mid-way through a song, and always having to bend down in order for him to be on their level.

It made him feel tall.

He met Linkizzle, Rurizzle, Quidneer, and Mekkatorque on many occasions, and Naruto suddenly realized how much that he and Mekkatorque were alike. The Gnome King partied like no other, laughing, his high-pitched voice occasionally ringing through the encampment as he tried, and failed horrible, to sing several popular gnomish songs.

Naruto had to clobber him so that his ears would stop bleeding.

The old gnome got so drunk that by the time the festivities had died down, and people were beginning to fall asleep, he had passed out on the roof of the War Room, giggling insanely before he passed out.

Suffice to say, he had a great time, and simply enjoyed the fact that he had helped created this.

Naruto spent four more days at the camp, mostly helping the gnomes get back on their feet as they tried both to recover from the massive hangovers that had afflicted them the night of the party. At one point he had needed to drag Mekkatorque off the roof and drench him in cold water to check if he was still alive.

After that, the gnomes had begun to work on plans both to rebuild and clean up Gnomeregan, and begin to develop a cure for their mutated brethren.

But not Naruto.

Two days after the party, Mekkatorque had met with the blonde in his lab. Naruto almost didn't recognize the little gnome, as he was smiling now, and the aura of gloom that had once surrounded him was gone.

**Flashback**

_Naruto sat down in front of the Gnome king, his blue eyes curious. He was dressed in different clothes now, consisting of a black and orange, zipped up jacket and black pants (both radiation proof, incidentally) and black leather boots. He wore nothing underneath the jacket, as it provided him with enough protection and warmth. Mekkatorque's goggles were strapped across his forehead, while his forehead protector remained tied around his right arm. Magni's Pride had been strapped to his back as well._

_Mekkatorque, adorned in his usual garments, though without the goggles, sat on a stool, smiling down at the blonde._

_"I suppose you are wondering why I've called you here? Hmm?" At Naruto's nod, he smiled even wider,_

_"Well, it's not to apologize or anything, since I don't think I could apologize to a brat like you, even if he deserved it." Naruto glared at him, a vein throbbing in his forehead. Mekkatorque laughed._

_"Settle down, brat, settle down. I've called you here for a number of reasons. First, I will retract my earlier statements of the plan that you and the Princess have concocted. I will support this new Alliance easily, as it is not only in my best interests, but the world's. Second, I have already sent a missive to Magni, saying that I wish to re-ally with him, and that I might need some help in repairing the city. He is a decent fellow, so I believe he will help._

_"Finally, I wish to advise you on where you should go next. Perhaps at one point, I would have suggested you to go directly to Teldrassil, the land of the Night Elves, in order to get Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage to help. But I don't believe that that is a good idea, not yet. It is far away, and you would have no means of getting there. If I could, I would allow you to use the plans in the launch bay, but they are only built for gnomes, no matter how small you are." Naruto glared again, but this time only with half the power, as he was too focused on what the gnome was going to say._

_"Therefore, I am advising you to head west, to the continent of Kalimdor. On the shores in the north, you will find the legendary city of orcs, Orgrimmar, where the former Warchief of the Horde, Thrall, lives. You may think me crazy, but I believe that Thrall will listen to you, if you give him both the chance, and you don't do anything stupid. Humans raised Thrall, you see, so he has a much better disposition towards them. If you can get an audience with him, it is likely that he may listen to what you have to say._

_"In the worst case scenario, he would kill you, but the best, he would agree. From there you may be able to extend hands to the other former races of the Horde, the Tauren, and the Trolls, before taking on the Forsaken to the north of here, and the Night Elves off the coast of Kalimdor. You will no doubt travel much, but if you are going to make this work, then it is necessary."_

_Mekkatorque looked at the boy hard, and Naruto nodded._

_"Right, I got it. Orgrimmar, then. But there's a problem, old man, I don't have any way of going across an ocean!" The gnome smirked._

_"Easily remedied, brat. Not too far from here is a zeppelin tower, where a group of goblins, the Organization of Gobbish Zeppelineers, runs a ferry service for people. If you don't know what a zeppelin is, then simply think of it as a large balloon with propellers. It is the quickest way for you to get across, even if it isn't the most inexpensive. Goblins are greedy little beasts, and won't hesitate to wring, if possible, every coin that you have from you. I'll give you some extra, so don't worry. I believe the zeppelins leave in two-day periods, so the next one won't leave for another two days. That gives you time to rest and plan out what you are going to do once you get to Kalimdor."_

_Naruto sat back, nodding slightly. The prospect of flying was exciting, and if it was anything like flying on a gryphon, than he knew he would love it. However, the prospect of going into what was likely the lion's den was not so appealing to him. Kira had told him that the Orcs were once a fierce tribe of creatures that had come from another world, much like himself. They had been manipulated by demons, which caused them to attack anything that wasn't like them. Eventually, they had broken free of the enchantment, and had become, as they were now, a ferocious group of shamanistic, tribal people who bore a lingering resentment towards humans. That hadn't stopped them from allying with each other at several points, as Thrall was a much more open-minded leader. Unfortunately, it appeared that it would be much harder for him to get them to agree than either the dwarves or the gnomes._

_Nothing was ever easy._

_Mekkatorque spoke once again._

_"The last thing I called you here for is a little bit less dire. I see you are still wearing my goggles, eh?" Naruto blinked, touching the goggles that rested on his forehead, and nodded._

_"Yeah, why?"_

_"Well, they are quite unique, so I wanted to give you a bit of an explanation in how to use them effectively. They have several different vision modes, which allow you to see things in a much different way. I don't use them quite often, as it is somewhat draining, due to the fact that they use magic rather than battery power. The first mode is night-vision, which is exactly as it sounds. The second is heat vision, which allows you to see the concentrations of body heat, allowing you to spy life forms with ease. The third vision mode is magic vision, which allows you to see high concentrations of magic in objects, and even detect what spell is going to be used. Very nifty, had I known that Sicco could use magic in his mech, I would have used this against him. The final vision mode is…X-ray vision!" To Naruto's immense surprise (or horror) the little gnome blushed perversely at this._

_"Do you need an explanation on that one? I don't usually tell people about it…use it well!" Naruto looked up at the goggles, feeling the heat rise in his face._

_"Dammit…I'm surrounded by perverts…"_

**End Flashback**

During the two days that he had remained, he had spent a lot of time with Linkizzle and Rurizzle. The two brothers had already sent a letter to Furnizzle back in Ironforge, telling him that they were alright.

Finally, on the last day, Naruto had stood in front of the horde of gnomes, his backpack freshly packed with food, water, and various gifts that he had received from the thankful gnomes. Mekkatorque had stood in front of him, smirking.

"You will always have a place here, brat. Don't forget that." Naruto nodded and grinned. Linkizzle and Rurizzle were crying theatrically, hugging the boy's legs in an attempt to stop him from going.

It was a nice feeling, he decided, to be wanted.

"Seeya shorties! Hope I see you again!" He pulled away from the Rizzle brothers' grip, and amidst the squawks of anger and disapproval, he ran off into the trees, not looking back, so that they couldn't see the tears that were streaming down his face.

And so he was here, having followed Mekkatorque's directions to the zeppelin house, he had had a long argument with the little creature that sold tickets, (after recovering from his shock of seeing the little thing) he had boarded the huge zeppelin, which was a dull brown color. Above a ship-like deck, a huge, oval-shaped balloon had been strapped on. It held the deck from falling, and on either side of the deck were large propellers that would propel it forwards through the air.

He made due on his promise to Gamabunta as well, summoning Gamakichi as soon as they had taken off, and delivered to the little toad exactly what he had been doing in the past few weeks. He also gave the miniature toad a message for Tsunade and Jiraiya, Kakashi, and finally Sakura.

He sat back, finally, and closed his eyes.

It would be a long time before he arrived at Kalimdor, so he decided to make the best by sleeping.

As he drifted off, he hoped that Sakura got his message.

* * *

"Alright, spit it out, Jiraiya! What's this important news you've got? The one you said was about Naruto?"

"Don't get your panties in a twist, woman! I'll tell you now that everyone is here."

The Godaime Hokage of the Hidden Village of the Leaf sat at her desk, glaring at the tall, white-haired man that had entered several hours earlier, claiming he knew where Naruto was. Rather than just tell her, he had demanded that she get Sakura, who was at home on a day off, and Kakashi, who was most likely standing at the memorial once more. Kakashi had just walked in, late as usual; seemingly nonchalant that one of his missing students had been located.

Jiraiya smirked at the woman's anger, but seeing as how the girl, Sakura, was now glaring at him as well, and knowing that she had inherited at least some of her master's strength in the time she had trained, spoke.

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you. You know how I've been summoning a toad everyday, to see if they had been summoned, well, when I summoned one a few days ago, Gamakichi had a rather outlandish tale of Naruto summoning Gamabunta on top of a bunch of weird monsters in an even weirder place. He said that he didn't know anything else, but that Naruto had promised to explain more. Today, when I summoned them again, Gamakichi here had a couple of messages to give." At this point, a small, orange frog left from the bowels of Jiraiya's hair, almost completely concealed, and landed on the desk in front of Tsunade.

"Yo!" The little creature chirped, grinning at everyone present. Tsunade's forehead throbbed.

"Get on with it!" She snapped, angered that she had to wait so long to hear news of one of the most important people in her life. Sakura was looking similarly angered, but a great deal of concern had appeared, and she prayed that Naruto was okay. The little toad was unfazed by the anger, and said,

"Right. Now Naruto summoned me just a couple of hours ago, just before Jiraiya summoned me. He gave me a bunch a messages to say, so I hope I can remember them."

Tsunade was at her wits end.

"Where is he? Is he alright? Why hasn't he come back? Wha-"

"Hold on, lady! I'm gonna tell you, just keep those big melons in your shirt, okay?" She glared fiercely at him, so he continued.

"Alright! When he summoned me, He was on a big ship of some sort, 'cept it as flying, and had a big balloon attached to the top. He was fine, looked never better, and all that. So here's the message he wanted me to give the chick with the big knockers." He cleared his throat.

"_Hey oba-chan! Sorry I haven't contacted you before, but I was kinda busy. Anyways, I am fine, and as for where I am, that's kinda hard to explain. When I was getting firewood for Ero-sennin, I found this weird little pendant, which transported me to another world! Sounds kinda like the plot of a lame fan fiction, huh? So don't make me missing Nin or anything, okay? I'm gonna come back, but I gotta keep another promise I made. Just wait, okay? I promise to keep you informed, so have Ero-Sennin keep summoning those frogs just to see if I have anything new, okay? That's it, thanks oba-chan!"_

Tsunade looked bewildered at the little toad. Her mind was trying its best to comprehend his words, but already the toad had moved on.

"To Jiraiya he says, '_Don't get all mad that you can't train me anymore, Ero-sennin, I'm learnin' a lot of new stuff, and when I get back, you're not gonna be able to even touch me!"_

Jiraiya snorted, but smirked nonetheless.

"To the perverted guy with the weird eye" Kakashi sweat dropped, "he says this, '_Kakashi-sensei, don't get even more lazy and perverted now that I'm gone, cause when I get back, you're gonna help me and Sakura-chan get Sasuke-teme back.'"_

Kakashi smiled a little, and nodded.

_Hmmm…well, I suppose I will have to start training more. I can't let my students get an edge on me._

Gamakichi turned finally to Sakura, and said, "To his," he held up his pinky, smirking as he did, "he says this: '_Sakura-chan, work hard, and be strong. I'm gonna come back, and if you aren't stronger, I'm not taking you to get Sasuke back with me! I won't break my promise to you, okay? That's not how I work! So just get stronger, and then when I return, we're gonna get Sasuke back!'"_

Sakura smiled, blushing a bit as she did (for what reason, she had no idea).

_I won't be left behind, Naruto. Get back quick, and you get strong too, okay? We'll get Sasuke back together._

Gamakichi then continued,

"He didn't really say this, but I read between the lines, so here goes, '_I love you Sakura-chan, I want you to bear my children._'" With that, the little toad disappeared, while Sakura stared at the puff of smoke in shock, her face reddening with embarrassment, which quickly blossomed into anger.

"NAAAAARRRRRRUUUUUUUUTTTTTTOOOOO!"

* * *

Naruto sneezed. He grinned.

"She must've got my message!"

* * *

Whew, done again! Sorry for the lack of action in this chapter, but it was necessary. I needed the plot to be furthered along, and we now have a bit of a clue on what is happening to Kira's father, and the kingdom itself.

Reviewer answers:

**PersonaJXT-** You are correct, there are doubtless former Horde races somewhere in the Alliance area, but they aren't the focus of the story, and Naruto hasn't met them. Thank you for the praise, and yes, the enemies are all from the game, as will most of the up coming ones.

**Slimeman- **I like writing the fight as well, so thanks for the compliments. Naruto developed the Forest of Blades on his few days of training before he fought. He's good at that sort of thing. Naruto doesn't have the necessary control to draw water molecules from the air, but he may get them later.

**Tokyo no Ecchi-** I'm not really going to answer that. Naruto, or rather most of the characters, can't really be classified by "levels" as this isn't a game, so levels are a lot harder to define. By game strength, Mekkatorque should've whipped Thermaplugg's ass, as he is a level Skull (500 I think) boss while Thermaplugg is only a 30-something elite. Naruto is strong. In terms of raw strength, he is stronger than Mekkatorque, but Mekkatorque has more control and experience. Naruto isn't invincible, and if he fought against Mekkatorque is likely he would lose, because Mekkatorque isn't insane or as easy to hit as Thermaplugg. So, in conclusion, Naruto is strong, but I can't really classify him as any sort of level right now. In terms of Naruto strength, he is likely low-jounin level. He isn't as strong as Kakashi, but will probably be so (even stronger in fact) when he gets back.

**DrgnDrake**- Yes…Alliance makes me ill as well, but it was necessary. Horde is next!

Well, that's all, hope you enjoyed it!

General Grievous

Next, Naruto arrives at Orgrimmar!

**Armory:**

**High Tinker's Goggles: **Has four vision modes, including night, heat, magic and x-ray visions. Very useful for the closet pervert!


	17. Orgrimmar

**Disclaimer: "You know what super-power I would like?"**

"**Nope"**

"**The ability to shoot the fact that I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft from my fingers!"**

"**Fuck that's lame!"**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

Speech" Orcish

"Speech"Human

_

* * *

_

"Oi, human, wake up!"

"Hmm? Wha's goin' on?" mumbled Naruto, jerking out of a rather pleasant dream involving himself and lots of ramen. The blonde blinked the sleep from his eyes as he took note of the small, green creature to his right glaring at him. The goblin's face was split by a condescending sneer, something Naruto was familiar with, and he was tapping his foot impatiently.

"I said wake up! We've almost arrived, and if you don't get up soon, we'll dump you off with the rest of the garbage!" the goblin snapped. It was clear that despite the rather large sum of money that they had weaseled out of Naruto, they weren't very tolerant of his presence aboard the zeppelin.

Naruto shook the last vestiges of sleep from his head, and stood up, stretching. A few of the goblins gave mock catcalls, which caused Naruto to bristle with annoyance.

_Geez, I hope this is the last time I meet these dumbasses,_ the blonde thought irritably. He shot an annoyed look at the goblin, who was still tapping his foot and glaring. The goblin gave him another sneer, before turning and walking towards the stern of the zeppelin. Naruto followed, and when they reached the back, where a goblin dressed in incredibly outlandish clothes, heavily embroidered purple tunic, cape, pants and hat, was attending to the helm, and looking off into the horizon. He shot a look in Naruto's direction as they boy reached the helm.

"We're almost there, you'll be able to see it in a few minutes, human," he said, sneering slightly. Naruto ignored the look and looked forwards, into the rising sun.

It had taken the zeppelin nearly a day to cross the Great Sea, and during that time Naruto hadn't done much other than slept and admired the view. He hadn't trained, as he hadn't thought that the goblins would have appreciated him interrupting their work, and he didn't want to give them more of a reason to hate him.

The view, however, had been amazing. Naruto hadn't been near any great bodies of water, other than the coastline in the Wave Country. But because of the layer of mist that had obscured the horizon, he hadn't gotten a great view then. Now however, as he flew high above the seemingly endless fields of blue, he was able to properly appreciate its sheer size and awesomeness.

It was simply amazing.

The fact that he was flying further enhanced his feelings of elation, and though it was different than flying atop a gryphon, it was still one of the best feelings Naruto had ever had.

Even if it was being controlled by a bunch of greedy little snots whose attitudes resembled Sasuke's on a good day.

As he looked across the deck into the morning sun, he spotted a dark splotch beneath it. He placed a hand on his forehead to shield his eyes from the blazing sun, and tried to get a better view of the dark splotch, which was quickly becoming an even larger one. As the zeppelin moved closer, Naruto got his first glimpse of the great continent of Kalimdor.

From what Kira had said, Kalimdor was home to no human populations. The only permanent settlement, Theramore, had been destroyed some years back, and thusly it was home to completely non-human species. It was characterized by the many grasslands and deserts it had, with few forests and many mountains. That wasn't to say it was all desert and grasslands, as there was a particularly large forest to the North, called Ashenvale, where a contingent of Night Elves lived. While most of the elves had retreated to Teldrassil, a small portion remained in Ashenvale, watching over it so that the other races didn't wipe it off the face of the earth. 

But it was the startling fact that Naruto was going to an entirely different continent that really thrilled him. As far as he new, there were very few shinobi who had ever left the Elemental Countries, and thusly it wasn't widely speculated that there were other continents out in the world.

The idea that he was about to land on an entirely different continent appealed to Naruto's love of adventure, and couldn't help but be slightly excited over the fact that he would be setting foot on a place that very few humans had, as well as a place where he would be the first shinobi to set foot on.

When land was completely in sight, the goblin helmsman shot another scathing look at Naruto.

"We will drop you off near the shore. You will not be getting off at the tower, as there will doubtlessly be Orcs there to barter for our goods. Orgrimmar is about a mile and a half from the shore, just head in the exact opposite direction of the sea, that's easy for you, right human?" the goblin said, taking great delight at Naruto's reaction to the insult. Naruto just bristled, having gotten slightly used to the goblins' annoying personalities.

He was so glad that he didn't have to hang out with these little snots for longer than he had to.

When they came even closer to the shoreline, the helmsman shouted out something in another language, and seconds later the zeppelin began to descend at a rapid rate. Naruto molded some chakra into his feet to keep himself from falling on his behind. He was suddenly glad he had done so, as the goblins had no apparent reaction to the sudden change in direction.

The rapid descent was halted suddenly, and Naruto once again had to keep his balance. A pair of goblins carrying a length of rope walked towards the entrance to the basket and after securing the rope on the side, opened the gate and tossed the rope out. The helmsman then turned to Naruto.

"Well, human, here we are. You're getting out that way," he said, pointing to the aforementioned rope. Naruto nodded, and though he was a little sad that he'd have to get off the wondrous machine, he was even gladder that he'd be getting away from the snide little goblins that ran it.

He walked towards the entrance, and instead of simply grabbing the rope and sliding down, he jumped. The fall wasn't far, merely twenty or so feet, and with his shinobi leg strength, it wasn't bad. He landed softly on the reddish, coarse sand below, and then looked back up at the zeppelin.

But they had already pulled up the rope and had begun to rise once more.

Naruto sweat-dropped.

_Bastards…_

After dusting himself off, and checking that he had everything that he had boarded with (gold not included), he looked around, his deep blue eyes taking in everything that they could of this new land.

The entire area was filled with outcroppings of rock, sometimes large pillars of the stuff, when in other cases it was large boulders or flat sheet rock. All the rock was the same reddish color as the sand beneath him, and aside from a few shrubs, there was no signs of life. He took a large whiff of the air, noting that the salty smell of the sea was mixed in with a dustier, burnt smell, which he guessed was the land before him. Accompanying these smells, there were others, some familiar, others not so. There were a few musky, animal smells, and even stranger, smells that reminded Naruto of what bugs usually smelt like.

Except a whole lot bigger.

To his right there was a massive wall of red rock, with many jagged outcroppings. What was mystifying was that the outcroppings appeared somewhat…manufactured. Some of them were far too sharp for it to be totally natural, and others far too straight. Another smell, one he had not smelt before, emanated from that direction as well.

Letting his eyes drift a little longer, Naruto then started up the red sand beach, towards the more rugged and stony ground that made up the majority of the area. The goblin had said that Orgrimmar, or the entrance at least was about a mile and a half from his current position.

What he planned to do there, however, what still up in the air, as far as he was concerned.

He walked a slow pace, with no trees to hop from, and the fact that the sun was beating down on him with an intensity that rivaled Gai's speech about the "Springtime of Youth"; he didn't want to overexert himself. He kept his eyes open, however, in case he saw something that posed a threat.

It didn't take long for that something to appear, either. After several minutes of walking, Naruto was alerted to a strange clicking sound. The sound was accompanied by an insectine smell, which got steadily stronger and the sound steadily louder as Naruto walked. He encountered the creature that both the sound a smell belonged to mere seconds later, as he leapt on top of a large rock that was impeding his path.

He nearly fell over when he saw it, too, as it scuttled along the ground in front of the rock he was on. It was huge, probably the size of a dog, maybe bigger. It was covered in an armor-like shell, and had eight, spindly, jointed legs that stuck out from the sides of its elongated body. Springing forth from its front where two large pincers; behind it a large, upwards curving tail sprouted, the end of which had a wicked looking, curved point that reeked of poison.

It was a scorpion.

A very large one, at that.

The creature appeared not to have noticed him, and continued scuttling slowly along, not doing apparently anything. He screwed his face up in disgust at the sight of the monstrous scorpion, but couldn't help but think that Shino would have loved seeing it. He then shrugged, and leapt off the boulder, over the scorpion, and continued on his way. As much as he wanted to try his skills out against the creature, he needed to be somewhere else.

He walked for what seemed to be hours as the sun rained its extreme heat and unhealthy ultraviolet rays upon his body, before he finally got a hint of civilization. The smell of cooking and cleaning wafted across his nose, along with another smell that Naruto had smelt just before, coming from the jagged wall that still existed on his right. He then spotted something in the distance, something familiar.

The zeppelin.

Though the distortion caused by the heat and sun had prevented Naruto from seeing it until now, it was amazing that he had missed it at all. A huge tower, similar to the one he had seen in Dun Morogh, had been constructed not far away from the rock wall, and the zeppelin that he had come on was floating right next to the tower. He could smell and hear the sounds of the goblins unloading whatever cargo they had brought along with him.

He sped up, and when the tower was completely in his view, no longer obscured by the wavy heat, he watched the top from behind a boulder, trying to spot whatever the goblins where conversing with. A few minutes passed, and when nothing came Naruto almost started moving again, until a few grunts froze him in his tracks.

From the entrance, which Naruto couldn't see as it was on the other side of the tower, a group of easily some of the strangest creatures Naruto had ever seen in his life came.

They were huge, nearly seven feet tall, most likely more, and were the color of Naruto's least favorite things in the world, vegetables. They were all varying shades of the green as well, ranging from a light, yellowish green, to a dark, emerald. Each one the creatures had dark hair that had been braided in some way, and from what he could see of their faces, most of them had beards as well. All of them bulged with huge muscles, not the muscles that a ninja possessed, but that of a brawler's, strong and wild.

Their faces were hard and worn looking, the leathery green skin that covered them stretched taught over bulging facial muscles. They all had strong jaws, and their lips were parted slightly, most likely caused by the tusk-like protrusions that sprang from their bottom jaws.

Naruto knew at once what these creatures were.

_Orcs…_

He didn't dare go any closer yet, so he simply sat and watched the group as they moved away from the tower, lugging heavy crates with strange markings that Naruto guessed was either Goblish or Orcish. It was all Greek to him anyways. He was slightly in awe of their strength, as they were lifting the huge crates with apparent ease, and talking (or grunting) in audible tones to each other as they did. When they had moved away from the tower, Naruto crept from his hiding spot and followed quickly. He ducked behind rocks every now and then, crouching low both when he was trying to hide, and when he was moving. Stealth wasn't his strong point, but, being a ninja, he wasn't totally bereft in that area.

He followed them for a few minutes before he caught sight of where they were headed.

And once again, he couldn't help but gawk.

A massive gate had been built into the equally massive rock wall. Rather than being the same color as the wall, it as a white stone with crude wooden supports built into it. On both sides were two large, wooden guard towers, with small slits along the top. They were crude looking, and possessed none of the detailed skill that the towers in Stormwind or Ironforge had. Situated directly between the two towers was a large, closed gate, also made of wood. In front of the whole structure was a road, which led off into the distance away from the entrance, towards a canyon that Naruto could just see in the distance. On either side of the road large, tusk-like structures had been driven into the earth, forming crude boundaries. The whole structure had a strange feel to it; a primordial, primitive feeling that stirred something within the deepest depths of Naruto's mind. It was, in a word, fantastic.

And that was just the entrance.

Naruto was distracted from his slight awe when one of the orcs moved forwards, grunting something to the two orcs that Naruto couldn't understand. He suddenly grew a little nervous. Mekkatorque had mentioned that the orcs spoke a different language, but he hadn't remembered that until now.

_Shit… how am I going to talk to them if they can't understand me?_

**IT YOU HAD BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, BRAT, THE LITTLE MORSEL DID MENTION THAT THEIR LEADER SPOKE OUR LANGUAGE. FIND HIM FIRST.**

_Oh yeah…_

Shaking those thoughts from his mind, Naruto crept a little closer, hiding behind a large boulder that sat nearest to the road. He watched the orcs converse, before one of the ones behind the gate pulled a lever, and the gate began to rise up. Naruto realized that if he didn't get in at this point, he probably wouldn't get another chance. He stood up straight, and formed a seal, muttering under his breath,

"**Henge no jutsu**." In a puff of smoke and slight popping sound, Naruto was suddenly an orc. He was one of the darker colored ones, with dark red hair that had been braided into a topknot. He wore leather pants and a leather jerkin, with black leather boots. It was slightly awkward, and it took Naruto a few seconds to adjust himself to the new body structure.

By this time, the gate had fully opened, and the orcs were passing through steadily, hauling the huge grates with them. Naruto quickly sprang from behind the boulder and jogged towards the entrance, moving as fast as he could without appearing threatening. He slowed down when he neared the gate, and gave what he hoped to be a friendly grin to the guards.

One of them raised an eyebrow, and muttered something to his partner. Naruto had no idea what he said, but from the expression the other one was sporting, one of barely contained laughter, Naruto guessed it was a joke at his expense. He grinned good-naturedly again, and moved past them. They didn't attempt to stop him at all, which relieved Naruto slightly. As soon as he had passed the gate, one of the guards pulled the lever back, lowering the gate behind the transformed blonde.

The hallway that Naruto had entered carried the same primordial and primitive feel that the outside did. The ceiling was supported by a series of buttresses and the walls were adorned with ornate carvings of different sorts. Torches burned bright from their positions on the walls, alighting the carvings and casting shadows upon the dimly lit ground.

He followed the hallway, turning several times, before he spotted the exit. He emerged from the darkened hallway, and this time, his breath caught in his throat, and he was struck dumb.

Every place he had visited so far had possessed its own beauty. Stormwind had a majestic beauty, with its white stone streets and walls, and the large castle in the middle. Ironforge had possessed a more crafted beauty, like that of a stone statue that a master carver had just finished. Even Gnomeregan, despite the toxic waste filled air and numerous bloodthirsty troggs had possessed a cryptic beauty, one that boggled the mind and appealed to a person's imagination.

But Orgrimmar was simply amazing.

From his position at the entrance, Naruto could see almost the entire city. It dipped downwards into a valley, where a sea of houses, dotted with several large towers and other structures had been built. The road diverged almost immediately, splitting off into many smaller sections that weaved between the houses and shops. To his right a set of winding paths had been built into the wall, and more houses had been built above him, into the huge red stone that protected the city.

But that was just the beginning. He saw smoke rising from multiple houses where orcs where likely cooking meals, he saw small Orcish children running and weaving through the legs of adult orcs, making funny faces at each other or simply bothering the adults they passed. He saw Orcish guards walking through the streets, stopping occasionally to speak with the passers-by before moving on. Naruto could see hordes of other orcs traveling through the streets, laughing, talking, shopping, and doing things that one could see humans doing in Konoha or Stormwind. Naruto was struck at how very similar they were to humans, and that despite their size and color, they weren't much different at all.

And the smells, Naruto had never smelt such smells in his life. He could smell meals of all kinds being cooked, drinks being served and many others he simply couldn't identify. The smells enhanced the feeling that had stirred in Naruto's since had arrived. It was a feeling that was, for him, hard to describe. He didn't know why, but he felt…at home at this place. The high walls on all sides, coupled with the fantastic smells, and wondrous, open atmosphere, made Naruto instantly think of Konoha.

That was it.

This place…despite the crudeness of its structure, and its green-skinned people, reminded him exactly of the city of his birth. It had different smells, to be sure, but the atmosphere was exactly alike. It was one of peace, peace with a slight undertone of power, something that proved to Naruto that if anyone attacked this place, they would be in for the fight of their lives.

He hadn't gotten the same feeling in Stormwind, or in Ironforge. Ironforge had been closed off, musky, and hot. Its people had been friendly, but it had felt old, and Naruto had felt that unlike Konoha, the walls of rock that had surrounded Ironforge held much more history, and the stains that accompanied that history.

Stormwind, too, hadn't felt this way. It was beautiful, to be sure, but the entire city had been filled with tension. He had seen it in the people's eyes as they walked, never getting too close to another, lest they get their pockets picked or molested in some way. No, Stormwind had been filled with a constant strife, even if it had appeared peaceful; the paranoia, the fear that each citizen had, not knowing if they'd wake up the next day, or praying that their possessions weren't stolen while they slept.

But Orgrimmar had that feeling. Orgrimmar had a peaceful feeling to it, despite the constant hustle and bustle of its citizens. As he descended the hill, and traveled the road, not really knowing (or caring) where he was going, he could see that none of the orcs feared for their lives as they drifted off to sleep. None of the orcs kept their guards up around the members of their own kind. The bond of trust that the people had was as great as that of Konoha's.

It made Naruto's heart ache, too, for his own home. Even though the people had never really accepted him, it had always been his home, and it always would be.

So wrapped up in this experience, Naruto wasn't able to prevent himself from knocking shoulders with another orc, causing them both to stumble slightly. Naruto gave him (again what he hoped) an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," he mumbled, before passing the orc, who stood rooted to the spot, eyes wide. The orc then turned furiously around and grabbed Naruto by the shoulder, pulling the still-transformed boy to face him.

"_&((&)(&()&)(&!" _The orc shouted, his face screwed up with rage. Naruto took a step backwards, utterly baffled. What had he done wrong? He had said sorry, so why was this…?

A sudden jolt through his thoughts reminded him that he spoke not a word of Orcish, and "gomen" could easily be something extremely rude in the orc's language.

**YOU HAVE ALL THE LUCK, DON'T YOU BRAT?**

Naruto refrained from answering.

The orc still hadn't let go of the boy, and was glaring at him expectantly, most likely waiting for an apology of some sort. Panicking, Naruto flailed his arms about, stammering half-apologies before his brain kicked in and stopped him from making the situation even worse. The orc, guessing that Naruto wasn't going to apologize, hauled off and without warning, punched Naruto in the face.

Hard.

So hard in fact, that Naruto was launched off his feet, and slammed hard into the wall of a nearby building.

He groaned, and lifted himself to his feet, his wounds already healing, and glared at the orc full-force. Sure, he may have insulted the orc in some way, but that didn't give the guy the right to slug him that hard! He was about to ready himself to counter-attack, when he noticed that the orc was staring at him, not with anger, but with sheer astonishment. He wasn't the only one, either; nearly everyone in Naruto's range vision had stopped, and was staring at the boy with wide, shocked eyes.

He briefly wondered why for a second, before he noticed that his hands weren't green anymore. He looked down, and spotted his black and orange jacket, pants and boots, the ones that his human appearance wore.

_Oh…crap…_

He slowly turned around; hoping that they'd stay shocked so that he could begin running.

Alas, that would not be.

The orc he that he had (supposedly) insulted recovered first, and bellowed something out in Orcish, which broke the others out of their shock as well. He rushed towards Naruto, and threw a punch at the blonde, who dodged expertly and leapt over the orc. The orc swiveled to meet Naruto, who this time ducked under the punch, and attacked with his own fists. He quickly deduced that that was a bad idea, seeing as how they caused very little damage to the overly muscular orc. He dodged another punch and this time poured his chakra into his fist, smashing it into the orc's face. The orc stumbled and fell, unconscious into the crowd, which had begun to amass around the blonde.

He raised his hands and formed a seal, but before he could completely execute the jutsu, he felt a sharp, blinding pain in his back. He managed a half turn to see what had struck him, and saw one of the guardian orcs that he had seen patrolling earlier. The tip of the orcs spear was covered in blood.

His blood.

Growling in anger, he struck out with his fists and hands, unconsciously adding the demon's chakra into them. The breath was driven suddenly from his lungs as an orc in front of him drove its fist into Naruto's gut, and as he fell, a second attack from his side, then a third from behind, before Naruto's world degenerated into a haze of pain, sound and finally blackness.

* * *

Naruto suddenly became aware of his surroundings. He was lying on the ground, no doubt, as it was course and sandy. The smell of earth was very heavy in his nostrils, and above him he could dimly hear the shouts and roars of possibly hundreds of orcs. As consciousness gradually returned to him, he realized that he was still alive. 

He managed to crack open one eye, and found that he was indeed face down in the dirt. He managed a soft moan, and as feeling began to return to his limbs, he struggled to turn himself over. He managed to get one arm to move, but the other remained limp at his side, the whole thing covered in a fuzzy, lifeless haze. The feeling began to return much quicker now that Naruto was almost completely conscious, and after several seconds of struggling, managed to lift his upper torso off the ground, and flip himself onto his back.

He was staring up at the blue sky, his vision still slightly blurry. He became increasingly aware of the din that was blaring on all sides of him, and with a few seconds more struggle, Naruto managed to turn and look at what was causing it.

He wished he hadn't.

To his right…as well as to his left, in front, and he guessed behind were rows upon rows of orcs. They sat on rows of benches that had been raised up a good dozen or so feet, and the rows went back for many yards, gradually ascending upwards as they did. Inhabiting nearly every one of the seats were orcs of all colors, sizes, ages and genders. Somewhere watching in amusement, conversing with the orcs on either side, while others were howling into the air, slightly crazed looks on their faces.

By now, feeling had crept back into every part of Naruto's body, and he began to ache slightly. He was definitely healing, but he judged it had taken a long time for him to heal from the damage that the orcs had done to him earlier.

Speaking of which…

_Why did they leave me alive?_

**I HAVE A FEELING YOU ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.**

Indeed, as Naruto lifted himself to his feet, he looked completely around him, observing the many hundreds of orcs that populated the seats of the stadium-like structure. He saw that there were four closed gates on all four sides of him, and hoped that he wouldn't have to face what was behind them.

He suddenly got a vague feeling of déjà vu.

Suddenly, they were silent.

The rather unexpected silence unnerved Naruto, until a voice pierced the air, causing Naruto to whip around to face whatever it was.

"You are finally awake, boy?" A massive orc had spoken this, high on a balcony that had been raised above one of the gates. The orc was huge, and covered in armor of black and gold. He had a jet-black beard, and hair that had been braided so that it hung down in the front, his skin was a simple green, and his face was composed, not betraying anger, hate or disgust. The orc spoke calmly and didn't need to shout. That reason alone alerted Naruto to the fact that this orc was no doubt the leader.

This was Thrall.

The former Warchief of the Horde watched Naruto, light blue eyes staring hard into more defiant, deeper ones.

"Why have you come here, boy? What possible reasons could a human child have for entering my city, and attacking my people? I will not give you another chance to speak, so do so now!" he spoke with such power and force that Naruto flinched slightly at his tone, before he answered.

" I came here to see you, if you're Thrall, the Warchief that is. I need to talk to you," he said, watching the orc leader warily. Thrall raised an eyebrow.

"I am he. But to talk? You disguised yourself using magic to enter my city; you insult one of my people, and then attack him as well? And you think that I would simply listen to you? You are very naïve, boy, if you think that you can gain an audience by simply forcing your way in."

"It wasn't like that! I didn't know that I insulted him 'cause I have no idea how to speak your language! If I did, I would've asked the guards at the gate if I could see you, but I had no choice! And I was only defending myself! They attacked me first!" Naruto shouted back angrily. Thrall watched the boy for a time, his electric blue eyes not leaving Naruto's.

"Perhaps not…but I cannot allow such a breach of my security go unpunished. You will fight the one that you offended and attacked, and if you win, then you will leave, alive and free. But you will not return, ever. If you lose, then you are at the mercy of the one who defeats you," he said softly, causing Naruto to start visibly.

"You can't do this!" he cried furiously.

"I can boy. You are on our soil, and thusly you will obey our laws. I don't take kindly to those who harm my people. If you are strong, then you will redeem yourself by fighting, and clearing your name in that respect," he said. He then motioned with his hand, and the gate directly below him suddenly opened. From it, the very same orc from earlier, decked in armor and carrying a massive axe walked towards the boy, his face a mask of rage. Naruto took a few steps back, and reached for his own weapons, before he realized that they were gone.

"Hey, how come you took my weapons away, but you gave him back his!" he shouted at the Warchief, who had settled down into a large throne. Thrall frowned a second, then nodded to one of the orcs on his side.

"Give him a weapon," he ordered. The orc nodded and withdrew a small knife from his belt and threw it across the arena. It imbedded itself right at Naruto's feet, and the boy glared even harder.

_This is supposed to be fair?_

He picked the weapon up, and almost wished he hadn't. It was quite heavy and he knew that it would be more of a burden than a blessing in the next fight, where he needed speed rather than brute strength.

"Begin," the Warchief exclaimed, and once more the entire stadium was filled with noise, causing Naruto to wince slightly. The orc then charged.

He first swiped down at Naruto with his axe, who dodged to the side, causing the axe to crash into the ground. The ground split with the force of the blow, and Naruto instantly realized that he'd be finished, healing factor or not, if he let the orc hit him. He leapt up and kicked the orc in the head, causing him to stumble. The orc quickly recovered, and slashed at Naruto with the axe again, pressing him backwards with a series of powerful cuts.

Naruto narrowly dodged them, and was slightly amazed at the speed the orc had. He then planted his feet hard into the ground, pouring his chakra within. With the next attack, he bent backwards, avoiding the horizontal strike and then shot back up, smashing his fist into the orc's jaw. It hurt like hell, but the orc stumbled back, allowing Naruto to press the attack. He brought the heavy knife up and drove it into the handle of the axe, splitting it in two, and causing the axe to fall from the orc's grip. He then jumped and launched a few kicks at the orc's head, finally toppling him.

Naruto landed deftly, breathing hard. The orc had fallen, but was not down for the count. Instead he had got up swiftly, and charged Naruto, his axe forgotten. He threw a series of punches at the blonde, who dodged all of them with ease. Naruto countered with a punch aimed at the orc's head, however, the orc swiftly grabbed the blonde's fist, and grinning wildly, lifted him up and threw him across the arena.

Naruto smashed hard into the wall, which cracked and broke under the force with which he had struck it. Pain erupted through him, and he slid to the ground, groaning. He could taste coppery blood in his mouth as he struggled to get to his feet.

_Time to stop playing around._

He formed a seal.

"**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"** he cried, causing four clones to appear from thin air. The orc, who had begun to run towards the blonde, stopped, shocked. Up in the balcony, Thrall leaned forwards slightly, his interest piqued.

_He knows that technique…amazing…_

The four clones grinned simultaneously, as did Naruto himself. Without a word he charged, the six clones at his sides.

The orc had recovered by now, and had charged as well, moving directly towards what he thought was the original. When he met the line, and struck out at the middle Naruto, but hit nothing but air. The clone had ducked underneath his punch, and now inside his guard, let loose a powerful kick to the orc's face, launching him backwards.

"**U!"**

Naruto himself leapt off the clone's back, high into the air, as the other clones converged around the orc. One slammed his foot hard into the still falling orc's gut at an upward angle from one side.

"**ZU!"**

Another drove his foot hard into the orc's chest with as much force as the first, and at the same angle from the front.

"**MA!"**

The final clone kicked right in between the other two from the other side, launching the orc skywards.

"**KI!**"

The last thing the air-born orc saw was a black-and-orange blur, streaking down towards him from above.

"**Naruto Rendan! (Naruto Combo)**" Naruto's orange-glowing foot slammed with bone-shattering force into the orc's face, blasting him downwards. He struck the ground with enough force to shatter the earth beneath him, causing dust and debris to fly up all around. Huge cracks blossomed out from were the orc struck, causing the whole arena to shake with the tremendous force caused by the massive orc's collision.

This time, he did not get up.

Naruto landed unevenly, nearly falling over as he did. He left leg was completely numb from the kick.

_That hurt!_

The noise gradually tapered off, the audience stunned by the events. The human…no the human _child_, had defeated one of their own. It was unbelievable.

Thrall did not share the shock that his people did, for he had seen many humans who were strong. He was nonetheless impressed. An attack like that, so coordinated and powerful, was most certainly a testament to the blonde's skill.

Thrall stood, and was about to speak when Naruto interrupted him.

"Hey! Warchief! I got a proposition for ya'!" Naruto shouted, grinning as he stood up straight. Thrall raised an eyebrow again.

"What proposition is that, human?" he said, his voice carrying throughout the whole stadium. Naruto smirked.

"If I beat some more of those guys, say two more, then you have ta' listen to what I came here to say! I didn't travel halfway around the world to just leave after I've gone through all the trouble. So what do you say?" he said, grinning arrogantly. Thrall was silent, then,

"You have a deal, child. If you defeat two more of my warriors, I will listen to what you came here to do. If you lose, however, you will be at my mercy, and it will be up to me to decide your fate," he said solemnly, then made a hand motion to one of the guards next to him, the very same one whom had given up his knife. The guard nodded, and without a second's pause, leapt into the arena, landing with a resounding boom.

Thrall smirked slightly.

_This boy is interesting._

Naruto nodded, lowering himself into an attack stance. His wounds had already healed for the most part, and he was quickly getting his second wind. The guard drew a huge, curved blade from across his back, and then charged the blonde shinobi.

Naruto summoned two more clones, and almost immediately after he formed a second seal.

"**Henge no jutsu!**" He cried, causing both clones to disappear in puffs of smoke, and be replaced by huge, wicked looking Fuuma shuriken.

The blonde unfolded one, and hurtled it at the approaching orc. It sliced through the air, moving incredibly quickly. The guard took it on his blade, pushing it to the side, before continuing his charge. When he got close enough, he slashed at Naruto's head, but the blonde stepped backwards, avoiding the strike. However, instead of pulling back and readying another attack, the guard charged, ramming his shoulder hard into Naruto's chest. The attack knocked Naruto back, causing him to almost lose grip on the transformed clone shuriken. The guard pressed on, this time delivering a sharp, powerful blow with the flat of the blade to Naruto's side. Naruto flew, landing hard on the ground a few yards away, skidding to a stop near the wall. He managed to hold onto the shuriken, however.

Grunting, Naruto stood up, but smirked arrogantly again. The guard raised an eyebrow at the boy's boldness, but didn't bother saying anything, and charged towards the blonde, his blade held high.

This time, however, he didn't make it to the blonde. Instead his raised weapon was suddenly removed from his grip, and the orc found himself floundering around, unsteady from the loss of the weight. He turned, and saw that a clone was clutching the curved blade, sticking its tongue out at the guard.

The clone, which had once been the first shuriken Naruto had thrown, hadn't been dispelled after being knocked aside.

The guard made a grab for the weapon, but the clone danced away out of his reach. He made to move after it but a whistling sound from behind alerted him to the presence of the second shuriken, which was cutting through the air towards him. The guard met the attack by grabbing the blade out of the air, and prepared to return it. This was a problem, however, seeing as it suddenly turned back into the clone that it had started out as. The clone grabbed the orc's arm and bit down, hard. The guard yelped slightly in pain, letting go of the clone, which leapt back, moving alongside the clone that had relieved him of his weapon.

* * *

Above, Thrall watched the fight with growing amusement. The boy was incredibly skilled, a bit crude, and lacking in experience, but skilled nonetheless. He thought quickly on his feet, and attacked without any regard for his own safety, and from what it looked like, never even considered the consequences of his attacks. He was amusing, to say the least. 

**_"An interesting lad, don't you think, my friend?"_** rumbleda deep, throaty voice from behind. Thrall didn't show any signs of surprise, having felt the presence long before.

"I didn't know that you had returned. And yes…he is interesting," Thrall returned not taking his eyes off the fight.

**_"He fights with a tenacity that reminds me of you. I would like to try my hand at him, if you permit it,_**" the voice said softly. Thrall considered the figure's words.

"I could not stop you, if you did."He will most certainly lose if you do, however, he said.

**_"All the better,_**" the voice intoned. Thrall nodded, smiling at little, and then turned his full attention back to the fight.

* * *

The guard, now bereft of weapons, moved to engage the real Naruto, who was still standing against the wall. The clones moved swiftly as the guard charged, coming up behind him. The one wielding his weapon drove the heavy blade forwards, aiming low for his legs. The second clone leapt up and threw a kick at the guards exposed neck. 

The guard avoided the first strike by moving to the side, and then caught the clone that had jumped before his leg connected. He threw the second clone into the first, and both flew backwards, exploding into smoke.

The guard caught the blade that had fallen from the clone's grip and lifted it up once more, brandishing it menacingly at the blonde. Naruto's mind flew at a mile a minute, trying desperately to come up with a way to fight defeat the guard. It was clear the thing was much stronger than he, and it's skill with a weapon far surpassed his own. Plus, the guard had experience in battle.

But then again, fighting against Uzumaki Naruto was an experience in itself.

His mind suddenly stopped, and a sudden thought came to him. It was crazy, stupid, and completely unpredictable.

In other words, it was totally Naruto.

He grinned wickedly, his eyes scanning the crowd, before finding what he was looking for. His wild imagination doing the rest, Naruto formed a seal.

"**Sexy no jutsu: Style: Orc!"**

The guard stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes wide.

The audience fell silent, staring wildly at the scene in front of him.

Thrall snorted as he held a hand to stem the nosebleed he was getting.

Standing where Naruto had been, was a lusciously (in the orc's opinion at least) gorgeous female orc, bereft of any sort of clothing, standing in a very sexy pose, and smiling cutely at the guard, who was still frozen on the spot. The guard could only stare for so long, however, before his animal instincts kicked in and blood began to gush from his nose. The guard grinned perversely, stumbling forwards, his weapon forgotten. The female blew a kiss in his direction, and he sped up.

Instead of another kiss, however, he got Naruto's fist in his face.

The shinobi had released the transformation, and had run forwards, hammering his fist into the guard's face. He followed up with a second series of powerful punches to the orc's face, causing the guard to lose balance and fall backwards onto the ground, with Naruto still punching him.

He landed with a crash, and was soon unconscious, Naruto's powerful strikes taking their toll, coupled with the blood loss from earlier as well.

Naruto stood, triumphant, and turned back to Thrall, smirking. The Warchief was smirking as well, and had cleaned the remnants of his own nosebleed away.

"How'd ya' like that, Ero-orc!" Naruto shouted. Thrall growled slightly, a little annoyed at the disrespect, but still amazed that the boy had won.

"Well done, you have one more to go, boy," Thrall said, forcing down the annoyance. He nodded, and while Naruto prepared for the other guard to jump in, something different happened.

The gate below the balcony opened once more, and something huge moved out into the ring, something much bigger than the previous two orcs.

The massive figure that stepped into the light was not an orc, Naruto knew. If it was, it was far bigger than any he had seen, and was a different color as well. All other orcs were varying shades of green, but this one was sort of a dark beige color. The creature's body bulged with even larger muscles than any of the previous orcs, and Naruto could feel the barely restrained power flowing from it. It was garbed in bulky leather armor, and a strange helmet obscured the majority of its head; it was the upper jaw and skull of a wolf, with the fur still attached. The rest of the wolf skin fell down behind him, forming a sort of cape.

In it's hands, the creature clutched two massive axes, deadly sharp, and what was exposed of its face was bared in a feral snarl, even bigger tusks than the previous orcs' sprouting from the lower jaw.

The crowd began to cheer so loudly that Naruto nearly fell over. He pulled off the earring of hearing, growling. He was going to have to talk to Berlyiro about that.

Naruto crouched low again; ignoring the feeling he was getting in facing this creature. He didn't know why, but he could tell that if he fought this thing, then he would lose.

But it wasn't in his nature to give up.

He charged, summoning another crowd of clones as he did. Unlike the other two, the uber-orc didn't move a muscle, and let Naruto come to it. The clones split to the side, surrounding it, and then launched themselves at the orc, moving as one.

They never even got close.

The orc moved with frightening speed, and began spinning quickly, his huge axes whirling through the air. The attacking clones were blown away by the force generated from the spinning, and a small, but extremely powerful windstorm blew up around the orc. The ground was torn asunder, rocks, pieces of earth and dirt where thrown in every direction. The charging clones sailed in every direction, too, and some landed hard on the ground of the arena, while others smashed into the walls, and even some landed in the audience.

Naruto gaped at the extraordinary technique, but didn't have time to do much of anything else. The orc, despite its size, charged at Naruto with incredible speed, slamming his left axe into Naruto's stomach, driving the breath from his lungs. As second attack dislocated Naruto's right arm, and a final shattered a rib or two, launching him across the arena. He rolled across the ground to a stop on the opposite end, coughing and spitting blood.

The orc didn't chase him, but remained stoically in the middle, his axes gleaming in the light of the sun.

Naruto managed to get back to his feet, groaning. His right arm hung limply at his side, and it hurt to even breath. The Kyuubi was working hard to repair the damage, but Naruto didn't think he'd be able to last another attack like that.

He growled, and lowered himself. He couldn't afford to lose. His wounds repaired even faster as reddish chakra began to coalesce around the blonde, subtly changing his features. His hair grew slightly longer and wilder, his canines and fingernails lengthened, and his eyes became blood red. He lowered himself onto all fours, the Kyuubi's instincts running through his head.

The huge orc frowned, watching the transformation. He had never seen anything quite like it, especially from a human. And the presence the boy gave off had tripled in size, causing the orc to question if this creature truly was a human. He had never felt such powerful animalistic emotions in his life. Whatever this boy was, or whatever ability allowed him to duplicate the presence of something akin to a dragon, or worse, a demon, he knew that he'd have to finish it off quickly if he was going to win.

Naruto shot forwards, moving much faster then before. He was upon the huge orc in seconds, slashing with his new claws, kicking, head butting, snapping his jaws and doing everything possible to injure the huge orc. Amazed at the boy's sudden surge in power, the orc defended himself with increasing difficulty, as the boy never seemed to do the same thing twice. He slashed downwards with his axe, but the boy avoided it, leaping to the side, and attacking again, this time summoning clones to aid him.

The huge orc then focused all of his power into his axes, and slammed them downwards. The ground beneath them exploded, blasting the clones and the boy away from him. The boy landed on all fours, growling slightly, before he held out his hand, and a sphere of glowing power appeared, spinning wildly. The boy charged again, the reddish aura growing as he did, and pulled his arm back to ready the attack.

But the huge orc was ready, and as the boy shouted, "**Oodama Rasengan! (Big Ball Rasengan)",** he moved. An aura of chakra, wild and untamed, erupted from the orc's body, and he dropped one of his axes, catching the boy's arm and stopping the attack from striking him. He then swung the boy downwards, and brought the handle of his axe down hard on the boy's chest.

The force of the strike drove Naruto deeper into the ground, rock and earth cracking underneath him. The sharp blow from the axe, however, did its work, and Naruto's consciousness was snuffed out immediately. The Rasengan dissipated, and Naruto knew no more.

The orc stepped back, watching the fallen boy, keenly. The audience erupted with cheers, making it hard for him to think. He watched the boy for a little longer, before turning and walking back towards the gate. He stopped however, when he felt something grab his boot. He turned and stared down at the blonde shinobi, whose hand had shot out, even in his unconsciousness, and grabbed the orc. He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

_Even in oblivion the boy doesn't want to lose. How curious._

He gently shook the hand from his boot, and turned, disappearing through the gate from whence he had come.

Thrall was there to meet him. He passed the Warchief without stopping.

**_"Keep him alive, he is a curious little thing, and I don't believe he is here to cause harm. Keep an eye on him, he could be useful, I think," _**he rumbled. Thrall looked at him curiously, but nodded.

"Good luck, Rexxar, my friend," he said. Rexxar nodded, and without another word, departed.

* * *

Naruto awoke in a bed. 

It was a soft one as well, somewhat strange smelling but comfy and warm. He slowly sat up, and at once was alerted to the presence of another in the room.

"Good afternoon, boy," came the deep, commanding voice of the Warchief Thrall. Naruto swiveled his head towards the orc, who was sitting in a chair near the bed. Two other orcs stood by the door, both Naruto had never seen before, and where dressed the same as the guards on the balcony.

"Why am I still alive?" Naruto said softly, looking at the orc, confused.

"Because I chose to let you live. I said you would be at my mercy, not that you would die," Thrall responded. He stood.

"You had something to say to me, I believe. But I will not hear it now. You are indebted to me, boy, and thusly you must repay me in some way."

"How?" Naruto said. Thrall looked down at the boy, piercingly.

"You will train under me. You will perform services for me. You will act like a member of the Horde, and you will obey me. If you do all of this, then I will listen to your proposal in time. For now, you are mine to command, and if you refuse, I will kill you. What do choose?" he said, his voice rising slightly. Naruto was taken aback, his eyes wide.

"For how long?" he asked. Thrall's face didn't change as he said,

"For as long as I see fit." He then waited again for the blonde's response. Naruto looked down, fighting an internal battle. If he accepted then there was no telling how long that he'd be there, and he didn't exactly have all the time in the world!

But if he didn't accept…well, he was dead. He sighed in resignation.

"I'll do it," he said tiredly. Thrall nodded, his ice blue eyes staring once more into Naruto's deep blue ones, before he turned and left the room.

And so Naruto was apprenticed to the Warchief of the former Horde, for an indeterminate amount of time.

He was _so_ lucky.

**SHALL I REPEAT MYSELF? YOU HAVE ALL THE LUCK DON'T YOU BRAT?**

_Shut up._

_

* * *

_

Chapter done!

This one was fun to write, because I not only am a Horde character, but I'm extremely fond of the orcs. I don't know much about Thrall, per say, only that humans raised him and that he's rather soft on enemies of the Horde. So, I made him somewhat hard assed, but willing to give Naruto a chance.

Rexxar was also fun to write.

Reviewer Answers:

**obsidian-fox- **You are my hero, my friend. I thank you for correcting that large mistake that I made, many times in the past, so for that, I give you the "**Most Helpful Reviewer Award"** For the chapter! I hope that it is easier to follow in this chapter, I was sure to make it clearer. I also think your story _Eldritch Asylum _is great, so keep up the good work on that!

**PersonaJXT- **Yes Thrall is alive, as for Jaina, you will find out. And yes, all of the Horde races will make an appearance in this story. The two factions of Undead, The Forsaken (Led by Sylvanas) and the Scourge (by the Lich King) will make appearances later. The Scourge don't really need allies, considering just about everything they kill can be added to their army, and the you will need to keep reading to find out what becomes of the Forsaken. You will have to find out who is controlling Anduin, as well, as that will be revealed later on.

**Sanosuke- **Thanks for the words of encouragement. The fic is going to continue, but there isn't really a "World of Warcraft" arc.

**Tatsu- **Thanks for reviewing. Don't assume anything about Naruto's return home yet, only that I have mentioned how he will be returning already, back a few chapters. And yes, I imagine it will be difficult for him to get The Night Elves and The Forsaken, as well as the Trolls, but he's Naruto, after all. So far, in WoW, the Lich King's domain is blocked off, and nobody can encounter him. It is likely that you will in a later expansion pack or patch, but not now.

**Gamergirl333-** Yes he did.

**Skuld's Sentaro 5**- Shhhhhhhh! That's supposed to be a secret! And hopefully this and the following chapters will convert you to the Horde!

That's everything I think. Until next time,

General Grievous

_Next time, Naruto begins training, and a whole lot of missions, misadventures and malefactors!_

**Spellbook-**

**Sexy no jutsu: Style: Orc** – A variant of the original Sexy no jutsu, only the user turns into an orc, so it is most effective against orcs (and really weird humans).

**Bestiary-**

**Armored Scorpid** (**Beast)-** A giant scorpion, 'nuff said.

**Rexxar Champion of the Horde (Humanoid)(Elite)**- The Champion of the Horde, Beastmaster, and friend of Thrall. Immensely powerful due to his Half-Orc, Half-Ogre lineage, he fights on his own terms, and occasionally Thrall's. He usually wanders the wasteland of Desolace, but occasionally returns to perform services for Thrall.


	18. Training in Hell

Disclaimer: "**I was wondering…where does the author get his ideas for these stupid disclaimers, anyways?"**

"**You know…I have no idea."**

"**Let's look it up on…Wikipedia!"**

"**Of course! Wikipedia!"**

"**Of course!"**

"**Of course!"**

"**Of course!"**

"**I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft!"**

"**Of cour-wait, what?"**

"**Of course!"**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_!

Orcish

Human

* * *

"Watch where you're goin' human!"

"Don't touch me, you stupid little monkey!"

"Get out of my way, human, or I shall make you!"

Naruto sighed and dodged around another massive orc before continuing on his way down the road. It was around noon, and the heat was nearly unbearable. He wiped some sweat from his brow, panting and feeling utterly miserable. Sure the heat had something to do with it, but it was more from the fact that wherever he turned, he received not a single kind word or look.

But then again, he was kind of used to it.

However, right now, it seemed even more unbearable than before. Perhaps it was because in his journeys to the other cities in this world, places where he was either simply ignored, such as Stormwind, or he was accepted as a member, like Ironforge. Since he had left Konoha he hadn't been subjected to a single cold, disgusted or subtly angry look.

Until now, that is.

He didn't know why he felt so down about it, either. He didn't think that it would have affected him this much, considering he had been subjected to something similar to it ever since he could remember. True, it hadn't been that bad recently, not since the Chuunin Exams and his defeat of Neji in front of almost all of the prominent ninja in the village. Since he had gotten friends, too, it had lessened to a point where he completely ignored the scornful looks that he received daily, and he began to feel that his place in Konoha had finally been made.

Now, Naruto couldn't help but realize how similar the week he had spent in this city, and the years of his childhood in Konoha, were.

There was a difference, however. Back then, he hadn't had anything to compare it to. He had always been alone, and until Iruka-sensei, then Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi, then the rest of the Rookie Nine, Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shizune, Jon, Kira, Berlyiro, Furnizzle and his brothers, Undrig, Magni, and finally Mekkatorque, he had never experienced what it had been like to have people who actually cared for him.

He had never realized how good he actually had it; he didn't know that something could be so precious until you didn't have it anymore.

That was essentially what summed up Naruto's first week in Orgrimmar. From day one of his training with Thrall, to that very second as Naruto trudged through the simmering streets of the orc city, Naruto had been cast back into the days before his graduation of the Academy; where he was glared at, snarled at, shouted at, sworn at, and had been subjected to numerous other unpleasant experiences that he had once been so good at ignoring.

But, it wasn't all that bad.

Despite what his people thought of Naruto, Thrall was a surprisingly good teacher. In the first week Naruto had been there, he had managed to teach Naruto the majority of the Orcish language, which, while harder sounding and more stressed than his own, wasn't much different. Of course, Naruto realized that if he hadn't learned quickly, his days there would have been even worse. He was still shaky on his own pronunciations and vocabulary, but he could get the gist of what most orcs were saying when he went out to eat in the evening, after the day's teaching had been completed, and Naruto was starving. Thrall didn't feed Naruto during the eight hours that he spent teaching the boy, so aside from a meager breakfast left outside the door of his room near Thrall's throne room, he wasn't fed at all. Thrall had given him a few gold pieces (which Naruto was thankful was the currency) at the end of his first training session, saying that it would be the only money he would get from him until he finished his first real mission.

Which, according to Thrall, wouldn't be for some time.

But that didn't mean that Naruto wouldn't work. No, Thrall used Naruto every moment he possibly could for errands, either sending messages here, or delivering a package there, traveling back and forth through the city in every waking moment that he had. Thrall would sometimes break off the language lessons for a while, and have Naruto deliver a message halfway across the city, without truly telling him where he was supposed to go. In theory, it would force Naruto to ask for directions, so that he would get a better grasp of the language that he was still learning.

Naruto wondered if all teachers were either blind or simply cruel.

For the first few times, Naruto had asked, but soon after, he had learned not to. Not only did he never get an answer, even if he was sure he had said the words correctly, but he was occasionally snapped at, and more often than not, simply ignored. This made finding the people that he needed rather…troublesome.

So he had been forced to do something that he had never really been all that good at.

Listening.

He would walk through the streets, and keep his ears trained for the slightest mention of what the person he was looking for. He began to turn that itself into a training exercise; using what little stealth he had in trying to glean information from simply listening to conversation from the passerby. Thrall had forbidden him to assume the form of an orc again, saying that if he did, he would be sorely punished.

While in most cases Naruto would have simply disobeyed him, he felt that he didn't want to get into even deeper shit than he already was.

So he would listen. It was fortunate that most of the people that Naruto was delivering messages to were fairly important, because that meant that people talked about them, and knew of them. So most of the time, he would be able to piece together snippets of conversations that mentioned whom he was looking for, and then find the person. Sometimes it took him longer than needed, and by the time he had found the person, delivered the message, and returned to Grommash Hold, it was nightfall. Most of the time, Thrall was less than pleased with his tardiness, but let it pass, after seeing the generally miserable look Naruto directed at him.

_Just like home…_he though irritably, dodging around another orc before stopping near the wall of the winding road he was on. Despite his seemingly endless stamina, Naruto found that he still had to take several minutes to rest, both because of the unbearable heat and the fact that nearly every orc in his path seemed to go out of their way to knock into Naruto.

Naruto was currently in search of an orc named Gredoker, whom Thrall wished to see about some matter or another. He had left Grommash Hold nearly two hours ago, and had managed to catch several snippets of conversation in one of the bars in the Valley of Strength. Gredoker apparently lived in the Valley of Spirits, which thankfully was only a few miles away from the entrance to the Valley of Strength. The few miles, however, were up twisting and winding roads that led from the deepest section of the valley that Orgrimmar had been built in, the Valley of Strength, all the way up to the highest section, built into the massive rock wall on the west side of the city, where the Valley of Spirits resided. Naruto had been to the Valley of Spirits several times in the past week, and he was beginning to get the layout of the city.

He smiled in triumph as he reached the top of the road, wiping sweat from his face. He didn't stop long, not wanting to be trampled to death by the numerous orcs who had decided that there wasn't really a human in front of them. He hurried along the road, entering the Valley of Spirits, and hurrying along towards his destination.

The Valley of Spirits was one of the smallest sections of the city, but it was easily the most beautiful. The majority of the Valley was a large pool, where numerous houses had been built atop, held just above the water by long poles. The pool was clear, and tinged a light blue. There were no fish in sight, which made Naruto wonder why there was a pool in the first place.

He finally slowed to a stop in front of a small, tidy looking hut across the road that led around the pool. He walked calmly up to the doorway, which was closed, and knocked twice.

He was met, as usual, with a scowling green face and distrustful black eyes.

"What do you want?" the orc rumbled, looking at Naruto suspiciously.

Naruto sighed, and said,

"I have message for you, from…" he hesitated slightly, grimacing at what he was about to say, "His Greatness Warchief Thrall."

The orc frowned a little, obviously noting the hesitation and grimace as well as the mangled language.

"Fine, give it here, then boy."

Naruto handed over the letter, printed on a rough, leathery skin tied together. He waited as the orc opened the letter, read the first few lines, muttered something, then simply turned and went back inside, not bothering to tell the boy to leave.

Naruto sighed again, turned and made his way back towards Grommash Hold.

Yes…life was fantastic.

* * *

"You will have to learn boy, that control is the essence of what I am to be teaching you. Without control, your power is half of what it could be, and if you don't start taking care of what I say, then you will not learn." Thrall said, eyeing the blonde shinobi who was glaring at a small bucket of water on the stone floor of his throne room. 

It was the sixth day of Naruto's actual training. After nearly a week of learning Orcish and delivering messages for Thrall, the Warchief had finally told Naruto that he would begin proper training in the next day.

Naruto dimly wished Ero-sennin were back, already missing the Sennin's twisted training sessions. They were nothing compared to Thrall's.

From just after Naruto woke and ate the meager meal he had, Thrall had subjected Naruto to a hellish sparring session that had lasted the good portion of the morning. Unlike Ero-sennin, Thrall worked in a brutally direct manner of teaching. He would beat Naruto to a pulp, using both speed and strength Naruto wouldn't have believed the Orc capable of, before he pointed out Naruto's faults. He never insulted Naruto; not really, he simply pointed holes that were painfully obvious in Naruto's fighting style, but that in itself made Naruto feel like he had been subjected to one of Ero-sennin's taunts. It made him boil slightly with anger, get back up, and try again.

Thrall was, in Naruto's opinion, probably the strongest person he had ever faced in battle. He disregarded the fact that he had faced villains like Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi before, but neither had displayed the sheer power and skill that Thrall did. The Warchief's attacks were frighteningly quick, but even more so were they strong.

He didn't exactly know what it felt like to be subjected to one of Tsunade's full power punches, but he guessed that even they paled in comparison to the power behind Thrall's attacks.

What's more, Naruto had never faced anyone who could take so much damage without even flinching. Naruto struck the orc with everything he had during his fights, as Thrall didn't set any sort of limits. He used Kage Bunshin, every elemental style jutsu he knew, even Rasengan. The frightening thing was that despite Thrall's size, he could move with a speed that made it almost impossible for the blonde to hit him. Naruto didn't think it was possible for someone with so much mass to move so quickly. He didn't always move this quickly, however, but when he didn't punching him was like punching a wall of solid steel. Not a single one of his punches did any damage, so he had taken to using quantity over quality on his attacks. This didn't help much, because as soon as began to attack, Thrall would find a counter and employ it swiftly, ending Naruto's attack and more often than not his consciousness.

Naruto hoped that he'd be able to learn whatever technique the orc was using.

This sparring lasted for several hours each day, and afterwards, they worked on control.

That was where Naruto needed the most help.

Though he had learned much in the way of control in his six months with Jiraiya, the Toad Sennin had mostly focused on mastering the jutsu that Naruto already had, ironing out the holes in them and making them better suited to Naruto's fighting style. He had learned control, but only the necessary amount for furthering his mastery of Kage Bunshin, the Katon jutsu that Jiraiya had taught him, and the meager amounts of other elemental jutsu that Jiraiya had allowed him to learn.

For Thrall, it seemed that the control that Naruto had, wasn't enough, so instead of teaching him anything else, he taught Naruto some of the most obscure, and difficult, chakra control exercises that the boy had ever seen. They all revolved around the manipulation of elements, as Thrall was a Shaman, and he planned for Naruto to become one as well.

Shaman were manipulators of the elements, warriors who spoke to the "spirits" of the world, gaining their knowledge, learning to become one with them. When he had first heard of it, Naruto had been excited. Aside from some Fire jutsu, a few Earth jutsu, one or two Water jutsu, Rasengan, and his Kage Bunshin related techniques, Naruto didn't know that many jutsu. He had believed that this would be his ticket into learning the cooler jutsu that he had seen Kakashi and Jiraiya using during their battles against Zabuza and Orochimaru.

But so far…

Thrall had first taught Naruto to focus his chakra into his hands, molding a thin layer atop his skin and then putting it into an open flame to see if he could protect himself. It had resulted in Naruto getting numerous burns and a very foul temper. It had taken him days to finally perfect it, and by then Thrall had already moved him on to water "catching". This involved making Naruto try to use his chakra to pick up balls of water and keep the water in his hands. It was even more difficult, then the previous exercise, and twice as frustrating. Picking up the water was a challenge in itself, but keeping it from slipping through his fingers was another challenge entirely. He was close to mastering that exercise as well.

He was glad that Thrall was so reasonable, because anyone else would have likely been fed up with the boy's ranting.

Naruto guessed that was one of the reasons that he liked the orc. While Thrall never once gave Naruto a compliment, or even gave a faint look of approval, he sat patiently and watched the blonde work, never insulting, never looking condescending, but most of all, never ignoring Naruto in favor of something else. All of Naruto's previous teachers had ignored Naruto at one point or another in favor of something they believed to be more important. Whether it was Kakashi training Sasuke before the final round of the Chuunin Exams, or Jiraiya sneaking off to "gather information" during his training sessions both before and after Sasuke's defection, Naruto hadn't really had someone whom had given their full attention to him.

It was nice, he decided, but also harder. Before, during the times when he had been forced to train by himself, he had made up training exercises or done the ones that he had been given in a different way, which achieved the same outcome, but suited his interests better. Here, he had to do everything that Thrall commanded him to. He had given his word during the battle tournament that he'd do whatever Thrall wanted of him, and he wasn't about to break his word again.

For what seemed like the millionth time, Naruto began to mold chakra into his hands, and slowly he slid them into the water, scooping out a small handful of water, and coaxing it into a globule. He held it aloft, in one hand, concentrating as much as he could. Thrall watched from a few feet away, his electric blue eyes never leaving Naruto's hands.

Naruto held it out in front of him, breathing slowly, his face etched in a stony glare of determination.

_This,_ he decided, _is going to be the last time I do this stupid technique_. He ignored the knowledge that he had thought that very same phrase for every hour of every day since he had started the exercise, and continued concentrating.

It wavered slightly, as did Naruto's mask of concentration.

But it held.

Naruto grinned childishly, holding out his hand for the orc to see.

"Mission accomplished, Warchief-san," he said.

Thrall gave a nod, his features perfectly composed, though Naruto caught a flicker of something in the orc's eyes. It was gone before he could look again, but he was sure that he had seen something.

"Good," Thrall rumbled, "Now we start on wind grasping."

Naruto looked puzzled. "What the…hall? No heck, is air grasping?" The boy asked, frowning and reddening a little at his slight slip up in words.

Thrall stood, and slipped into a fighting stance. Naruto was instantly alert, getting up himself and dropping the ball of water. Thrall motioned for Naruto to attack, and the boy did so, shooting forwards as he did. The formed a seal, summoning several Kage Bunshin, and they as one attacked the Warchief.

Thrall, however, was easily ready for the attack, and leapt into the air, dodging the strikes at once. He sailed over their heads in an impressive feat of agility that was somewhat surprising of the orc, but Naruto had gotten used to, thanks to the sparring they had every morning. Naruto turned to meet the orc as he landed, when something odd happened.

Instead of landing on the ground, pushing off his feet, and charging at the blonde, Thrall pushed off mid-air, shooting across the room and reaching Naruto in a heartbeat, never once touching the ground.

Startled, Naruto had no way to defend, and was slammed into the floor by Thrall as the huge orc reached him. Naruto's vision exploded in white-hot pain, and he coughed up a large amount of blood.

Moaning, he opened one eye and spotted Thrall watching him curiously. Feeling both angry and puzzled, Naruto slowly got up, moaning as he did, and when he had reached one knee, he looked up at Thrall.

"How did you do that?" he asked, wiping some blood from his mouth.

Thrall beckoned Naruto to follow, and as he did said, "That was air grasping, child."

He walked towards the door at the end of the massive hall, and Naruto followed reluctantly, rubbing the back of his head. The boy was still slightly shocked.

_He used his chakra to…push off the air? I didn't think that was even possible. _

**JUST BECAUSE THE SHINOBI HAVEN'T DISCOVERED IT, DOESN'T MEAN IT ISN'T POSSIBLE, BRAT.**

Naruto nodded slightly, feeling slightly foolish that he hadn't assumed that.

Thrall cast an eye back on his young charge as they walked towards the entrance to the Valley of Spirits. The boy was interesting to say the least, and though he wouldn't tell Naruto himself, he was impressed with the boy's growth. It had only been six days since they had started truly training in the arts of the Shaman, but the boy learned quickly. It was no doubt from a combination of the boy's previously learned talents and his determination to get through the training as quickly as possible that was causing the boy to progress so quickly. Normally, learning the control necessary to perform Shaman techniques would take months of constant study and training, but the boy had progressed through two of the four necessary training exercises, and was unknowingly making progress in the third. It was strange, Thrall realized, that the boy was so talented. He guessed that it wouldn't be long before he'd be able to give the boy missions as he intended.

Upon reaching the Valley of Spirits, Thrall led Naruto away form the large pool that encompassed most of it, and towards the back entrance to the city, which led directly into the wilds of the Barrens. Instead of a huge gate that blocked intruders from getting in, the back entrance consisted of a huge suspension bridge that hung over a large canyon, at the bottom of which was a rushing river that ran all the way down to the ocean. The bridge was built from wood as well as the same "tusks" that he had seen out in front of the city.

Naruto gasped slightly in surprise, marveling at the huge bridge that stretched across the canyon. Beyond it, a long path led along a rock wall into the distance, where the Barrens began.

He looked away from the scene and saw Thrall standing by the edge of the bridge, watching Naruto.

He suddenly had a sinking feeling in his stomach, and an even worse sense of déjà vu.

He was getting that a lot lately, it seemed.

"This is where you will be practicing, boy." Thrall said, his expression perfectly serious and composed.

Naruto nearly fainted.

"Are you crazy? You're going to get my killed! What's wrong with you!" Naruto cried, stepping away from the Warchief.

Thrall merely raised an eyebrow. "Are you scared, boy? It isn't that far a drop, and you seem to be quite durable…"

Naruto pushed down the flashbacks he was having of the time Jiraiya had pushed him down a canyon.

"You're beans! I thought you wanted me alive so you could teach me? But now you're going to kill me?" Naruto cried, eyes wide, so shocked that he didn't even bother to correct the poor word selection of his insults.

Thrall sweat dropped at the boy's reaction. He hadn't expected the boy to be so defiant.

"You will do as you're told, boy. If you grasp the concept behind air grasping, then you will have no trouble. This is one of the only practical control techniques I'm going to teach you, so it would be in your best interests to learn it." He said calmly.

Naruto calmed down a bit, the flashbacks going away. He had to admit it was a practical technique, but he knew that he'd most likely be taking a few spills into the water.

He groaned.

"I'll do it…bastard." He said, in Common.

Thrall smirked, nodded, and left him.

_It seems that Rexxar was right…this boy might be useful._

_

* * *

_

"My first mission…?" Naruto asked, looking surprised.

"Yes…I think that you are ready. These past few weeks you have improved in control, and have begun learning the Tetra-Elements Style. Your training will continue, however, you will now do missions for me, as well." said Thrall.

Naruto felt slightly excited. By all rights, he knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it. He would finally be able to set out into the world, and once again he felt the call of adventure flowing through his veins.

It had been over four weeks since he had arrived in Orgrimmar, and though the addition of training into his schedule had kept him busy, Naruto's standing with the rest of the orcs was still as poor as it had been in the first week. He was still ignored, sneered at, and refused service. He felt slightly foolish for thinking they'd simply get over it and follow Thrall's advice of simply letting him be.

He should have known better.

But then again, it wasn't so bad. Naruto only saw other orcs in the evening when he sought out something to eat, because Thrall kept him up all day, training.

Training had gotten better, as well. Naruto had improved his control to the point where Thrall was satisfied. It had taken him nearly a week to master the air grasping. He had taken numerous spills into the river, and several times was very nearly bit in half by massive scaled beasts, with loads of dagger-sharp teeth, that lived in the river. He was finally able to do it, however, and was glad that Thrall had taught it to him.

During that time, Thrall informed Naruto of the final control exercise, and Naruto realized that he was farther along in that area than he thought. The training involved using one's chakra to absorb damage from attacks. Thrall said that later in the training, he would further develop the technique, but for now he simply made Naruto work it to a point that he could take one of Thrall's punches without breaking anything.

After several days of this, and numerous broken ribs, arms, and jaws, Naruto could effectively prevent his bones from being broken by absorbing the damage that Thrall's punches did. It wasn't perfect, as he was still flung backwards by the force, but Thrall was satisfied.

Thrall had then begun to teach Naruto the style of Taijutsu that all Shamans used, a style that incorporated the incredible chakra control needed to pursue the Shaman path, and the sheer stamina that could only come from a non-human.

Or Uzumaki Naruto, of course.

The ancient Taijutsu style was known as "Tetra-Elemental" As it took aspects from each of the elements, and incorporated them into the techniques.

Naruto had only learned one aspect of the style, however, the one called the "Earth Style". It took the principles from Naruto's damage absorbing chakra control exercise and turned it into an extremely powerful defense ability.

But that was only level one, and Naruto had yet to master even that.

Suffice to say, Naruto felt that he could even taken on Lee at this point.

He had yet, however, to learn a single jutsu from the Warchief, which irked him a little.

Back in the present, Thrall held out a rolled up animal skin, his electric eyes staring hard into Naruto's.

"Here, take this to Sergra Darkthorn, an officer who is stationed in The Crossroads outpost in the Barrens. She will give you the details of the mission, as I have heard she is having trouble due to a creature that roams the Barrens. Do not return until you have completed this mission." Thrall spoke with a slight edge of warning in his voice.

Naruto wasn't sure why at first, however, it struck him that this was the first time that Thrall had ever let him out of the city since he had arrived. Even when training with the air grasping on the bridge, the guards hadn't been far away, and it was obvious that Naruto wouldn't be able to get away after having fallen several dozen feet into rushing waters filled with scaly monsters.

This was not only his first mission, but a test as well.

Naruto set his face in a determined glare. He would teach Thrall that while he may have been a host of other things, he wasn't unreliable. He had given his word that he'd stay, and he would.

Thrall then said quietly, "Watch your tongue around Sergra, boy. She does not approve of my methods, and ever since the Horde collapsed, she has been deeply resentful of my way of ruling. Tread on eggshells near her, and do not say anything that could offend her.

Thrall spoke again, "Take this, child."

He dropped something into Naruto's hand, and the blonde stared curiously at it a moment. It was a circular pendant, made from a strange metal, that depicted a reddish diamond, in the center of which was a vaguely horseshoe-shaped marking which had another diamond-shaped marking in the middle. It had been strung on a leather cord.

Thrall continued, "This is the mark of the Horde. Display it proudly upon yourself, and you will not be killed on sight by the guards at the Crossroads."

Naruto looked at it for a moment longer, then slipped it over his head, so that it hung directly next to the gleaming stone of the Shodai's necklace. He then looked at Thrall, but did not say anything.

Thrall nodded once, and the boy departed.

The orc looked amused after they boy had departed.

_His look…is always one of defiance._

_

* * *

_

He left Orgrimmar later that day, a satchel full of necessities (water mostly) and his weapons returned. The Dwarven short sword was in perfect condition, and Naruto was relieved to note that none of his other things had been touched. Even his forehead protector remained.

After securing himself with everything he needed, he set out through the back of the city, trying his best not to look at the edge of the bridge (it sent shivers down his spine just remembering the ordeals). The day was hot and muggy, or in other words the same as every other day Naruto had been there. The sun was out, however, and shone down brightly, enhancing the reddish tinge of the rocks in the area. The slightest breeze kicked up the reddish dust and dirt that littered the ground of the path.

Naruto walked along the path that had been cut into the wall of the canyon, leading steadily upwards into a flatter, more plains like area. That was essentially what the Barrens were, miles upon miles of grass, dirt and rocks. There were very few trees, and the ones that were there were weak looking and dry. The path that Naruto was walking alone supposedly led all the way to the main road, which led to the Crossroads camp in the center of the Barrens.

As he walked, he began to feel curious about what his mission was going to be. Thrall had mentioned that it would involve a creature that roamed the Barrens, but having absolutely no idea what creatures existed in the Barrens, it allowed Naruto's imagination to run a little wild.

_Maybe a dragon or something?_ He thought, picturing a colorful Chinese-like dragon in his mind. He quickly pushed that out of the way, however, as he decided that this just wasn't the setting for a place that a dragon would live.

_It'd probably die of heat stroke or something_, he thought smirking a little.

**DRAGONS ARE COLD BLOODED CREATURES, BRAT, SO IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY WOULD ENJOY THE HEAT.**

Naruto twitched at the Kyuubi's voice, annoyed that it had decided to speak with him.

_You never have anything nice to say, do you fox?_

**IT WOULDN'T DO GOOD TO INFLATE YOUR HEAD EVEN MORE, BRAT, CONSIDER WHAT I'M DOING A FAVOR.**

_You think my head's big, fox? Yours is the size of a house!_

MY, WE ARE GETTING WITTIER; I MUST BE HAVING A GOOD INFLUENCE ON YOU.

Naruto pushed the Kyuubi out of his mind, annoyed that no matter how he tried, he couldn't seem to get a rise out of the demon. He should've realized that something that old knew probably more insults than everyone in Konoha put together, and he'd had centuries to perfect the acerbic wit that he seemed so fond of showing to Naruto.

He walked for nearly an hour longer, before he caught sight of something in the distance.

It was a bridge; similar to the suspension bridge he had previously crossed, made of the same materials as well. He also spotted a smaller structure next to the bridge, and as it became clearer, he saw that it was guard tower, made of wood and metal, with spiked logs driven into the ground all around the bottom. His nose immediately picked up the scent of orc, and wearily prepared himself for the inevitable confrontation he would have with them.

When he finally reached the tower, two orcs were waiting for him. He stopped and saluted in the way Thrall had taught him, by standing up perfectly straight and thumping the area nearest to his heart with his right hand.

The two orcs didn't react to the salute, and simply watched the blonde. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Naruto turned and followed the road to the right, towards a long hill that would take him into the main Barrens. He could feel the orcs' eyes on him the entire time, but ignored the feeling.

The smells of the Barrens reached Naruto long before he reached the endless plains themselves. Almost none were smells that he had smelt before, either. They were different, and it made him giddy and hoped that he'd be able to discover their source.

Soon he had reached the top of the hill, and was allowed his first view of the Barrens. It was exactly as Thrall had described it to him, too. There were the endless plains stretching in every direction, the sparse, dry trees, and the huge mountains looming in the background.

It was awesome.

He also got his first few of a denizen of the Barrens, and it was a strange one, too. It resembled a horse, but was striped black and white, and had a large, straight horn on its forehead. A group of them were grazing near a tree, and would occasionally look up at him, as if checking to see if he would attack, before returning to their meals. He kept walking as he watched, before another sound and accompanying smell stole his attention.

A small group of odd, deer-like creatures were bounding through the grass about a dozen yards away from the road. They were slight, covered in short, tan fur, and had strangely curved horns on their heads. Rather than simply running, they sort of bounded and leapt until were out of sight.

He walked for hours like this, stopping every so often to watch one of the many creatures that he saw roaming the plains. He saw the striped horses several more times as he walked, and he spotted what appeared to be a huge bird as well, drinking at a small pool near a deserted guard tower at an intersection in the road.

A sign near the edge of the intersection had strange markings on it, causing Naruto to frown slightly. Thrall had taught him the spoken language of the orcs, but he was still shaky on the written language.

So, instead of trying to piece out the lettering, he turned to his right and sniffed, trying his best to get a scent. There were some faint smells, but none were very Orcish. So, turning in the other direction, to the left of the direction he had come in, and sniffed as well. Immediately he picked up the scent of orc, and began walking that direction, knowing that it would lead him to his destination.

It was an hour more before he sighted his objective.

The Crossroads had once been a pivotal trading post in the Barrens, where the Orcs, the Tauren of Mulgore and the Trolls that had once inhabited Orgrimmar, would be able to trade with each other, keeping the economy of the Horde stable, as well as give the people of the Barrens a place to stay on their travels. It had also served as a guard post, holding troops during times of war, and keeping them fed, watered, and rested.

Now, however, with the collapse of the Horde, the Crossroads had fallen on hard times. In his information gathering to deliver his messages, Naruto had heard much about the outpost, how there were still Tauren and Trolls that lived and worked there, despite the obvious rift between themselves and the Orcs. It relieved Naruto a little, and he hoped that it would be even the slightest bit easier to gain the help of these people.

When the towering wooden walls and scowling guards were close, Naruto stopped, standing a few feet away from the entrance.

Two, heavily armored orcs stood on either side of the entrance, their eyes cold and hard. Both of them were clutching their weapons, huge swords, and it looked like they were itching for a reason to attack. Naruto met their stares squarely, and saluted as he did.

"I am here on orders from Warchief Thrall. I have come to see Sergra Darkthorn." He spoke clearly and loudly, hiding nothing. He held out the rolled up skin and one of the guards walked up, taking it, and read. He frowned slightly, looking back at Naruto, before re-rolling the scroll, and handing it back to him.

"Go in, human." He growled. Naruto nodded and walked past them into the walls of the outpost; shaking away the feeling he kept getting from the looks.

Even if they didn't look like humans, their eyes were still the same.

Inside the walls, Naruto immediately spotted why it was called the Crossroads. The road that he had come in on had been crossed with a second, which went in two completely different directions. They formed an cross in the middle, where a large post with numerous marking upon it had been placed, arrows pointing all four directions that likely indicated what was in the those directions.

Aside from that, there were many buildings within the enclosure, the biggest of them on Naruto's right. There was a guard tower in front of him, and several huts lined the walls on his left.

He then noticed that a large section of the wall had been broken, and the huts under it had been destroyed. He made his way farther inwards, and saw that several other huts, towards the direction to his right, had been destroyed as well. It was odd, too, that no one seemed to be trying to rebuild them.

He also began to notice that the orcs inside had stopped in their daily activities upon citing him. To his left, an Orcish butcher stared at him strangely in the middle of chopping up a large slab of raw meat. In front of he could see several other groups of orcs; some dressed as guards, others wearing normal clothes, had stopped and were watching him as well. Naruto noted that not all of them looked at him coldly, some simply watched in confusion.

"Human…what are you doing here?" came a soft, clear voice to his right. Naruto jumped slightly, and turned to see a female orc standing near the entrance of the large building to his right.

The orc was probably a looker by orc standards, because even Naruto could see that she was attractive. She had long black hair that was tied back in a tail, and unlike the male orcs, her face was delicate and soft, with much smaller mandibles. She had a curved, graceful figure, and she was wearing a dark brown leather robe, with tribal designs sewn into it. She was leaning on a curved wood staff, and watched him with sharp, calculating eyes.

Naruto shook his head, banishing his previous thoughts, saluted, and held out the scroll.

"Are you…Sergra Darkthorn?"he asked.

The orc raised an eyebrow, and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I am," she said.

Naruto held out the animal skin scroll, and said, "I am to give you this…it is from Thrall, and thinks that you need help with something. I am here to give that help," he returned, looking hard into the female orc's eyes.

He was met with the sound of laughter.

Holding her hand up to her mouth, Sergra Darkthorn began to laugh nothing short of uproariously (at least for a lady). Naruto reddened in embarrassment, angered that she was laughing at him.

"Come now, child human. I do not know why Thrall has sent you hear, but if it was to help with the problem…then he has finally lost his mind. I expected at least one or two of his finest warriors, his soldiers, instead of the pitifully weak guards that are stationed here. But instead he sends a small child, a human one at that. I didn't know that Thrall even had the gall to associate with you little bags of flesh and bone anymore. The creature that plagues us is something that is beyond the power of a little thing like yourself. Now go-" she was cut off from her rant by Naruto's frustrated growl.

"Shut it. I didn't come here to listen to you, I came here to fight whatever needs to be fought to complete my mission, got it?" He snapped, his blue eyes alight with an insulted blaze.

She was taken aback slightly by the boy's fury, but recovered quickly.

"Such arrogance…how disgusting. I cannot believe that you have the gall to order me around boy. You'd best watch your tongue, for I might find my sudden urge to cut it out too strong to resist," she said. She then turned and made to go back into the building before she was stopped by Naruto's voice.

"I didn't come here to argue…I came to help. So what if I die? If you just tell me what it is that did all that," he pointed to the ruined houses, "then I can go, and you won't have to deal with me. If you don't, I'll be stuck here until it either comes back or I badger you into telling me anyways." He said softly.

Sergra noted that the blonde's anger had completely evaporated like a drop of water on the surface of a heated frying pan. In fact, his voice was tinged with something else, something like resignation. She cast a look back at the boy, and saw that he was still staring at her, but his eyes weren't full of rage.

They were full of determination, with a small amount of pain.

A look that, in her opinion, was strange on a boy so young's face. It wasn't a look you saw on someone that young, especially a human.

She bit her lip.

"The creature that did this was a monstrous Kodo, pure white, that roams the Barrens. It doesn't act like a normal Kodo, however. It attacks anything that stands in its way, destroying it utterly. For that reason, we have named it…_Korikagus_ the "White Destroyer". We were able to drive it off before it destroyed the rest of the outpost, but its attacks are not always on us. It destroys caravans that bring us goods from the coast, and it does the same to caravans to the north, in Ashenvale. Our scouts have seen it resting near the bones of another kodo to the north. I do not know why Thrall has sent you…of all creatures. But if you want to help…I will not stop you." She said, before her face hardened once more, and she returned to the large house, not looking back.

If she had, she would have seen that Naruto had already left, moving north, his hands twitching in anticipation.

* * *

It truly was a massive creature. 

Naruto was standing near the sun-bleached bones of a massive creature, and was watching a similarly massive creature from afar, his eyes slightly wide.

_Geez…that thing's huge…_

**IT WOULD MAKE A FINE APPETIZER, I SUSPECT.**

The blonde ignored the response, and crept closer.

The beast was unlike anything he had ever seen. It resembled the dinosaurs that he had seen in the picture books that Sarutobi had given him when he was little. The exception, of course, was that it was completely white, making it stick out like sore thumb among the golden browns, reds, and dark greens of the Barrens. It was huge, far bigger than a horse, almost as big as the Demogryphon that Naruto had faced back in the mountains before Dun Morogh. It had a blunt, stubby head on the end of a long neck, which sloped downwards, as if the head was heavy. On the snout of the creature, there was a strange, horn-like protrusion. The creature's body was solid muscle, with four powerful, elephant-like feet and legs, and a long, strong-looking tail.

It was currently tearing apart the carcass of one of the strange striped horses, using the surprisingly blunt teeth to little effect.

**IT ISN'T A NATURAL CARNIVORE. IT SEEMS TO HAVE DEVELOPED A TASTE FOR FLESH EVEN THOUGH IT'S BODY IS DESIGNED FOR IT.**

Naruto was a bit surprised by the Kyuubi's words, wondering what could've caused the creature to develop a taste for flesh.

But then again, it didn't really matter.

He stepped forwards, drawing his sword as he did. The ringing metal caused the Korikagus to pause and look up from its meal, sighting Naruto standing near the bones.

At once, the creature bellowed out into the air, a frightening call of battle that reverberated throughout the whole area. Naruto was a bit shocked, but recovered quickly as the beast charged.

Naruto summoned several clones, and then charged as well. The Korikagus lowered its head even more, preparing to slam into the blonde, but Naruto immediately leapt over it, driving his sword into the creature's back.

It roared in anguish, and in retaliation, whipped its long tail upwards, striking Naruto in the chest. The boy sailed away from the Korikagus, dropping hard onto the ground. He was relatively unharmed, however, as he had absorbed the damage using his chakra. It was the first stage of the Earth Style of the Tetra-Elemental Style.

The Korikagus roared again, whipping its tail around to dispel the clones that had tried to surround it. Naruto stood, grinning fiercely as he did. The white Kodo charged again, its huge feet causing the ground to shake with every step. Naruto leapt above the best once again, an in a flash used an extra burst from his air grasping to propel himself behind the beast.

It halted its charge, and as it did, Naruto whipped across, slashing through the beast's tail, cutting cleanly through. The beast howled in agony again, blood gushing from the wound as it turned fully around. However, without it's tail, it's attacking capabilities were now sorely limited.

Naruto summoned four clones, before lowering himself into the first style of attack for the Earth Style. His legs were should-length apart, his hands held out in front, fists clenched, just in front of his waist. The clones, however, moved away from Naruto, two on each side.

The Korikagus roared, and ran at the true Naruto, who stood perfectly still, focusing his chakra into his feet as well as the rest of his body.

_Let's see if his techniques really work, huh?_

The white kodo lowered its head, snarling, readying for impact.

It struck with enough force to shatter stone. Naruto grunted from the force, pouring his chakra into every fiber of his body. The ground cracked and shattered beneath him, driving him back as the massive beast pushed with all it's might. Naruto had grabbed onto the horn on the kodo's snout, and his face was red as he fought to stay standing.

But he had bought his clones all the time they needed.

From both sides, the clones charged, their blades drawn, as Naruto bellowed,

"**Naruto Katai Kurippa! (Leg Clipper)" **The clones in unison drove their swords into the Korikagus' knees, before flicking their wrists and severing them completely. The creature dropped, it's pained roars nearly deafening the blonde. With a second's hesitation, however, Naruto rammed the sword through the Kodo's neck, ending its roars for good.

Naruto stood, gasping for breath, letting go of his sword, and slumping to the ground.

The force from the charge had knocked the wind out of him, and left his entire body almost numb. But he had done it, nevertheless.

The boy finally managed to get to his feet, wobbling slightly as he did. He grinned as he recalled what he had done.

_A few more weeks of this…and I'm set. I'll be able to keep my promise to both Sakura-chan and Kira-chan._

He retrieved his sword, then turned and made to return the way he had come. He then realized that he'd probably need proof.

He turned back to the creature, and grimaced.

How was he going to carry it?

* * *

Sergra Darkthorn looked on in disbelief along with the other members of the Crossroads. She honestly hadn't believed that such a thing was possible. 

The small, blonde human from the previous night had managed, all by himself (all six of them), to drag the massive white kodo back from where he had killed it, which had to have been almost a mile away. If she weren't witnessing it, she would never have believed it.

Naruto grunted as he and his clones dropped the kodo with a resounding boom, kicking up dust around the group that had gathered. He dispelled the clones, and then whipped sweat from his forehead, grinning at Sergra as he did. He didn't say anything, instead opting to drop unconscious to the ground, causing the orcs to unfreeze. The ones who had previously shone confusion rushed to aid the boy, while the rest simply watched, amazed.

Sergra began to laugh again.

_You always prove me wrong…don't you Thrall? It seems that your methods are as wise as ever…_

She watched her people, the orc's, carry the blonde into the inn, and she felt slightly more at ease.

_Such a strange boy…perhaps humans are not so bad after all…_

_

* * *

_

Done.

Sorry I'm pseudo-late with the chapter. I also apologize if it isn't very good, I've had a busy week (college stuff), and I'm writing this at around 2:30. Please keep your suggestions and corrections coming, they definetly help me!

If this chapter seems a little disjointed, I apologize, it was somewhat difficult to write.

Reviewer answers:

**Druss the Legend**- Thanks for your compliments. I like Rexxar as well, and you can hope to see more of him too. Your suggestions have also been noted, and I'll try to break away from the linear plot-line (I've been meaning to for awhile). Jaina, however, will have a special spot in this story, you will find out what has happened to them. I don't exactly know what the name for Illidan's forces are, but I do know that he is sort of working for Kil'jaeden. He is part of the Burning Legion, in a way. The Kyuubi will play a larger role…but he won't be giving Naruto a "gift" his chakra and healing powers are enough right now, I think, but wait and see what I have planned. Naruto also doesn't know exactly what a beautiful orc woman is…but he's Naruto…so he's creative, and well Orcs are all kind of masculine.

**Tatsu-** Thanks! I knew that would be a popular decision. I've reworked the Shaman style a bit, as you can see, by giving them their own Taijutsu. Their spells don't all need totems, either, only the totem summons do. It is possible that Blizzard will make more, in fact I think it's more than likely. He might train will other characters, In fact I have some ideas for later that I think will please you.

**Obsidian-fox**- You are a god. You have helped me a lot in improving my writing, so thanks. As to what "gomen" means…erm…you don't wanna know.

**Akki no Tama-** Thanks! I hope this chapter suits your needs, and with Thanksgiving break coming up next week, I'll get the next chapter out much faster. Naruto will find a mentor in Thrall, as well. But he won't learn humility, 'cause lets face it, he isn't Naruto if he isn't badmouthing his superiors!

**Slimeman**- Common isn't actually English or Japanese, but I made it Japanese to suit the anime feel. In addition, all the characters are technically using the suffixes, but Naruto is the only one that I display them for, mostly to show the slight differences in the two world's peoples.

Well, that's it, until next week!

General Grievous

_Next, missions, missions, and missions!_

**Spellbook-**

**Tetra-Elemental Style- **More explained later

**Naruto Katai Kurippa- **Removes opponents legs in a flash.

**Bestiary-**

**Zheevra (Beast)- ** A striped, horned horse creature that lives in the barrens.

**Korikagus (Beast)(Elite)- **The story goes that two Kodos, mates, were wandering in the Barrens during a dry season, when both food and water were scarce. One of the kodos fell and died of exhaustion, leaving the other alone. The scavengers began to eat way the dead kodo, while the other, intrigued, began to eat as well. The result was the kodo gained a taste for flesh, and grew to an immense size, before attacking and killing anything that remotely resembled meat in it's path.


	19. Missions Galore, and Mulgore

**Disclaimer: "The end is near! Repent your sins! I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft!"**

"**Shut up ya bum!"**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

Everything in is Orcish unless otherwise noted.

**Extra Disclaimer: I don't own the trademark "Leroy Jenkins" battle cry, or anything resembling it.**

**

* * *

**

Naruto dropped a dried animal skin at Thrall's feet, before slumping to the ground, exhausted. The Warchief, raised an eyebrow, then bent down and picked up the piece of skin, noticing the writing on it. He read the contents over, and then nodded at Naruto.

"You did well," he said smiling a little.

Naruto muttered something unintelligible, then looked up at the orc almost pleadingly.

­"Bed now?" the exhausted boy asked. The blonde had returned to the city only a few minutes ago, and it was late enough that any normal person would be long lost in the land of dreams. The city was silent, which was strange for Orgrimmar, as one would never expect a city like it to sleep.

Thrall nodded, turning away from Naruto and walking back towards his own chambers in the back of Grommash Hold.

"Yes, you have earned it. But tomorrow you will continue your training, and I might have another mission for you," Thrall said.

Naruto groaned.

When Thrall had departed, Naruto made his way sleepily to his own room. When he reached it, he shucked off the dirt-caked clothes and boots he was wearing, letting them drop to the ground with loud clangs and clunks as their numerous contents crashed against the floor. Then he dropped right into his bed, and hoped to fall asleep as quickly as he could.

Unfortunately, his brain was still buzzing with so much information, so many images from the past few weeks that he found it hard to drift off to the lands of nod.

It had been a exhausting few weeks, for sure.

After the success of his first mission, Naruto had returned to Orgrimmar bearing the massive hide of the _Korikagus_ upon his back, reveling in his first completed mission. The people of the Crossroads had been surprisingly good-willed to him, and after seeing that he had accomplished a feat of strength and daring that no one else had, felt that it was necessary to praise him.

Sergra Darkthorn had retracted the words she had said to him when they first met, which was surprising for Naruto. The woman obviously had an enormous amount of pride, so it must have been difficult for her to take back words that she had meant with all her heart. She was still wary of him, he guessed, but it felt good that the orcs were completely blinded by their prejudice to humans.

After resting for the night, Naruto had found the body of the creature already skinned and cut up into pieces. Sergra had urged him to take the hide with him back to Orgrimmar, seeing as it was his prize, and therefore now belonged to him. The butcher had even given Naruto some slabs of the creature's meat to take back as well, commenting on how tasty it was.

Naruto had to agree, even though he wasn't the biggest fan of grilled meat, it was sweeter than the kodo meat he had had in his ramen back in Stormwind, and very filling. He had promised the butcher to give it to the inn in Orgrimmar, considering the orc was paying him several silver to do it.

He had left soon after, with over a dozen pounds of meat and the Korikagus' hide rolled up on his back.

His trek back to Orgrimmar had been more or less the same, but he had noticed (rather happily) that the guards at the tower and at the entrance into Orgrimmar had scowled at him. They had ignored him, of course, but Naruto considered it a step up from being outright hated.

Thrall had been pleased with Naruto's efforts, but it because Naruto's mission had gone so well, it had prompted the Warchief to consider giving him more.

And so he had.

The next week was filled completely to the brim with things for Naruto to do. He would still train almost everyday under Thrall, who was still trying to perfect his use of the Earth style. He explained that it took more than simple reinforcement of chakra to bring out the full potential of the Earth style, as it required the user to be physically fit as well as controlled. So he began to subject Naruto to a painful training exercise that involved battering Naruto with various blunt objects for several hours, letting his body constantly heal itself and build up natural resistance to the attacks.

Even while he was doing that, however, he began to teach Naruto what he had been waiting to learn since he had become the Warchief's apprentice.

Jutsu.

Seeing as how Naruto was training in the Earth Style, Thrall felt that it was prudent to teach him various Earth element jutsu. Though he had been taught _Shinjuu Zanshu no jutsu_, Jiraiya hadn't taught Naruto anymore than that, instead focusing on the ones he knew better, Fire and Water jutsu.

Thrall however, said that Earth jutsu were some of the most effective of the Shaman's trade. After seeing him use one to lift a rock the size of his throne room up, Naruto was completely convinced.

But training was not the only thing that Naruto did during those weeks. Thrall began to send Naruto on missions every time the boy wasn't training (and even sometimes when he was). Many of them weren't even out of the city, too, but some took him back to the Barrens, searching for a plant to take, a person to speak too, or a creature to destroy. Others took him further into the region called Durotar, where Orgrimmar was. He went to a small encampment at the end of a very treacherous canyon called Razor Hill, where he had been assigned to fight and destroy a creature that he had disliked ever since he had met one.

A goblin.

**Flashback:**

_Naruto crept through the winding canyons of a place called Thunder Ridge. He had entered it in a rather unconventional way, simply by adhering himself to the canyon walls, rather than go through the sloping entrance which lay near a ruined house at the far end of the canyon._

_It was named as such for the dozens of massive, armored lizards that roamed its depths. They were an off-white color, and about as big as the Korikagus that Naruto had faced on his first mission. However, their backs were covered in long, plated spikes; they had curved horns on their noses and the ends of their tails were covered in wicked, sharp spikes. _

_But, seeing as they had the name "Thunder Lizard" led Naruto to believe that they had a trait that wasn't apparent from simply looking at them. _

_He was right._

_Upon first sighting them, he had nearly screamed in terror when one launched a bolt of lightning from its mouth, hitting another in the side. Hugging the wall in alarm, Naruto watched as the one that had been hit simply shrugged it off, seemingly unharmed by the blast. _

_After letting his heartbeat slow down, Naruto had slipped past them before they could see or smell him, having a whole new appreciation for what it meant to be a ninja. _

_After nearly an hour of expertly avoiding any encounters with the Thunder Lizards, as well as their larger, greener cousins, the Thunder Hides, Naruto caught a familiar scent. It was orc, but strangely there was the scent of burning pitch mixed into the smell, but not overlaying. In addition, he caught the scent of a creature he had been desperately avoiding since he had arrived on Kalimdor._

_A goblin._

_Joy of joys…he thought menacingly. He had known that the person he had been sent to dispose of, Fizzle Darkstorm was a goblin, but the fact that he could now smell it made it all the more real. He'd have to deal with another goblin._

_But then again, this one probably wasn't going to try and swindle him, but instead kill him._

_It wasn't that he hated all goblins, either. He just had yet to meet one that was actually pleasant to speak to, and didn't have a greedy shine in its eye. He hadn't heard of one either, as even Mekkatorque had had something bad to say about the little creatures. For now, Naruto decided that he'd continued to stay on his toes around the creatures, but he wouldn't pass judgment on them just yet._

_Fizzle was something Thrall had called a "Warlock", or a person whose power came from the world of the demons. They could use a special type of summoning technique that allowed them to make pacts with demons, or even simply inherit their powers and abilities._

_Or, as Kyuubi liked to say, **THEY ARE SIMPLY FOOLS WHO BELIEVE THEY HAVE SOME POWER OVER DEMONS. THE ONLY ONES THAT WOULD EVEN LET THEM MAKE PACTS ARE THE WEAKER ONES.**_

_Whether this was true or not, Naruto didn't know. He did know, however, that Fizzle was supposedly a member of the Burning Blade, a former clan of orcs whose violence savagery was legendary. While most of the remaining Burning Blade served Thrall, a section still was loyal to the monstrous force known as the Burning Legion- the cult that was responsible for the creation of the Scourge and numerous other maladies that now plagued the world. The Burning Legion had been almost utterly destroyed in the last war, their leader, Archimonde, was obliterated by Night Elves upon the ancient World Tree of the Elves, and the Burning Legion crept back into the darkness from whence it came._

_But, as interesting as that little history lesson was, Naruto was still hung up on the fact that he'd have to deal with another psychotic little money grubber, which this time would probably steal his money after it had killed him._

_He slunk through the small cracks in the canyon wall, moving as swiftly as he could without sacrificing stealth. It wasn't long before, after following the sent of burning orcs, that he reached a small gap in the wall where he could here sounds._

_Not wanting to expose himself just yet, he lowered the goggles perched on his forehead, and activated the X-ray feature, as Mekkatorque had taught him._

_Immediately his vision was glossed over with an orange sheen, and the wall in front of him seemed to disappear. He had used it several times before he had left the gnomes, so it wasn't new to him. Focusing his chakra again, the wall began to melt away, and he saw exactly what he wanted to._

_Through the small gap in the wall, Naruto could see a round clearing in the rock, completely natural looking, with large outcroppings above that obscured the series of tents and fires, that lay below, from the shining sun. Some were talking in low tones, others feasting on a variety of meats and guzzling down skins filled with a purplish liquid that Naruto suspected was wine. While most were male, there were three females that he could see. They didn't look so different from other orcs, either, save for the fact that they looked much more unkempt and savage than the orcs of Orgrimmar. _

_Others were standing near the entrance to their tents, clutching their swords and smirking at each other. Some of the ones sitting down carried staves, and were dressed in dark robes, while the others were just in short leather tunics, pants and boots._

_In the center, standing next to a small campfire, however, was Naruto's target._

_It set Naruto's teeth on edge just looking at the conniving little thing. He was no different from the goblins on the zeppelin. This time, however, Naruto knew that he wouldn't have to deal with him for long._

_After all, if he, and all the orcs present, were part of the group that put the world in the state that it was currently in, then he wouldn't be able to feel bad about killing him._

_Turning off the goggles, Naruto readied himself. At this point, there were two things he could do. He could be himself, and charge in, totally unprepared, and fight tooth and nail until he had killed the goblin, before leaving in the same fashion as he had come. _

_The second, of course, was to be himself in that he would do something totally unpredictable._

_But then again, sometimes the most unpredictable ways are the simplest, and easiest to see._

_He dashed through the entrance into the Burning Blade camp, and upon reaching the end, flashed through a set of the new seals that he had learned- deer, bat, wolf and then kodo. _

_He then thrust his hand against the side of the wall, shouting, "**Doton: Tsuchidageki (Earth Shock)!**"_

_An impulse of chakra, lightening fast, erupted from his hand, spreading out into the canyon wall. The entire wall shook and cracked apart, causing the outcroppings above to begin falling down. The orcs, caught completely by surprise, cried out as the rocks smashed down on top of them, crushing the life from their bodies. Naruto flinched at their cries slightly, but steeled himself._

_Some avoided the rocks, however, and rushed him, drawing their swords and looking menacing. Unfortunately one of those that had survived was Fizzle Darkstorm himself._

_The little goblin dusted himself off, looking murderous._

"_So Thrall has finally sent the pet human, eh? How dare you! You will soon wish that you hadn't-"he was cut off by Naruto's impetuous laugh._

"_Shut up, ya' ugly little swindler. I've got a lot of payback to dish out on you, considering the last time I met one of you freaks, you tricked me out of half my money! So just shut up and die!" Naruto bellowed, before he charged as well._

_The first orc swiped at Naruto's face with his sword, grinning wildly. The blonde immediately concentrated his chakra outwards, forming the basis of the Earth style, the **Kongou** or the Diamond Skin. It was the same technique that Naruto had used against the Korikagus, but after several more days of training, coupled with Naruto's insane rate of growth, had strengthened it considerably. It wasn't perfect, but it was certainly enough to stop the dull, rusty blade of the Burning Blade cultist that was currently attempting to slice his head off._

_As a result, the blade ricocheted off Naruto's face, causing the boy absolutely no damage at all. He broke the technique, and slammed his fist into the orc's face, knocking him backwards. He then drew Magni's Pride from its place on his back, and drove it into the orc's chest, killing him swiftly. _

_He conjured a clone to deal with the next orc, whom had appeared from behind, attempting to drive his long blade into Naruto's back. Naruto's clone appeared from thin air, grabbing the blade, and then smashing its foot into the cultist's face, launching him away. At the same time, Naruto drew a kunai, and threw it directly at the impish Fizzle, who had backed away towards the wall, glaring acidly at the fight._

_Yelping in surprise, the goblin dodged the attack, before he began to form seals with his small hands at a rate that was slightly surprising to the blonde shinobi. _

_Fizzle bellowed, "**Multiple Shadow Bolt!"** It caused his hands to glow a deep purplish black with a poisonous green mixed in. Then the warlock swept his hand across the air in front of him, causing multiply spheres of black to shoot towards Naruto. As they neared him, Naruto could see that they were not spheres at all, but rather miniature skulls, their mouths open and laughing. _

_Not wanting to risk the effects of getting hit by one, he dodged under them, and then sprang at the goblin, who was already readying another jutsu. _

_This time, Fizzle cried, after savagely biting his thumb, "**Summon: Imp!**" Naruto stopped in surprise as the goblin then slammed his hand into the ground, causing a bright purplish light to erupt from the ground. Then, in a puff of purple smoke, the summon appeared in all its glory._

_It had thin, bony limbs; a long snake-like tail; two bat-like wings protruding from its back; pointed, Goblish ears; and two luminous yellow eyes. _

_However, the fact that it shorter than Fizzle himself completely eliminated the threatening features that the creature possessed._

_Naruto sweat-dropped._

"_I'm supposed to fight that little pipsqueak…?" he muttered, his face twitching. _

_The imp apparently heard Naruto, and growled in anger,_

"_Little snot! You dare talk to the great Kablesh like that? I'll teach you a lesson!"__The imp then raised a hand, and without forming anything resembling a seal, shot a ball of fire about the size of Naruto's head at the blonde._

_Yelping in surprise, Naruto leapt to the side, avoiding the blast. Kablesh however, had already begun throwing others, grinning in a fashion much like the one that had summoned him was._

Stupid demon! How can he use jutsu without seals?

**IT IS OBVIOUS, BRAT. HE DOES IT BECAUSE HE IS A DEMON. DO YOU THINK I HAD TIME TO MAKE SEALS WHEN ANNIHILATING YOUR VILLAGE?**

_Growling in anger, the blonde flashed through some seals._

"_**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!**" he shouted. A massive ball of fire erupted from his mouth, causing both Fizzle and Kablesh to pale slightly. _

"_Ha! Mine's bigger than yours!" Naruto said, smirking. _

_Fizzle yelped and leapt out of the way, while Kablesh did something fundamentally less intelligent. He began to throw balls of his own fire into the incoming blast, hoping to redirect it, or at least disperse it._

_Play with fire, you get burned, right?_

_Kablesh screamed in agony as the fireball consumed him; it carried his scorched body through the air until it impacted the wall of the canyon, engulfing the area around it in flames. _

_Fizzle got up, shaken and furious, and began formed the seals for Shadow Bolts again. Naruto ducked beneath the bolts, and then flashed through more seals. _

_He struck the ground with his fist, crying out, "**Doton: Jibeta Kasui (Ground Spike)!" **_

_The earth beneath Fizzle suddenly grew soft, like sand. It grasped his feet, negating his ability to move. _

_Then, it erupted upwards, forming, a long, brutally sharp spike, which promptly impaled the horrible goblin. Gurgling in horror, Fizzle twitched for a few seconds, before his body grew still and silent. _

_Naruto flinched at the look on Fizzle's face, and the cruel manner in which he had killed him._

I'm a ninja…Killing's just part of the job,_ he thought to himself. He shook it off, looked around for any signs of survivors, and then finding none, went to retrieve the goblin's claw._

**End Flashback**

After completing that mission, Naruto had been sent on a few more, none that went outside Durotar. He delivered messages to people in Razor Hill and a small valley called the Valley of Trials, where a small encampment of orcs trained new recruits for the Horde.

But soon Thrall began to send Naruto on missions that he could not complete himself. As such, the Warchief began to force Naruto to work with other orcs, and on occasion whole groups of them. For the few first time, Naruto hadn't gotten along with them very well. He would constantly argue with the leader of the group, or if he was with only one, them.

But Naruto believed he had more of a right to, because they didn't exactly try to get along with him either.

But that changed.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the arguments got less and less frequent, to the point where he could work alongside the orcs with relative ease. There wasn't much camaraderie between him and the others, but they functioned, as a group should.

Of course, that didn't exactly guarantee success on the missions…

**Flashback:**

"_What are we doing in this creepy place again? Spelunking?" Naruto griped, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the head orc, Golbarn. _

"_Your mouth is annoying, so shut it. We are here simply to gather a collection of hides from the Deviates that live in this place. Then we will leave. Is that too hard to grasp, human?" the heavy-set, red-haired, dark-green skinned orc returned, glaring at the blonde._

_Naruto raised an eyebrow. _

"_Deviates?" he asked. _

_The orc nodded. "A species of reptile that lives within these caverns. They're cannibalistic creatures, as there isn't enough food down here for them to sustain their large numbers. They generally feed off other species of deviates, but occasionally do their own if food is particularly scarce. Their hides also make good armor, and the Warchief knows that the leatherworkers are running low on them. Due to the danger that this place possesses, he generally sends a group to collect them. The creatures are quite resistant to damage, hence why he wants their hides. The lower levels are also pray to a cult of druids called the Druids of the Fang. However, we agree ignore them, so they ignore us. They don't cause much problems for us nowadays, as their leaders were killed years ago, and they are only a shadow of their former selves."_ _He said calmly._

_Naruto nodded a little at the information, realizing that he hadn't paid much attention during the briefing. He had just been excited to see a part of the Barrens which he never seen before, the Wailing Caverns._

_Thrall had assigned Naruto to the group that typically went to harvest the hides, which consisted of Golbarn, the leader, along with three other orcs, Morgak, Elmoy, and Torgok. They were strong fighters, apparently, and used to exploring the caverns. _

_Golbarn was a commanding and strict orc, whose demand for order within the group clashed with Naruto's unruliness. From the start, they had found themselves at odds with each other. With Golbarn almost constantly demanding Naruto's attention, while the blonde almost constantly ignoring Golbarn's orders in favor of doing what he though was better, it must have made for a very amusing sight to behold._

_With Morgak, Elmoy and Torgok almost constantly snickering, it was not hard to see that._

_They were creeping down through a small path in the walls of the rocks, where at the end a large group of deviates supposedly dwelled. Golbarn had mentioned that they went to that place every time, and the harvest was the best there. _

_They stopped just near the entrance, allowing Naruto to see inside. The boy blinked in wonder at the sight._

_Large and small, purple and blue, sitting and walking, a huge crowd of reptilian beasts lay beyond, filling the cavern almost to the brim. They were all standing atop a ledge that looked down on the cavern, which was vaguely circular, with a large pool in the middle._

_The deviates themselves varied in size and shape considerably. There were the long, snake-like ones that hovered on wings above the ground. In the small pool, he could see others swimming around, with long necks and flippers. And then there were the large, bipedal, blue and purple ones, that bore a shocking resemblance to the velociraptors Naruto had seen in picture books as a child. They even had the curved, hooked claw on the end of their feet, long straight tails, and elongated heads, mouths filled with dozens of sharp teeth._

"_Those are raptors," he muttered to himself. His inner child was acting up, remembering the days he had dreamed of having a dinosaur for a pet, now realizing that he could make it possible._

"_Yes, but they are considerably more ferocious than the ones that prowl the Barrens. Now, sit still, we need to plan out how we are going to approach this," Golbarn muttered, turning to the other three._

_Naruto huffed in anger at being ignored, but leaned to listen in anyways._

"_Morgak, seeing as how you are the best with a bow, will stay back here, and launch arrows at them. Elmoy and Torgok will come with the boy and I to fight them directly. There are many of them, however, while they are vicious, they scare easily, so if we take enough of them down, the rest will take off. After that, we will see where we are in terms of numbers. If we're short, I'll take the boy and hunt down some more," he muttered, then shot a glare back at Naruto, who scowled back at him._

_  
Golbarn continued, "Now, before we get started, I want everyone to make sure that you are prepared to do this. Unlike last time, we cannot afford to be hasty in any decisions, so we must approach this in the best, most organized way possible. Morgak will begin, using his bow to startle them, and then Torgok will move in to clear out the initial set. I will follow, then Elmoy, then the boy, and we will-"_

_Suddenly, Elmoy, who had been sitting on the ground as he listened to Golbarn's orders, jumped up._

"_Alright, lets do this! EEEEEELLLLLLLLMMMMOOOYYY! MMMMEEENNNNKKKKINNSS!" With that, the orc drew his axe and rushed into the cavern, bellowing his name again and again._

_Naruto gaped, his jaw touching the slimy, damp ground._

"_D-did…he j-just…"the boy asked, looking in astonishment up at Golbarn, who had buried his face in his hands, muttering something under his breath._

_Morgak groaned._

"_What the hell is wrong with that bastard! He does this every time! Was he dropped on his head as a child, or what?" the orc growled, readying his bow as he did._

"_He saw some dumbass human do the same thing back during a battle. Apparently he thought it was cool, and started duplicating it," Golbarn muttered, drawing his sword._

"_Alright, change of plans, just kill anything that moves…including Elmoy."_

"_Agreed." Two orcs and one boy muttered in unison._

**End Flashback**

He smiled a little at the memory. Somehow they had all managed to survive and get back, albeit a little worse for wear.

But moreover, Naruto had managed, somehow, to strike up a tentative friendship with the members of the group. He and Golbarn still argued every chance they got, but Naruto found himself enjoying it. The others had warmed up to Naruto's presence after seeing how he had handled Elmoy's charge, and though it was far from the camaraderie that he had had with the gnomes or the dwarves, Naruto was glad that he was finally making something that at least resembled friends.

Thrall was pleased that Naruto had formed such a bond with some of his people, and told Naruto as much during one of their training sessions. As such, the Warchief began pairing Naruto off with them more often, rather than just other random orcs that Thrall employed.

And slowly, things changed.

After he came back from missions, and was dead tired and incredibly hungry, Naruto found that restaurants no longer refused him service. They weren't pleased that he ate there, but they did nothing to stop him from entering and ordering something to eat.

He became quickly attached to one particular restaurant, called _Sarjak's_, which sold (to Naruto's immense delight) a dish called "Gorran'ya Loon'des", which was apparently Orcish for "Most Excellent Noodles".

The dish resembled ramen in taste, texture, and appearance, and was as good as the ramen at Ichiraku's and the noodles at Stormwind's Noodles. The owner of the shop, an older orc named Sarjak, who had a bushy beard and small, grey eyes, had initially been as cold as the others towards him. However, as Naruto started stopping there after and sometimes before missions, Sarjak slowly eased up on the boy, even engaging him in small talk at points.

But that was only one of a compound of things.

In the streets, passing orcs no longer went out of their way to knock into him. He no longer received the cold glares or disgusted glances. The people of Orgrimmar began to accept Naruto's presence, and of how great an asset he was to the Horde.

_Just like home_, he had thought, smiling at little.

It felt great. It felt amazing that after all the hard work he had done, people were finally recognizing him for being more than a nuisance. He knew that he had slowly achieved the same status in Konoha through his actions in the Chuunin Exam, the retrieval of Tsunade, and the attempted retrieval of Sasuke.

But Naruto's thoughts slowly became less and less coherent as he drifted off to sleep. His final conscious thoughts were of Sakura and Kira, and the promises he had made to both of them.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me…" Naruto moaned, looking with absolute dread as he stared down the slope of a hill, towards a small clustering of houses near the shoreline. 

Golbarn snorted, "I'm not a big fan either, brat, but we don't have a choice," he said, starting down the slope.

Naruto stared after him, but followed anyways; hefting the heavy load he was carrying up from where it had slipped off during their walk. This was definitely not his idea of a good mission.

It wasn't that the mission was hard or anything, as it was only a simple delivery mission, but the place that they were delivering to was another story.

Ratchet.

Or, as Naruto liked to think of it, "The Green Hell".

Though it was the first time Naruto had been there, its reputation was somewhat notorious. There was also the fact that almost its entire population (4200) was comprised of goblins.

Naruto shuddered just thinking about it.

_Four thousand and two hundred ways to have my money taken_, he thought, sweat dropping.

Golbarn seemed to share his sentiments, too. Never was there a time when a goblin gave something out at a normal price. They were notorious swindlers among all the races, not just humans.

Though the goblins had supposedly been allies of the Horde at one point or another, after the Horde was defeated during one of the Great Wars, the goblins retreated, and took a neutral stance in the last Great War. They sold weapons (highly dangerous to both the opponent and the user), and helped build new technologies for both sides.

They also apparently had a fierce rivalry with the gnomes, to the point where they had actively competed against the little men to show off their technologies. Naruto had heard talk of a racing track far to the south of the Barrens, in a place called the Thousand Needles, where goblins and gnomes continually built and rebuilt racing devices to prove to one another that they are the better engineers.

From what he had also heard, the goblins' racing machines generally exploded before the race was over, and the gnomes always left theirs unfinished, moving on to another project before it was completed.

_How can two types of people be so alike…and still so different?_ He thought. It applied not only to the goblins and the gnomes, but also to the orcs and the humans.

_Maybe it's like what Iruka-sensei used to say…Likes repel or something? Opposite attract? Something like that, I suppose._

"Keep up, brat! I want to get out of this place as fast as possible. It limits their chances to try and hook you onto their products," grunted Golbarn, glaring at Naruto.

They had just entered Ratchet proper, which reminded Naruto slightly of the Wave country, except all its denizens were a head shorter than him, and poisonous green.

In front of them were a series of buildings with signs hanging just above the doorways, advertising what they sold primarily. In front of them, long tables had been set up, displaying many goods of different sorts, with goblin merchants standing out in front, calling to the various passerby of the wares they sold.

Naruto also noticed that Golbarn wasn't the only orc in the city, as he saw many walking down the streets, either avoiding getting too close to the little money-grubbers, or listening intently to the merchant's explanation of what they had.

_Poor guys…_he thought, wincing as he heard one of the goblins rattle off a series of prices at a rate that no human could hope to manage, further confusing the hapless orcs that they had enthralled.

"Be on your guard, brat. They move in quickly, and before you know it, they've got you…"Golbarn muttered, looking around suspiciously.

Naruto quickened his place slightly, so that he now stood slightly in front of Golbarn.

Big mistake.

Out of nowhere, a greenish blur suddenly flashed out in front of him, causing him to immediately stop, nearly falling over as he did. He looked down, and saw a brilliant pair of white, pointed teeth set inside the grinning mouth of a goblin that wore purplish robes and a turban.

"Why hello, my dear possible customer! May in interest you in quite possibly the finest bags that you will ever find on this sun-baked rock?" the goblin simpered, smiling broadly at him.

Naruto took a few steps back, blinking rapidly.

"Wha- uhm…I think I'm fine…really," he said, rubbing the back of his head, and slowly backing away.

The goblin's smile didn't falter for a second as he said, "Come now, my friend! I am simply asking you to take a look! There is no obligation whatsoever, of course, but I do believe that you will never find a better price for these one-of-a-kind kodo hide bags! What harm is there is looking, honored customer?"

Naruto blinked rapidly, trying to find a way out of it. He looked over at Golbarn, who was shaking his head rapidly and pointing ahead. He looked back at the goblin, who was still smiling pleasantly, and Naruto began to feel oddly at ease with the smile.

"Erm…I guess one look won't hurt…"he said, smiling a little.

The merchant smiled even more brightly. Golbarn groaned.

* * *

"Geez, sorry! I couldn't help it! He was just so…friendly! How could I say no?" Naruto griped as they both left the goblin's shop, nearly two-dozen silvers lighter and Naruto carrying a kodo hide backpack and weapons pouch. The boy was looking sheepish and annoyed that he had been so naïve. 

"Easily, you start by saying "n" and then "o" that spells "no", so it isn't that hard!" growled Golbarn.

They crested a hill, still griping, before Golbarn stopped and pointed to their destination.

"There," he said, "That's the Ratchet division of the Goblin Engineering Guild. That's where we are delivering our package."

Naruto nodded, and they continued towards it. They stopped briefly outside to check with the two guards that stood on either side of the door, whispering to each other. They stopped whispering to speak with Golbarn, but resumed after they had entered, and Naruto could swear he heard the words "stinky human" uttered by one.

The room they entered was not completely foreign to Naruto. In fact, it resembled a cross between Mekkatorque's Laboratory and the Library in Ironforge. It was not very big, probably only a couple dozen square feet, and on both sides of the room were large bookcases. The bookcases were stuffed from top to bottom with books, so much so that some had been placed on their sides at the very edge of the shelves. The room had a greenish glow to it, emanating from the strange green fire that burned in a fireplace in a small gap in the bookshelf.

In between the books, there were several circular tables covered in various papers and open books, as well as tools- wrenches, soldering irons, screwdrivers, and the like. At the very end there was a small staircase that led up to a higher point in the room, where more books had been stuffed.

Goblins sat at the tables, fiddling with the tools, writing in the books and on the papers, or reading books that they must have taken off the shelf. Other goblins were climbing on long ladders to reach books far out of their reach, so focused in their searching that they didn't noticed Naruto and Golbarn's arrival.

Save one, that is.

"Ahh, you are Thrall's men, yes? Come here, I suspect you have my parts? Eh?" said an aged goblin that was leaning over the railing at the top of the stairs, watching them. The goblin was wrinkly, his nose crooked and bent, his ears drooping slightly, and a pair of spectacles was perched on the end of his nose. He had no facial hair, but then again, Naruto had never seen a male goblin with hair, period.

Golbarn nodded. "Yes, that's us," he said.

He motioned to Naruto, who nodded, and took off the heavy pack that he had been lugging around. Strapped to his backpack was a large crate with foreign markings on the side that looked vaguely familiar. When he pulled off the straps securing the crate to his backpack, he lifted it off and slammed it on the ground, causing the room to vibrate, and several goblins to look up in annoyance.

"Careful you little urchin! Those are very important! Can't you see it says fragile?" the goblin groused, hobbling down the stairs and glaring at Naruto.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the goblin, who glared in return, but said nothing else as he came to the crate. He motioned to one of the younger goblins, who came forwards with a crowbar. He pried the top open, and the contents were exposed to the greenish light of the room.

Inside were dozens of gears and random parts, all completely baffling to the blonde, but from the looks of childish glee on the faces of the goblins, they must have been important.

"Finally!" the aged goblin said, snickering, "these will help me complete my new invention! Let's see those fools at the Venture Co. try and beat this!"

Ignoring the goblin's continued cackling, Naruto turned to Golbarn.

"What's the Venture Co.? I think I've heard of it, but why's that old bat going on about it?"

Golbarn opened his mouth to respond, but apparently the old goblin had heard Naruto, and so answered for him.

"They're a bunch of cheating, stealing, lazy slobs, that's what! They not only employ gnomes of all people, but they steal people's ideas!" the goblin roared. He hobbled towards one of the tables, and after a bit of searching came back, clutching a rolled up piece of paper in his hand.

He shoved the paper at Naruto, who unfurled it and looked at the contents.

It was, from what Naruto could tell, a large robot. Unlike the vaguely human ones that he had seen in Gnomeregan, this one resembled the nothing like a human. They were huge and bulky, with massive claws on both sides, a large, rectangular body attached to rolling tank treads. It had a head-like structure where it was apparently operated from, and it seemed to be immensely large, as it had a comparison chart to a goblin.

"My brother invented this! He drew up those plans, and hoped to get into the Venture Company's good graces by building that for them. What do they do? They take the blue prints from him, kill him, and then have a slimy little gnome build it! If it weren't for the fact that the owner of the company makes huge donations to our Guild, I would do something about it!" the goblin ranted, snatching the plans back from Naruto before hobbling away, still muttering.

Naruto sweat dropped.

_These guys are crazy…_ he thought.

Golbarn took this time to clear his throat and look at the goblin squarely in the eye.

"If that is all, then we will collect our payment and leave," he said.

The aged goblin pushed up his spectacles, blinking shrewdly at the orc.

"Payment…yes…yes…of course…payment…"he said evasively, shuffling a little farther away from the fearsome looking orc.

Golbarn groaned, muttering something about goblins under his breath that Naruto didn't quite catch.

The old goblin searched for a few minutes, and then announced, "Eureka!"

He grabbed a large sack of leather from beneath one of the tables, then made his way back towards the only two in the room that weren't goblins. The dropped the sack in front of Naruto, and then opened it, revealing a mountain of copper coins.

"Now let's see, just so you don't fleece me, I will count out how much I owe you myself. Very well…one…two…three…four…"he continued counting, causing Naruto to blink and look at Golbarn, who groaned.

"Isn't he supposed to give us like…ten gold or something?" Naruto asked.

Golbarn just nodded.

* * *

"Ah, so you've returned again, Rexxar," Thrall said, smiling. 

The massive half-orc grunted, the huge bear by his side making a similar noise. Rexxar sat down on the floor in front of Thrall, which prompted the Warchief to stand and sit by him, as a formality of showing that he considered Rexxar to be his equal.

"What news do you bring, then?" he asked.

Rexxar took a swig from the goblet of wine that had been set out for him, and said huskily, "_**Much news…and it concerns our former Tauren allies."**_

Thrall frowned, "They will always be our allies, Rexxar, you know the circumstances that Cairn left under were far better than the ones that Vol'jin and Sylvanas did."

Rexxar nodded absently, stroking the head of his bear companion. The huge bear, Misha, was his constant companion, a spirit bear from the wilds of Kalimdor that Rexxar had befriended long ago.

"_**Perhaps…but I believe the circumstances were not as they appear. You know that in the years following the Horde's destruction, Cairn has grown distant, and has refused aid of yours on many occasions. I fear that they are fighting a losing battle against an enemy that is too great for one race to stop.**_" Rexxar said.

"It is possible…but what is happening?" Thrall asked calmly, sipping some wine himself.

"_**The wild plains of Mulgore burn and wilt, the spirits of the earth that once flourished in the Stonetalons now dwindle and die in agony. The unnatural force that plagues them, the greed of earthly beings, is causing their world to crumble. Our aid is needed, but Cairn will not answer it."**_ Rexxar answered.

"That is troubling indeed…then we must give it even if he does not ask. I have someone who can help, I think," Thrall said, finishing the drink.

"_**You speak of the human, I suspect. His spirit is strong, untamed. He has not submitted to your will yet, has he?"**_ Rexxar said, grinning a little. The grin was horrifying to behold, but Thrall was used to it.

"No, I don't think he will ever. He does not seem to be that type of person. He completes the missions I give him for one reason, and that is either to finally gain my attention for the matter that he originally came here for, or more recently, to gain a better standing with my people. He is achieving both quite admirably. He bows to no one."

"_**You are correct. Are you not pleased that I spared his life?"**_ Rexxar asked.

"I am very pleased. He is a quick learner, and I believe that he may master the Earth to a point were I can move him onto the Wind, or perhaps the Fire style in only a few short weeks," Thrall returned. The huge orc poured himself and his companion more wine, before Thrall spoke again.

"I have almost forgotten your true reason for being here. What information do you have on Blackhand's Horde?" The final two words were spoken low and menacingly, laced with barely restrained anger.

"_**Not much…his forces continued to grow, and I believe that he threatens the remaining stability of the Horde. Doubtless, as long as these things remain as they are, your people will grow unsatisfied with your ruling. The Imposter will no doubt use this to his advantage, promising victory and power, things that cannot be given so easily. You must steel yourself. The world is in chaos, and you must take care not to fall pray to it as well. Everything, I believe, will right itself in time."**_

Thrall sighed, and nodded at his friend's words. There wasn't really anything he could do at this point, so he would heed Rexxar's words, and do what he could to ensure the safety of his people.

"I thank you, Rexxar. These are troubling times, and I can only remain steadfast for so long. When he returns, I will brief him on this mission. The Tauren will once again become our allies, and soon, I hope, the Horde may be repaired to the glory it once was," Thrall said tiredly, smiling at Rexxar.

Rexxar nodded and stood, Misha doing so as well.

"_**It would be in your best interests to make it even greater than it was previously, my friend, for there will be much darkness before the light of dawn shines through."**_

The half-orc turned, and lumbered from the room, leaving Thrall to ponder, his blue eyes staring intently after the Champion of the Horde.

* * *

The wild plains of Mulgore were certainly a sight to behold. 

To a visitor, it was a welcome change to the boiling heat of the Barrens to the east, with a soft, cool breeze ruffling the delicate, green grass that covered the mighty plains. Though trees were almost as scarce as in the Barrens, they were stronger and taller, covered in thick layers of pine needles.

The plains themselves were an endless sea of green that rippled in the wind, dotted occasionally with small lakes or ponds, the water clear and placid. In the ponds a variety of fish swam freely, unbothered by anything in the world above.

The animals too, were a sight to behold. From the elegant plainstriders, to the fierce mountain lions and the huge, lumbering kodo. But that was just the tip of the iceberg of life in the fresh, climatic ecosystem that was Mulgore.

Tucked away in a valley surrounded by huge mountains, it was no wonder that it was so drastically different from the scorched plains that were the Barrens. With a cooling wind blowing down on it almost constantly, the denizens enjoyed very little hot weather, but notoriously cold winters that froze the lakes and covered the area in mounds of snow. It was for that reason that many of the creatures were mammals, possessing thick fur to last the harsh winters, while others went into hibernation deep in the surrounding Stonetalon Mountains.

Mulgore was a place that most could only dream about. A place of peace and rest, where it would seem that one bore no obligations, and could live life to whatever standards wanted.

However…

If one looked closer, to the northern side of the valley, tucked in the rocks and boulders at the foot of the larger mountains, one would find that Mulgore was not so peaceful after all.

"GET MOVING, YOU ANNOYING LITTLE ANTS! WE NEED TO DOUBLE PRODUCTION IN THE NEXT WEEK BEFORE THE BOSS GETS HERE, SO I DON'T WANNA SEE ANY O' YA STOPPING UNTIL I SAY SO!"

Several goblins and a handful of gnolls sped up at the booming of the voice, working harder to do whatever job they were assigned.

A gargantuan shape moved among the scurrying lesser beings, standing entire body lengths taller than any goblin. Its skin was a dull tan color, thick and leathery stretched taught over massive muscular arms and legs. The creature had a huge, egg-shaped head, with a small white horn sticking out from the forehead. Its eyes were small and beady, and its mouth was open and constantly yelling at anything that was unfortunate to get in its path.

"YOU, MOVE FASTER! DO YOU THINK MONEY GROWS ON TREES? AND YOU! KEEP SAWING; WE NEED ALL OF THOSE EYESORE TREES DOWN AND SECTIONED BY TOMORROW! KEEP DIGGING, YOU FOOL! DO YOU THINK THAT YOU WILL FIND IRON JUST SITTING ON THE GRASS? HA!"

The ogre grinned triumphantly at his work. The entire team was working faster than ever, which meant that if all went well, the Boss would be quite impressed when he came to check up on the work site next week.

Grindock the Overseer, after nearly ten years of digging or felling trees, had finally been promoted to a position that he had only dreamed of before.

Head Foreman of the Northern Mulgore and Southern Stonetalon mine and wood factory.

He now ordered rather than followed orders, and it was incredibly invigorating to see the fear in the workers' eyes when he approached. He had built his reputation up to the point where he was sure that if he continued working as he did, the Boss would have no choice but to promote him again, maybe to even an executive of the entire area!

He drooled at the thought.

The work site that he had been assigned was the largest in all of Mulgore. There were several other mines in the area, but his doubled as a mine and a tree felling area. It had been established only three years ago, and because of the convenience that the site offered, as it was close to the Stonetalons, they had dug a tunnel through the mountain, and established a second site on the other side.

Having been part of the dig team, Grindock had obviously been recognized as one of the greater creatures, as the Boss had given him the promotion just after the tunnel had been finished.

He was sure that it didn't have anything to do with the fact that the previous foreman had died in a cave in during the final days of the construction.

He grinned again as he oversaw the work, before plopping down on a massive wooden chair that he had ordered built for himself. He picked up a haunch of meat that lay on a platter on the arm of the chair, and tore into it hungrily.

Ordering people around sure was hard work!

He didn't notice the approach of another until they were right next to the chair, staring up at him with cold, amber eyes.

"You certainly are a natural at doing that, aren't you?" the stranger spoke smoothly.

Grindock glared down at the person, having already recognized the voice.

"OF COURSE I AM! THERE ISN'T ANYONE HERE THAT COULD DO THIS JOB AS WELL AS I!" he boomed, ripping off another chunk of meat.

The stranger raised a disgusted eyebrow.

"Maybe…but the Boss isn't going to be pleased if he sees that you are so…behind." The stranger commented, observing the work with a faux interest.

Grindock snorted.

"YOU DON'T KNOW A THING, FOOL. YOU JOB ISN'T TO TELL ME HOW TO DO MINE, BUT TO KEEP THOSE STUPID COWS FROM DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT! SO GO BACK TO THAT COWPEN AND MILK, OR WHATEVER YOU BLASTED COWS DO,"

The stranger, said nothing at first, and then turned to leave. As he drifted back into the trees, he spoke once more.

"I was hired to keep you in line, pig. His highness the Trade Prince isn't tolerant of those who disobey their superiors."

"WHEN MY SUPERIOR ARRIVES, I'LL BE SURE TO REMEMBER THAT, COW."

The stranger scoffed, then turned, and disappeared into the remaining shadows of the dwindling number of trees.

* * *

Done! YAY! I SO HAPPY! 

Sorry again about the pseudo-lateness. This chapter should have either been longer or gotten out quicker, but I found the haziness of the turkey preventing me from doing much on Thursday and Friday.

The next chapter will be out around this time next week, as usual.

Now, for the important stuff.

I hope you guys enjoyed my parody of Leroy Jenkins. For those who don't know what that is, simply go to Google and type in "Leroy Jenkins video" and watch the video that you find. It's fake, but hilarious, and I recommend seeing it, or else the joke isn't as funny.

Now, reviewer answers:

**Kaaera- **Just wait and see, my friend! Keep reading, and all will be revealed (but not for a long time).

**Slimeman-** I don't know, Tsunade is strong, I'll grant you that, but in this, using the style that he has, Thrall is strong as well. Maybe he can't cause the massive destruction that Tsunade can, but she can only blow up buildings because she releases her chakra in a sort of shotgun attack at the moment of impact. Thrall is immensely strong, and while he can't cause that much destruction, he can certainly generate as much force as Tsunade to hammer an opponent through a wall. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

**Nantukoprime- **Nope, never read Lord of the Clans, but it sounds pretty cool.

**Inugami- **See Slimeman's answer, that will explain it.

**The White Dwarf-** I plan for him to do the totems, maybe, but that will come later.

**Tatsu- **Nice questions, I'll try to answer them as best I can.

I think that this is a very good growth rate. I can't say how to do better, unfortunately, since I myself haven't even reached 60. I have a level 40, but I always create new characters because I get bored with one.

I play a Rogue as my main, level 40 undead.

You got the first one right, but the others are a little iffy.

My, you are the first to even suggest that! Wait and see!

How to explain this without giving away spoilers…well, I don't think I can, but here's a little hint. The Scarlet Crusade isn't so different from the Burning Legion.

As for my email, it's even though I rarely check it.

Well, that seems to be everything, until next time.

General Grievous

**Spellbook- **

_**Doton: Tsuchidageki (Earth Shock)- **_Releases a blast of chakra which can shatter rock easily, and can even break bone. It requires the person to be very close to their target.

_**Multiple Shadow Bolt- **_Variant of Shadow Bolt, it fires many bolts of demonic chakra, shaped like skulls, that can damage opponents severely.

_**Summon: Imp**_- Summons and demonic imp from the darkest pits of Hell. Requires a blood contract with that particular imp, rather than simply that imp species.

_**Doton: Jibeta Kasui (Ground Spike)- **_Makes the earth beneath ones opponent soft, entrapping them, then burst upwards, forming an immensely sharp spike that impales an opponent.

_**Kongou**- _The basis of the Earth style, called the Diamond Skin. It makes a person almost impervious to physical damage, and requires an immense constitution as well as fine chakra control. It can be broken, but not very easily.

**Bestiary-**

_**Fizzle Darkstorm (Humanoid)- **_A goblin that is loyal to the Burning Blade, a sect of the Burning Legion. A skilled warlock (demon caster), he fights dirty and has a loud-mouthed imp to fight his battles.

_**Deviate Stalker, Ravager, Venomwing, Lurker (Beast) (Elite)- **_Members of a genus of reptile that inhabits the deeper depths of the world, the Deviates are strong and durable. They are somewhat easy to scare, and due to the lack of food in the caves, are largely cannibalistic, feeding off species of Deviates, as well as their own.

_**Grindock the Overseer (Humanoid)(Elite)(Original)- **_A ruthless ogre in charge of the Venture Co. mining operations in Northern Mulgore and southern Stonetalon. Not much else is known about him, or his powers.


	20. Evil Happenings

**Disclaimer: This disclaimer is going by so fast; you won't even know what's happening! Idontownnarutoorworldofwarcraftmittensbufftonkakungfudogslargeboobsarehotandyoudontknowwhatishappeningtoyoubecauseyourentirerealityiscollapsingasyoureadthisorisitactuallyreality.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_

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* * *

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It was nearly sundown by the time Naruto and Golbarn got back, both sweating heavily, and neither in the best of moods. It had taken an incalculable number of hours for the ancient goblin to count out the copper pieces, having had to restart several times due to him "forgetting" what number he was on. By the end, Naruto felt like he had fused with the chair he had been sitting on, and Golbarn had managed to plan out every possible encounter with nearly every type of creature that imaginable that wandered the Barrens. After that, they had to lug a huge bag full of copper coins (or rather Naruto had) back across the quickly darkening Barrens, as they had neither the time nor the will to stay in Ratchet for the night.

For several more hours they then hiked across the Barrens, thankfully encountering very little resistance. That wasn't very mysterious, however, as they two were yelling up a storm that was louder than a female orc on her period, and the constant arguing had scared off anything that might have had the courage (or stupidity) to venture too close.

After hours of this, they had arrived at the gates of Orgrimmar, both seething, which caused the guards to hasten in their efforts to open the gates, allowing the Warchief's apprentice and the other orc to enter unopposed.

Naruto, both ferociously hungry and dead tired, had a small internal debate on whether he should drop off to sleep immediately, or get some Loon'des from Sarjak's.

That debate quickly ended, however, as the side for going to sleep was unable to organize their notes effectively, and were crushed into the dust by the side for going to get food. There was a healthy bit of name calling as well.

Naruto said a brief, yawning goodbye to Golbarn, who responded with a grunt, before heading towards Sarjak's, in the heart of the Valley of Strength.

The small restaurant was still open, and Sarjak himself was attending the counter, where two other orcs were sitting, deeply engrossed in a conversation that Naruto didn't really care about. He took a seat at the counter, and Sarjak walked up to him. The older orc's grey eyes softened slightly upon seeing the boy's state of appearance, and so he decided to forgo the usual barbs directed and the blonde.

"What'll it be, brat?" he asked, calmly.

Naruto rubbed his eyes, mumbling, "Bowl of giraffe loon'des please."

Sarjak nodded, having suspected as much. He dropped the noodles in the heavy iron pot along with the spices necessary for it to be considered loon'des. He then added the meat, of a freshly killed giraffe, before he turned back to Naruto.

"Rough journey?" he asked.

Naruto nodded.

"Yeah…didn't help with that bastard Golbarn bothering me the entire time…" the boy said, rubbing his eyes again, making it quite clear that it was taking all he had to stay awake.

Sarjak snorted, briefly turning his attention back to the noodles simmering in the pot, giving them a stir, then turning back to Naruto.

"You sure it wasn't the other way around? You're rather bothersome, in my opinion."

Naruto scowled at him, not really in the mood for jokes.

"Thanks for your kind words…" the boy said in an uncharacteristically sarcastic tone, sticking his tongue out at the old orc.

Sarjak smirked a little in return, which surprised him a little, before he scooped the noodles out and into a bowl, along with the broth, handing it to Naruto. The boy wasted no time in diving in, using the provided chopsticks and eating with gusto. Sarjak turned back and reduced the heat of the stove, not intending to make much more loon'des that night. He didn't expect the boy to hang around long anyways, seeing as he was dead tired, and the bowls were quite large anyways.

Naruto was thinking along much the same lines, and so he tried to eat as fast as he could. When he had first been allowed to eat at the restaurant, he had been ecstatic at how large the bowls were. Orcs were far larger than humans, and thusly they needed far more energy in order for their body to function properly. So, the amount of noodles that Naruto was served was akin to about three or four bowls of regular ramen back in Konoha.

In short, it was perfect for the ramen eating black hole that was Naruto's stomach.

While Naruto was still eating, he heard Sarjak say something to him.

"It is unfortunate that you came back so late, brat. Your old friend, Rexxar, was here earlier today, speaking with the Warchief. I imagine you would have had a few things to say to him, eh?"

Naruto looked up, a little shocked.

"He was here? Dammit! I still gotta beat that bastard into the ground for kicking my ass and making my life a whole lot harder!" the boy roared, his meal temporarily forgotten.

During the first few days after his spectacular loss to Rexxar, Naruto had still been rather raw about losing to the massive half-orc. The fact that Rexxar hadn't been around for Naruto to hound also added to his annoyance of the Champion. He had asked Thrall a few things about Rexxar when he was still delivering messages for the Warchief.

**Flashback:**

"_I need ta' ask you something," Naruto said, looking up at Thrall, who was sitting upon his throne, reading over a message that Naruto had just returned with. _

_The orc glanced up briefly, his piercing blue eyes staring calmly into Naruto's own._

"_Yes? Ask what you need to," he returned, glancing back down at the message, even though he had long finished it._

"_Where the hell is that bastard who defeated me? Rexxar, or something, that was his name, right?" the boy said._

_Thrall lowered the message, and looked fully at the blonde by this time._

"_Oh, indeed, his name is Rexxar, Champion of the Horde," Thrall said._

"_Who is he? And where did he go? He owes me a rematch!" _

_Thrall chuckled, and said, "You are ages away from being able to defeat him in combat, child. Rexxar is incredibly powerful; he is my equal in many respects, and my superior in many others. Even with your strange and incredible power of the demons, his skill far surpasses anything that you can do currently. I have not even begun teaching you, so how can you expect to be able to fight him so soon?"_

_Naruto reddened a little, realizing that he was still quite raw about losing to the orc. He hadn't lost once in a battle since he had arrived in Azeroth, and compounding on the fact that he had the only true battle that he had lost since becoming a ninja was to Orochimaru, then Sasuke, it annoyed the boy to no end. He didn't take losses well, and the feelings that he had felt after Sasuke had defeated him at the Valley of the End had been brought to the surface once more. He, even with the power of a demon, had lost to a foe that could have killed him at any time. If he had died, then he would have failed Kira, and Sakura, and everyone in this world and the next. _

_Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that he should just buck up and accept his loss, but that wasn't something Naruto could do._

_It wasn't something that he had needed to do, ever in the course of his life. He had always fought, and had never simply accepted his losses. _

_Because that was what Uzumaki Naruto did. He was a fighter, born and bred, and for that reason, could not accept his loss, not when he could fight to rectify it._

_Thrall, however, continued, unabated._

"_As for where he is…I cannot say. Rexxar is a trusted friend, but I still do not know where he goes. He wanders the land, and does what needs to be done in order for my people to thrive. He returns occasionally to inform me of the news of the world, but those times are few and far between. Wait until you are stronger, perhaps then you might challenge him again, since you seem so keen on fighting the ones that are stronger than you."_

_Naruto nodded, letting the information settle in. Thrall then lifted up another animal skin scroll, and tossed it to Naruto._

"_Here's your next assignment. Take this to Vargris, whom you should find in the Valley of Strength," the Warchief said._

_Naruto pocketed the scroll, and left, muttering about how vague instructions would be the death of him._

**End Flashback**

"Damn…oh well…I'll get him next time…" Naruto muttered, digging back into his noodles.

Sarjak shook his head, smirking. He had to admit, this human brat was interesting. Since the Horde had fallen into disarray, Orgrimmar hadn't been the same. No longer did he see groups of Trolls or Tauren wandering the streets, mixing with the sea of greenish faces that he usually saw. He didn't even see the occasional Forsaken anymore, though he had to admit, he didn't exactly miss them as much as the other two. But for the most part, Orgrimmar just wasn't…Orgrimmar without the other parts of the Horde.

He looked again at the blonde, who was finishing the bowl, gulping down the broth in one continuous stream. This boy was interesting, indeed. He was technically the first human to have stayed in Orgrimmar at all, if you didn't include the multitude of prisoners that had been captured during the bloodier days of the war. There was something different about him, to be sure. He was the first human that Sarjak could effectively call his friend. He didn't know why, but the brat simply had that effect on people. Though the masses of Orgrimmar hadn't truly accepted him, and it was unlikely that he would ever gain favor with all of them, Sarjak could tell that it wouldn't be long before people started to view the boy in the same way he did.

He fought for a group of people who treated him like the lowest form of dirt.

He fought with all of his power, even if it might have been for other reasons than simply to help the Orcish people.

That, in Sarjak's opinion, had to account for something.

Besides, the boy was amusing to talk with, and that was good enough for the old chef.

Upon finishing his noodles, Naruto set the large bowl down in front of him, then dropped a bunch of silver on the counter, before sliding off his seat (which was somewhat tall for him).

"Well, thanks old man! I'm gonna…(yawn) go to sleep…seeya," the blonde mumbled, gradually looking more tired as he spoke.

Sarjak nodded, and waved the boy off.

"Best get some rest boy, I have a feeling that your going to be in for quite a day tomorrow," the noodle chef answered, pocketing the silver.

Naruto nodded wearily, then turned and walked off into the night, back towards Grommash Hold.

Indeed, as Sarjak predicted, Naruto would be in for quite the adventure in the following days; ones that would test him far more than any he had encountered thus far in his adventures within this strange world of Azeroth.

* * *

_That dirty bitch…_Kira thought, grinding her teeth as she looked at the scene in front of her.

She was sitting at her normal spot at the dinner table, just to the left of the head, where her father currently sat, joking and laughing with the occupant of the seat directly across from Kira.

High Inquisitor Whitemane.

She twitched in revulsion at the thought of the woman, looking at her was almost unbearable.

She had returned the previous week, along with an entourage of Scarlet Crusaders and because of her father's hospitality, now had a room to stay in within the castle.

That just happened to be right next to Kira's.

So, in addition to seeing the shamefully lewd woman every meal time, she had to sleep in the room next to her, fearing that she might be stabbed, beaten, or otherwise maimed or killed while she slept.

All in all, it wasn't a pleasant experience.

It had been almost three weeks since her father's outburst during the Council meeting, and during that time, the Scarlet Crusade hadn't wasted anytime in trying to convince the people of Stormwind that they were a benign force, there to help those in need. Their healers set up in the hospitals and infirmaries, healing and curing patients with the practiced ease that came from years of studying the Healing arts, locked away in a secluded monastery in the mountains. Their soldiers were garrisoned in the Barracks along with the guards of Stormwind, and they would go out into the forest daily, clearing the roads of anything that might pose a threat to travelers. Their mages spent days scouring the library, organizing it, copying or beginning reprints of older books, or inscribing and creating runes on the outer walls, reinforcing them against attack.

The people of Stormwind were remarkable accepting of the Crusaders, something that made Kira ill to think about. Couldn't they see that it was all just a farce?

Benedictus, however, didn't have the faith she had in the people. He believed that they'd even welcome The Syndicate with open arms if they appeared to have good intentions, regardless of the past grievances that they had inflicted. That was the problem, he believed, with Stormwind. In recent years, they had become too trusting of their own kind, and far too untrusting of any others. Though it pained Kira to think like that, she knew it was true.

Something needed to be done to rectify that. She didn't know what, or how, but it needed to be done, and fast. The world was growing darker by the day, and unless the races of the world forgot their pasts with each other, and began anew, then it would continue to darken until it smothered everything, extinguishing the life that flourished like one would a candle.

She knew that her father was on the verge of allying with the Crusade, and that scared her. She had yet to find any reason for why her father was acting as he was, and Benedictus wasn't telling her anything. Unless she could do something to convince her father that the Crusade was completely untrustworthy, the alliance would be sealed.

Then, she believed, everything would go to hell.

"Amazing! Beautiful and a sense of humor! You are quite the lady, my dear Andria!" said Anduin, laughing along with the scantily clad priestess.

"But you can appreciate such a good joke, your Grace, and you aren't half bad looking, to boot," said Whitemane, her brilliant blue eyes shining with mirth.

_I'm gonna be sick…_ she thought, slumping lower in her seat as she glared at the two. They had done the very same thing the past few days, simply chatting away, ignoring everyone else in the room, laughing at their own private jokes, or whispering things in each other's ears that made one or the other chuckle or in some cases, blush. On several occasions when they did those things, Kira had needed to leave the table as fast as possible, so that she didn't accidentally throw up her dinner in front of them.

Though, if she had been sure she could get Whitemane with a stream, it wouldn't be a total loss.

But it was as sickening as it was infuriating. For Kira, it felt like her father was completely forgetting her mother, in favor of a hussy who didn't feel like wearing trousers or at least a dress like most women.

Though Kira hadn't known her mother for long, she still felt a sense of pride when people compared her to her mother. Her father, she knew, had been deeply in love with her mother, and when the news of her death, when Kira was still very young, he had been devastated. So after that, he had thrown himself into his ruling, using whatever means necessary to aid the Alliance, and make the world safe for his people. During that time, he had managed to unite the divided human kingdoms in the area, something that hadn't been done for ages. He had made it his personal mission to insure that his people would be able to live as safely and freely as possible.

But when the gnomes had departed, then the Night Elves, and finally the dwarves, somewhere along the way, her father had changed. Whether it was because of the Alliance's dissolution, or something else, the man that now sat flirting with the skanky leader of the Scarlet Monastery was not her father. The man who had said those things at the Council weeks ago, too, was not her father. It was like there was another person inside of him, one that was released on periodic occasions; occasions that were growing more and more frequent. She saw less and less of her father these days, and far more of this strange man who looked and sounded like her father, but was not.

She finished her breakfast quickly, not really wanting to stay any longer, listening to the pointless drivel that the two were engaging in. She had a lesson with Benedictus, in any case, and so she needed to leave anyways.

She politely excused herself, which fell on her father's deaf ears, before quickly retreating from the room, making her way towards the chapel.

She arrived moments later to find Benedictus pouring over a few scrolls, muttering things under his breath. He looked up as she approached the altar, rolling up the scrolls as he did.

"Hello, child. I can't imagine your day has been very good so far, so I won't ask," he said, setting the scrolls aside and motioning her to take a seat. She did so, glancing curiously at the scrolls as she did.

"What are those, master?" she asked, leaning forwards to examine them closer.

He slapped her hand away, however, and chastised her, "Look, my dear, but don't touch. They are very delicate old scrolls. As to what they contain, I am not sure myself, as they are written in a language that I am unfamiliar with. I think it may be some form of Elvish, but it lacks the prettiness that their language possesses, so it makes me think that is older than them, perhaps a very early form of Trollish," he explained, glancing at the scrolls again.

Kira blinked, a little puzzled. What in the Twisting Nethers was her master doing with ancient Trollish scrolls?

"Don't give me that look," he said, noticing her disbelieving stare, "these may contain some information that might be vital to you and me. When I have managed to properly translate it, which shouldn't be too long, I will tell you its contents, but for now, you must listen."

He sat down in front of her, and spoke softly, his golden eyes piercing into hers like arrows.

"I am worried, Kira, very worried. The Scarlet Crusade's efforts to foster goodwill between themselves and the people of our city are going far better than I had hoped they would. To me, this seems as if they are planning something immense, something that will change the lives of our people and possibly the course of history. They are not doing this to help the King's decision to make the alliance; they are doing it for far different reasons, ones that are far more sinister.

"I am terrified because the people of Stormwind are too accepting, too gullible; they do not look past the sugar-coated layer that the Crusaders put up, the one that conceals their true intentions.

"The next few weeks, my dear, I believe will be the most trying in your life. You must be strong, and you must have faith. If you have those two things secured firmly within yourself, I believe that things may turn out all right in the end.

"But…there is something that I must ask you to do…something that may or may not come to pass, but should it, you must do exactly as I say. Do you understand?" he said, in almost a whisper. He was staring directly at her, so hard that it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain eye contact, for his eyes seemed to glow as bright as miniature suns.

She nodded, "I understand."

He sighed, smiling sadly at her, before his features composed themselves.

"Should anything happen, to myself, or to your father…I want you to leave," he said, causing her to stand up in shock, staring at him wide-eyed.

"What!" she nearly shouted, "Leave? Why?"

"Simple. In anything of that magnitude occur, I would like to leave Stormwind as soon as possible. Whatever happens, nothing good will come of it, and you would be caught in the middle, something that I do not want you to experience. Should something happen to me, then the chances for re-allying with the other races will drop considerably, and the only person aside from the boy who knows of your plan will be dead. If it is your father, then those fools would propose you as the new heir, and you would be made queen well before you are ready. Either way, you would be in a position that will make it exceedingly difficult to accomplish what you need to. Therefore, it would be in your best interests to leave," he finished, still watching her, unblinking.

"Then where would I go?" she asked, worry coursing through every vein in her body. She couldn't bear the thought of something happening to her father, and it would be just as bad if Benedictus were harmed. It was also deeply worrisome that Benedictus was so afraid. She had once rather foolishly believed him to be invincible, a person who omniscient, omnipotent, and could make everything as it should be. She had harbored the same feelings for her father, but those had changed as he had. Her father was not invincible, for if he was, then he would not have changed so much.

Similarly, Benedictus had since proved to her that he was just as human as the rest of Stormwind. He couldn't do everything, he didn't know everything, and he couldn't help everyone. He didn't always know what was right. He didn't always know what to do.

And that scared her.

Benedictus was easily one of the most powerful men in the world. But he was still human. He was not perfect. He was not always unafraid.

His uncertainty of the situation was troubling, and she knew that if he were at a loss of what to do, then she would be no better. But moreover, it was his frightening certainty that something would happen in the next few weeks, something big that would change her life, something that would change everyone's lives.

And it was change that she feared most.

Her father had changed. The world had changed, growing darker and darker. She was changing; everything was continually growing, shrinking, aging, and dying. It was because of change that her father now acted like a perverted schoolboy; it was because of change that she no longer had a mother; it was because of change that the Scourge continued to grow and fester, like a gangrenous wound on the face of the world; it was because of change that the Elves and the Dwarves and the Gnomes no longer allied with them. Everything was changing, and she could do nothing to stop it.

She didn't want things to change. She knew it was stupid and childish, and that it was pointless to even hope, but she didn't.

Yes…it was change that she feared. And in the next few weeks, Benedictus was certain that an immense change would come. So he was preparing.

And so should she.

"It does not matter where you go. Ironforge, Gnomeregan, even perhaps to chase after you future husband," he allowed himself a small smile at her flush, before continuing. " It matters only that you get away from here. Can you promise me this, my dear? Can you promise that should something happen, you will leave?"

Kira bit her lip, trying her best to speak with certainty.

"I…I-I…promise." She said slowly, looking at him. He stared at her for a few seconds, and then nodded.

"Very good. Then we must get started."

"Yes, master."

* * *

Thrall sat upon his throne, his face as composed as ever, his electric-blue eyes betraying no emotion. The huge orc was leaning forward, resting his hands upon the massive Doomhammer that was never far from his reach. He was staring hard at Naruto, who was standing a few yards in front of the throne, watching him.

It was still early morning, and Naruto had only just woken up. The blonde's disheveled appearance was testament to the fact that he hadn't gotten the necessary sleep the previous night. He yawned widely, briefly glancing away from Thrall in order to rub his eyes.

It turned out to be a big mistake.

Half a second later, Thrall had appeared in front of the blonde, startling him, and without a second's pause the huge orc had driven his foot hard into Naruto's stomach. The blonde was launched across the room, but managed to absorb the damage from his inevitable impact with the wall using Kongou. When the impact came, the stonewall cracked and broke under the strain, but Naruto was almost unharmed by the attack.

_All that training is really paying off…_ he thought.

He lowered himself into a fighting stance, but before he could even locate were Thrall had gone, the orc was right in front of him, fist raised, ready to deliver an excruciatingly powerful blow to Naruto. The boy readied himself a second time for Kongou, managing to put up the defense mere milliseconds before Thrall's punch landed. The punch, as hard as the last, slammed Naruto away from Thrall, but this time he managed to reorient himself before he struck the wall, instead landing deftly against it, causing the stone to crack once again beneath the force.

Using the built up energy in his legs, Naruto shot forwards, straight towards Thrall. The massive orc, however, was not there to greet, instead was suddenly at the blonde's side, delivering a series of powerful, lightning-quick blows that Naruto couldn't defend against.

Naruto was once again throne backwards, this time, however, he hadn't readied the Kongou to absorb the damage. Instead, he crashed against the wall, crying out in pain as he did, before landing hard on the ground.

Naruto struggled to his feet, emitting a series of hacking coughs that brought up a significant amount of blood. He lifted his head slightly, only to find Thrall standing in front him, staring down with large, blue eyes.

_Too fast…_Naruto thought, stunned.

The Warchief watched Naruto for a few seconds, before reaching out a hand, and helping the blonde to his feet. Though dazed, Naruto found the pain in his back and chest ebbing away as a result of the Kyuubi's regeneration. He sorely wished he hadn't told Thrall of that particular ability, because afterwards Thrall had begun testing it to its limits during their spars, leaving Naruto beaten and bruised despite the healing factor.

When Naruto as able to stand unaided, Thrall met his questioning glare.

"Wind…" he said aloud, glancing about him as if he could see something Naruto could not. "Wind is invisible, unable to be caught, fluid and extremely powerful. It is fast, strong and it is what every fighter attempts to emulate in battle. Though none but the Shaman can truly duplicate its power. That is the second style of the Tetra Elemental. Wind. In my opinion, it is the hardest of the styles to master, because ones body needs to be immensely strong to be able to handle the speed that you go when using this style. It also takes the longest to learn, and though you have strengthened your body considerably in the past few weeks, you will need to do so even more in order to handle the power that you will wield with this style."

Naruto felt incredibly giddy. After seeing a monstrously huge person like Thrall move at such an incredible speed, probably even faster than Gai, he couldn't wait to learn this technique. The advantages he'd have in battle would be staggering.

_And still two styles to go!_ He thought, feeling all the more like Jiraiya after having spotted an all-female nudist colony.

Thrall's next words, however, cut through his excitement like a freshly sharpened sword.

"You will not have much time to learn it, seeing as you have to leave soon for your next mission."

Naruto gaped.

How could he do this?

He reveals an extremely powerful, ultra-useful technique to Naruto, and then announces that he won't be able to learn it until after a stupid mission?

It took all of Naruto's willpower to stop from screaming at the huge orc, and he even bit his lip so hard it bled to stop himself from emitting a particularly nasty swearword, one that had already gotten him into trouble before.

Thrall seemed amused at the blonde's reaction, but spoke again, seeing Naruto had gotten himself under control.

"You will be taking Golbarn with you once more. Your mission is simple…far across the Barrens, to the southwest, there is a place called Mulgore. Unlike the Barrens, Mulgore is a rich land, filled with water, grass, and trees. It is surrounded completely by mountains, which protect it from the heat streams that make the Barrens so deserted. It is a place that many of my kind went to in order to either retire, or to simply live away from the hustle and bustle of my city. It is also the native land of the Horde's former members, the Tauren.

"The Tauren have lived in Mulgore for generations, far longer than my race, the orcs, have even inhabited this realm. They are extremely peaceful; it was them who first suggested we ally with the humans against the demons of the Burning Legion. They abhor violence of all kinds, but are willing to use it in order to protect that which they hold dear.

"What they hold dear the most, however, is the very earth that we stand upon now," Naruto briefly glanced at his feet, before meeting the orc's eyes once more. "It was their love for this earth, however, that I believe led them to leave the safety of the Horde. They are a deeply shamanistic people, having trained the majority of the shamans that reside in this city right now. They are also far more in tune with the spirits of this world, and it is for that reason that they needed to leave.

"Cairn Bloodhoof, the chieftain of the Tauren, came to me one day, saying that he needed my help with something. Cairn was, and still is, a great friend and ally. So I listened to what he had to say. He explained that he would explain all it time, and that he knew that the world was in danger, not from the Scourge or the Burning Legion, but from a very different, and unexpected foe…"

"Who?" Naruto asked, his attention drawn in by the story.

'The Venture Company," the Warchief responded, sighing a little.

Naruto blinked; that was the second time in a day that he had heard of the Venture Company.

"I keep hearing about these Venture Company guys…who are they? The goblins in Ratchet seem to hate them, but…"

"The goblins of Ratchet would hate them. The Venture Company has almost a monopoly in the mining, oiling, and wood-harvesting trades. They acquire the majority of their inventions by stealing the blueprints of other inventors, and then usually killing them. They also mine and oil in places extremely lush and fertile areas, such as the Stranglethorn Vale, or the Stonetalon Mountains. They cut down trees by the bunch, they tear up ground in search of oil and other fossil fuels, destroying environments that peoples such as the Tauren hold dear. They then sell the goods at prices that nobody can match, because they have acquired control of all the prime areas in this world.

"Cairn was deeply troubled when the Venture Co. moved into Mulgore, many years ago. He did not concern himself with them for a while, focusing all his power and resources on fighting the humans and their allies. However, they grew in power and strength and number, eventually drilling a hole straight through the mountains to the north of Mulgore, so that they could have easy access to the Stonetalon Mountain Forest.

"By this point, Cairn believed he needed to take action. I sent several of my men along with him, as did the Trolls, so that they could combat and drive them out of Mulgore. But it didn't work."

"Why not?" Naruto asked.

"Because The Venture Co. had hired several mercenary groups…ogres, mostly, to protect the mining operations. Though Cairn and his people were able to fight drive them back several times, The Venture Co. returned with powerful machines, ones that were able to drive Cairn back to Thunder Bluff. He had been unable to drive them away; something that I believe shamed him.

"Nevertheless, I sent more of my people to aid him, despite the heavy strain that I was putting on them. I was already at war with the Scourge, the remnants of the Legion, and the Alliance; I did not have many forces to spare, though I did my best. Cairn fought the Venture Co. for nearly a year like this, doing his best to try and drive them from his sacred homelands. Though he made much progress, he was not able to fully accomplish it when I last heard from it.

"And then…he simply stopped."

Naruto blinked, perplexed.

"What do you mean…stopped?" he asked, staring with one eyebrow raised.

Thrall was hunched over, resting his chin on the back of his hands, which were draped over the Doomhammer; his look was one of depression. He looked much older than he truly was, sitting like that.

"He simply stopped. He stopped fighting the Venture Co., and he sent what was left of my warriors back here. I sent numerous messengers to ask what was wrong, but each one returned with no answer. I even dared to go myself, but found that he would not speak to me, something that he had never done in our entire friendship. His people, devoted to him as they are, stayed with him in Thunder Bluff; I have not heard from him since, though many of his people continue to roam the Barrens, and collaborate with me, they do not fight by the side of my orcs, instead staying cloistered within Mulgore, like monks in a monastery. I had no time to attempt to convince him otherwise, as I had many other things to deal with at the time. But now…I need their help. It seems that they need mine as well.

"That is the premise of your mission, brat. You are to go to Thunder Bluff, and stay there until you can convince Cairn to re-ally with me. You are to offer him any help that he may require, and you will not return until this mission is completed. Do you understand?"

Naruto nodded, not single trace of hesitation in his actions.

"Yeah, I do. Get the Tauren back, die trying, got it. You better teach me that technique when I get back though, cause that'd be seriously useful in the future. Got it?" the blonde said, staring up at Thrall with his eyes gleaming in anticipation.

Thrall sweat dropped.

"Of course, brat."

Naruto grinned cheerfully, before the cheer melted away, revealing the determined, slightly arrogant grin that had become Naruto's trademark.

"That's settled then. I'll go get that bastard Golbarn, and then I'll knock some sense into that old cow. I'm not gonna let any stupid goblins get in my way."

With that, Naruto turned, and strode confidently from the room.

* * *

_Off the coast of the Stonetalon Mountain Forest…_

The blast from a massive horn shattered the tranquil silence of the seas, in much the same way that the equally massive ship that had emitted it carved through the calm waters off the coast of Kalimdor.

The ship itself was far larger than any conventional fishing boat, or even a war galley. It was incredibly long, nearly fifty yards in length, half that it width. It had two, sky-scraping masts, each adorned with a crow's nest, at the top of which was a white flag bearing a black dragon that clutched a golden coin in its claws. The sails, which were rolled up, were black and the dark wood of the vessel matched them perfectly. All along the sides, massive oars stuck from small holes in the side, and were constantly moving, back and forth, churning up gallons of water to propel the mighty ship forward. The figurehead of the ship was that of a beautiful mermaid clutching a large, real diamond in its hands.

It was a ship fit for a king, one might say.

Or a prince.

On the deck of the ship there were dozens of goblins, each of them dressed in elegant, finely sewn vestments, speaking lightly to each other, sometimes joking and snickering, but most of the time simply lounging about, acting like seventy year old tourists on a cruise ship.

One might notice, that, with all of these goblins simply lounging about, there didn't appear to be anybody working. However, if one went below the deck, one could see that there were quite a few workers. But if one were sharp, they would notice that none of the workers were goblins, but all different sorts of beasts and beings.

There were gnolls, the ugly, hyena-like beasts that inhabited Elwynn Forest. There were the brutish ogres, with their thick, beige skin and overflowing body fat. Mixed in to the majorities of gnolls and ogres were a scattering of forest trolls; tall, strong, pointy-eared, tusked beings that possessed only three fingers on each hand, and only two toes on each of their feet.

But beneath them, even, tucked away in the back, was a most lavish space. Red carpet had been laid on the floor; the walls had been painted with lush scenes that depicted lands far off, with beautiful forests, gorgeous lagoons, birds of every type flying in view, flowers of every size and shape blooming; upon the ceiling, a large, extravagant chandelier had been installed, with layers of hanging gems, cut to look like teardrops, of every color and size.

At one end stood at door, on each side of which stood a forest troll, and the other, a large, ornate chair. The chair was wood, carved to look as if vines were growing up its legs, with small wooden flowers blooming at small points along the way. However, the flowers soon withered and burnt as they reached the top, where a massive, ornate dragon had been set, breathing flames down up on the life below. The dragon sat atop a pile of carved golden coins.

Sitting upon the chair, however, was neither a dragon, nor a flower. Dressed in the most outlandish, expensive looking garbs one could ever see, a goblin sat, staring in disgust at another goblin who sat trembling in front of him.

The goblin that was looking down in disgust was as bald as any other, and his skin was as green as the one at his feet, and his ears were as pointy. There, however, was where the similarities ended. He had many piercings in each ear, all either made of gold or bedecked with gems. His outlandish clothes, which consisted of a purple tunic, silky black pants and fine leather boots, with a long fur coat, far too long for one of the goblin's stature, and silky leather gloves.

His face was unblemished and smooth, his nose long and pointed; his eyes were a rich silver, and many of his teeth had been replaced with gold copies, making his mouth shine even with the look of disgust on his face.

By contrast, the goblin that sat shaking at his feet was dressed in drab, plain clothes, and he wore no jewelry. One of his ears was half-gone, and the other drooped down, as dogs would when it was depressed. He had more missing teeth than he had remaining, and his eyes were a dull, hollow black, almost grey. His face was slightly emaciated, as if he hadn't eaten for quite a while.

The enthroned goblin spoke, "Now…do you recall what you did, Gurdingle? I would hate for you to have to return to the brig…do you remember? Hmm…?"

The trembling goblin was silent for a time, but it was evident that he as trying to form words.

"I-I…"he said, his voice raspy from lack of water, "I-I….r-remember…m-my l-lord…"

The enthroned goblin smiled.

"There! Now that wasn't so hard was it? Now tell me what you did, and you can return to your cabin, and eat as much as you like!"

The other goblin swallowed, but seemed slightly relieved. He spoke again, this time a little louder, a little more confident.

"I-I…d-did n-not…I-I…was…u-unable to…p-pay…the r-required…e-entry f-fee…" he took a few breaths, then spoke again, "I-I…a-am sorry…m-my lord…it…w-was…w-wrong of m-me to deceive…y-you."

The enthroned goblin gave a nod and a smile, and rose from his throne.

"There now! You see how much better you feel? It was rather foolish of you, in retrospect, to think you could get away with slacking off. Since you didn't pay the fee that all of my other guests did, you were forced to work. Since you didn't like to work, you decided to stop working, and just lounge about, as if you owned the place. But you see how much lighter you feel? You see how the very air you breath is now cleaner? You grow stronger by the second, inhaling this new air, don't you? See how much better honesty is? I hope you remember this in the future, Gurdingle, because it is a valuable life lesson that must be taught to everyone."

Gurdingle nodded, but, as the other goblin had suggested, felt slightly better. After being kept in a cell for nearly a week, with little water and no food, he was half-dead of exhaustion and starvation. But the hope that he now could return and feast on what the workers were eating, which before he had spat out, as if it were slime, now seemed like a banquet to him.

His lord was so kind…

The enthroned goblin then looked up and nodded to the trolls that stood near the door at the other end of the room.

"Now, my friends, escort my new friend Gurdingle, who now knows that lying gets you nowhere, and take him to get some grub, okay?"

The hulking trolls nodded; one of them walked forwards, and lifted Gurdingle off his feet, hauling him towards the other troll, who was standing just outside the open door.

"Oh, and one last thing…" the goblin said, smiling in the same way as before at the trolls, who had stopped just outside the door.

"I want you to cut off an inch of flesh…for every silver that he owes me. He must learn…that you can't cheat me out of anything."

Gurdingle's eyes widened in horror, and he began to scream, which was cut off as the two trolls dragged him away, both grinning fiercely.

The entry fee that was required to join the carousers above was over fifty gold.

Over five hundred silver.

Cyrussian T. Venture smiled coldly at the screams that now echoed his chamber.

Minutes later, another goblin entered, dressed in fine green silks and clutching a spyglass in his hand.

"My lord…we have nearly reached our destination. Are you ready to depart?"

Cyrussian stood, looking disgusted once more. Any trace of joy that the previous event had brought him had been wiped from his face.

"I suppose…I detest these visits. Those cows are even worse then the trolls in Stranglethorn."

The other goblin nodded, but looked a little unsure.

"My lord…do you not possess their…?"

"Oh indeed, but I nonetheless hate visiting this retched place every year, and I hope that this is the last. Once we drain that place dry, I won't have to deal with those cows again."

The goblin nodded, and waited until his lord had passed, before following him from the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

I HAVE SHAMED MYSELF!

I would commit seppuku on the spot, but unfortunately I don't have a second, and that would mean no more updates :(

I am terribly sorry about the wait, and the shortness. I have had a lot of things going on in the past week so I have been a little pressed for time.

The reason I make such a big deal about this is because this is what happened just before the long, 4-month gap in updates. I fall behind, and then I just stop righting all together. I hope that by next week, I can start pumping out chapters regularly again, considering it's only a little over a week until Christmas Break.

I also apologize for the crappiness of this chapter in general. The next few, I promise, will be awesome, action-packed, and all that.

Okay, reviewer answers:

Slimeman- May I ask what was confusing about the Venture Co. overseer part? If you mean you didn't know what's going on, then that's okay, because you aren't supposed…yet. As for the Naruto focus…it is _Naruto_ after all. But Kira was in this chapter, and if you can't see what's coming next…well…I won't comment.

Myojin of Night's Reach- Yes the Trolls moved. To where? You will have to find out!

Katana Haibane- He's half-orc, half-Ogre. I think I included that in the bestiary, but that's ok.

LINKed up- He is going to the Tauren next chapter, I believe. The Scarlet Crusade's goal is somewhat similar, but you need to keep reading to find out. You can count on the gifts; there will be plenty of romance between Naruto and Kira, and the part about him going back will be answered later!

Druss the Legend- A timeline…that's going to be difficult, but I will try to make one for the next chapter. Naruto isn't at jounin level strength, actually. He's almost there, but he still doesn't have the experience, nor does he have the state of mind for a jounin. He attacks head on, rather than using sneak attacks or surprise attacks like a ninja is supposed to. He's strong, and will get stronger, but he's still no match for Kakashi or Asuma, or Kurenai, or Gai (especially Gai). Magni's Pride is simply a powerful, adamantium weapon. Magni didn't put any enchantments on it.

Totems are little things that Shamans get through quests that allow them to cast certain spells. When a totem is summoned, its effects target everything around it, rather than just a certain target. For example, they have totems which makes every monster in range go slower, or increases you and your parties armor or mana regen. It's like that.

As for Tsunade and Thrall…who knows? Let's see what happens. (Grins)

Well that's everything, I think. 'Till next time,

General Grievous.

_Next time, The Tauren…really, I sweat it._

**Bestiary:**

**Cyrussian T. Venture (Humanoid)(Boss)**- A Trade Prince of the Undermine, and owner of the Venture Co. Not much else is known about him yet, only that he is incredibly cruel…


	21. Quilboars and Thunder Bluff's Number One

**Disclaimer: Happy Non-denominational Winter Holidays! I will forgo the usual meaningless disclaimer if favor of a much more appropriate one!**

**Wait…never mind…I'm all tapped out.**

**I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft.**

**Or do I?**

**You never know…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**That's better.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"…How about now?"

"…No."

"…Now?"

"NO!" Golbarn shouted, causing a group of nearby gazelle to flee in surprise from the orc's booming voice.

Naruto winced, clamping his hands over his ears in pain.

"Ow! You don't have to be so loud!" The boy snapped, glaring daggers at the orc. The rubbed his ears a bit longer, waiting for the ringing to stop.

Golbarn sighed in exasperation, nearly at his wit's end. They had been traveling for almost a day and a half through the blazing heat of the Barrens, and with the added fact that he had to spend the entire time with the annoying blonde was taking its toll on him.

_Why did I agree to come on this mission?_ He thought, shooting a glare at Naruto, who was walking beside him. He knew the answer as well. Thrall seemed to see something in the bratty human that Golbarn couldn't; something that made him trust the boy with a mission as important as this one.

_I'll be damned if I let this brat mess up this mission, _he thought. That was the reason he had come. For Golbarn, failing a mission given by the Warchief was worse than death could ever hope to be. He had yet to fail a mission, thanks to his plans; but he would not let some stupid little human that had shown up out of nowhere cause him to fail this one.

He cast another glance at Naruto, who had pulled ahead, and was observing the horizon with interest. The blonde had a look of complete wonder on his face, as if he had never seen something like the vast plains that were characteristic of the Barrens.

And yet…there was something else that had caused him to come with the blonde, something that wasn't honor or duty. It was a feeling that he got only when he fought alongside his allies and friends; but it baffled him why he would feel it when it concerned the blonde shinobi.

_This brat is not an ally…or a friend,_ he affirmed to himself.

This reason still eluded him, for the most part, but he decided that he would find out what it was that made him go on such long, agonizingly painful journeys with Uzumaki Naruto.

So distracted was he in his ponderings that he didn't notice that Naruto had stopped until he had nearly crashed into the blonde. He scowled down at Naruto, who was looking intently at something off in the distance, his nose twitching.

"What are you doing, brat? We need to get to Camp Taurajo by nightfall, before we can head to Mulgore. That means that we can't stop fo-"

"Hey, shut up!" the blonde snapped irritably. He turned his head to the side slightly, so that his right ear was facing where his eyes had been seconds ago.

"Can't you smell it? There's something up ahead…" the boy whispered, furrowing his brow.

Golbarn stopped and sniffed as well. While his senses weren't as keen as Naruto's, they were still quite a bit better than a normal human's.

It took but a moment of simply standing silently for Golbarn to catch a whiff of the scent that had halted Naruto. He immediately recognized it as well.

"Blood…" the orc murmured. He drew the finely crafted sword that his father had given to him on the day that he had entered into the Warchief's service. It was about four feet long, single-edged and slightly curved. The hilt was plain enough, but the scabbard had the emblem of his family emblazoned on the side near the top, and the blade had a tinge of red to it. All around the base of the blade there were seals etched in, giving the blade an enhanced edge against wild animals; the most numerous type of foe that prowled the Barrens.

It was his treasure.

Naruto drew his short blade as well, and then charged forwards in the direction of the scent.

Golbarn gritted his teeth in annoyance, once again reminded of Naruto's brashness and complete disregard for any sort of planning whatsoever. He followed swiftly, lifting his blade in preparation.

They sighted the source of the sound and smell seconds later. Near the road, a large wagon had been tipped over, its contents: boxes and parcels, signifying that it was likely a mail caravan, were strewn about the ground. The kodo that had been pulling the wagon lay dead at the front, likely killed first, and in it's dying throes tipped over the wagon that it was pulling.

As they got closer, they caught sight of the prone body of an orc lying near the overturned wagon. Whether he was dead or simply unconscious, Golbarn couldn't tell.

But his attention was turned away from the fallen orc, however when he spotted the beasts that were attacking them. He grunted in disgust.

"Quilboars…" he muttered.

The creatures that he referred to as quilboars were large, humanoid beings that strongly resembled pigs. Save for that fact that they stood on two legs, had a bunch of porcupine-like quills jutting from their backs, and were smart enough to not only where a decent amount of clothes, but carried various daggers and swords that, while crudely fashioned, looked effective nonetheless.

From what Golbarn could see, there were about twenty of them scouring the wreckage for anything that they would deem useful.

Being creatures of a more primal nature, "anything useful" would either be edible or be able to injure something.

Or both.

Cursing, Golbarn hung back a little, his mind racing for a plan that would allow them to effectively deal with twenty of the beasts at once. While he was thinking, however, Naruto did what he did best.

"Oi! Pig bastards! Get away from that wagon, and get ready to have your asses kicked!"

Yes, he announced his presence and attacked, regardless of the consequences and blowing any chance of catching them by surprise.

Golbarn nearly tripped over at the announcement, unbelieving of Naruto's stupidity. He almost shouted at the boy for being an idiot, but decided that it was better used when they were out of danger.

The group of quilboars turned at Naruto's battle cry, almost immediately backing away, as if afraid. Golbarn briefly wondered why they would do this, as they clearly had the advantage in number. But Golbarn also noticed that none of them exhibited the normal signs that accompanied fear, but rather they seemed to be waiting for something.

Whatever they were waiting for, however, didn't show itself; Naruto launched himself at the nearest one, which raised its weapon, a curved dagger, in defense. Naruto's short sword cleaved through the knife with ease, allowing Naruto to get close and drive a fist into the beast's face. The punch blasted the quilboar into one of its compatriots, its quills puncturing the other quilboar's face and chest, killing it and sending both flying backwards into the overturned wagon. At this point, the other quilboars had begun moving to attack, whatever plan they had now gone.

Golbarn rushed into the back of the group, his sword flashing through one, decapitating it. Its death alerted the others to Golbarn's presence, and a portion broke off, attacking Golbarn instead.

Meanwhile, Naruto had summoned three clones, which had appeared on all sides of the group that had been attacking him. With the rift caused by Golbarn's entry into the fight, Naruto had been able to completely surround the quilboar marauders, laying into them without mercy. The quilboars must have known that he was stronger than them, so instead of fighting to win, they fought to get out of the trap that they had been put in, and simply flee.

Naruto, however, wasn't going to be that forgiving.

Summoning another group of clones, the quilboars, while still rather dimwitted, were able to figure out that they were effectively done for.

And they were correct.

"**Ninpo: Komura Bureido (Blade Thicket)"** he bellowed.

As one, his Kage Bunshin drove their short swords forward; instead of slashing, as with the Hayashi no Touken, they thrust. The blades impaled the quilboars in numerous points, skewering them in so many places that they met their ends almost instantly.

While this was happening, Golbarn was dodging, blocking and striking out at the quilboars that were attacking him. His blade, coupled with his natural Orcish ferocity and strength, acted as a knife wielded by a skilled cook; it scythed through body parts and slew the quilboars with a ferocity that rivaled that of a charging bull.

He did not go without his fare share of wounds, however. But as orcs have naturally thicker skin than most, he barely acknowledged the attacks, instead focusing on the one that he was trading blows with.

Though he managed to kill five of the attacking ten, the others had managed to surround him in much the same way that Naruto had managed to surround his own group.

However, Golbarn was used to dealing with groups; he was used to being surrounded by enemies. That meant he knew precisely how to deal with this situation.

Gathering up a fierce torrent of chakra, he focused it hard into his blade, and then began to spin.

He then cried, " **Bladestorm!" **

As he spun, faster and faster, chakra exploded outwards, forming a swirling whirlwind of blue light that ripped through the surrounding quilboars. Golbarn's blade became invisible, flashing through the air along with the swirling chakra.

He slowly stopped spinning, and the glowing chakra faded away, disappearing completely when he finally stopped. For a moment, there was silence.

Then, the air was filled the wet thumps and splashes as the five remaining quilboars fell to the earth.

In several pieces, of course.

Golbarn grinned at the sight and sound, and sheathed his sword. He turned and spotted a group of Naruto clones, whom were all staring at him with wide eyes. They all disappeared with consecutive "pops", leaving only the original.

"That was…SO COOL!" Naruto exclaimed, rushing up to Golbarn, his eyes sparkling.

Golbarn grunted, muttering, "All Blademasters can do it…"

"So? That was the coolest technique ever! Can you teach me?" the boy gushed.

"No."

"Awww…why the hell not?"

Golbarn crossed his arms, looking squarely at the boy. "You wouldn't be able to use it effectively with that short blade of yours, and besides…it is an ancient technique that only those who come from the families of Blademasters can learn. And I don't like you."

Naruto scowled, annoyed that the orc was being so difficult.

"Besides," continued Golbarn, "you have no sense of how to fight! It would have been much simpler to have simply snuck up on them. Yet you charged in and attacked. You are far too hot-headed and brash, brat."

Naruto stared at him for a few seconds, blinking, before grinning brightly,

"Heh, I fooled you too," he said, putting his hands behind his head.

Golbarn frowned.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, staring hard at the blonde.

Still grinning, Naruto pointed off into the distance, beyond the wagon, towards a small patch of trees. Golbarn shielded his face from the setting sunlight, and was able to spot several bodies lying at the foot of one of the trees.

They were quilboars. He looked harder and saw that a number of crossbows lay near their bodies, set in a pile by the group of Naruto clones that now were leaning against the tree, waving at Golbarn, obnoxious smiles firmly affixed on their faces.

Golbarn's eyes widened.

"I keep a bunch of Kage Bunshin that sneak around and guard us while we walk. Since those things knew we were there before we even saw them, I had the sneaking ones, who are hard to smell 'cause their just chakra, take care of their snipers which I smelled earlier. I figured it would be useless to try and sneak up, so I just attacked. Pretty good, right?" he said, grinning proudly of his accomplishment.

Golbarn blinked a few times, a little startled by the revelation.

He smirked a little, suddenly reevaluating his opinion of the blonde.

"You are…quite surprising, brat," he said.

Naruto grinned.

"I ain't called 'Konoha's Number-One Most Surprising Ninja' for nothing!"

Golbarn smirked a little, nodding in acceptance.

After they had buried the dead orc, and sent a messanger bird to Orgrimmar informing it of the situation, they had started off again.

"Are we there yet?"

"Say that again, and I'll truly kill you."

* * *

By the time the two reached Camp Taurajo, it was dark, and the moon had just begun to rise in the distance. 

Naruto was famished, made known by the constant growling and rumbling that filled the night air.

Golbarn glanced at him after particularly loud growl and asked, "Are you sure that beast is sealed properly? It's getting annoying, so tell it to shut up, will you?"

**IF I WAS OUT THERE WITH HIM, I HIGHLY DOUBT HE'D BE SO BOLD AS TO TELL ME TO SHUT UP, **the Kyuubi boomed inside Naruto's head.

Naruto snickered a little, once again reveling in the feeling that he could joke about the creature so openly.

When he had first started training, Thrall had commented on the strange power that Naruto had called forth in his battle against Rexxar. Despite Naruto's attempt to hide it, Thrall had managed to pry the truth from him, and so Naruto had told him everything about the Kyuubi; its powers, its history (that he knew, anyways), and the reason it was inside him.

Naruto remembered the incident quite clearly.

**Flashback**

"_So…you are saying that a demon lord has been sealed inside you?" Thrall asked, watching Naruto squirm and nod briefly. _

_It was obvious to Thrall that the blonde was ashamed of this, and he no doubt realized that Naruto had had a hard life because of it. _

_However, despite his previous dealings with demons, especially demon lords, Thrall wasn't worried about Naruto being used against him. It was quite obvious that the boy had an immense amount of control over the creature's powers, and combined with what he knew of the boy's personality, which wasn't much, granted, but enough to know that the blonde would not let himself be controlled by anything, much less a demon lord._

_No, he wasn't worried that Naruto would be corrupted._

_He was, however, intrigued by it._

"_You say that it grants you the ability to heal from almost any injury?" he asked this time, staring hard at Naruto._

_The blonde shinobi nodded, a little confused._

_A cunning smile flashed across Thrall's face._

"_That means…I no longer have to be as…careful during training exercises…correct?" he said, raising one eyebrow._

_Naruto, not at all liking the look spreading across his master's face, gulped._

"_Well then, boy…shall we get started?" Thrall rose, loosening his joints with a few audible cracks, before walking towards Naruto, seeming twenty feet tall to the blonde._

Uh oh…_he thought, suddenly wishing that he hadn't said anything at all._

**End Flashback**

Naruto was still aching from that particular sparring session.

But once he had told Thrall, the Warchief had proceeded to tell every orc that Naruto worked with. It hardly affected their attitudes towards him, however, as they already disliked him for being human, much less being human with a demon trapped inside.

When he had begun working with Golbarn, the orc had initially been a distrustful as the others, but slowly after awhile, that had changed. While they still squabbled, it no longer possessed the heat that it once had, and was becoming much more like what his arguments with Sasuke had been like.

But what was really amazing was that he could joke about the object of years of suffering for him with someone; it was like a huge burden had been lifted from his back.

He had always dreaded the day that one of his friends in Konoha found out his secret. If it had been anyone, even Ino, whom he had spoke all of three sentences to in his life, or Tenten, whom he had spoken all of no words to, he would have been unable to bear it. It was a hidden fear of his that once his friends did find out, of which he was certain they would at some point or another, they would reject him, and hate him as the other villagers did.

He had even stepped around it lightly with the Gnomes and Dwarves. King Magni was the only dwarf that had been informed of his burden, and had accepted it warily; he had originally been surprised, but because of Naruto's willingness to help, as well as his character, had eased the dwarf's slight fear of the blonde who commanded so much power at his fingertips.

When Mekkatorque had been told of Kyuubi's rescue of Quidneer, he had said nothing to the blonde about it, but Naruto had been able to detect a slight wariness in the gnome's features. It hadn't been much, and it was almost completely covered by the gnome's friendly demeanor, but it was nonetheless still there.

But it had been most surprising to him that someone his own age, Kira, had been able to accept his burden so easily. She had certainly been a little shocked of Naruto's secret, but she had quickly banished the shock in favor of amazement that Naruto had been able to endure so much, and yet still turn out so well. It had emboldened him to the point when he was able to inform others of it as well; namely King Magni and Mekkatorque.

But when Thrall had first almost completely disregarded the implications that Naruto's burden had brought, simply in favor of having a more durable sparring partner, and Golbarn's joking about the situation, made Naruto's fears of being rejected seem almost childlike.

These people had been plagued by demons as bad as the Kyuubi, and yet they were still able to look beneath the fact that Naruto was carrying a demon in him. If they could, he reasoned, than his friends could as well.

After Golbarn had gotten them a room at the small inn set in the camp, they sat down at a small restaurant that served all manner of different foods. It included some Orgrimmar specialties such as Loon'des, several types of meat that could be cooked in a variety of ways, and traditional Tauren cuisine, as Camp Taurajo had originally been established by the Tauren as an outpost in the Barrens; however, Naruto had yet to see a single Tauren, and he was told they would be quite easy to spot.

The Tauren food wasn't as appealing, however, as it consisted mostly of vegetables.

Vegetables of the green variety.

Naruto, for as long as he could remember, had hated vegetables. He asked if the Tauren ate anything but vegetables, after seeing that none of the dishes that were labeled as "Tauren" had any meat in them whatsoever.

Golbarn looked at him for a second, and then said, "I have seen some Tauren eat fish and poultry, but other than that, they are strict vegetarians. Is that a problem, brat? You'd best get used to it, as your going to have to eat their food when we get to Thunder Bluff."

Naruto looked slightly green at the thought.

_Damn…I hate vegetables…_he thought. _After all, how could anyone eat something that color? Green? What kind of food is green? _

Their food arrived minutes later, Naruto's silent seething about the fact that he'd have to eat vegetables for a while disappearing upon receiving his bowl of loon'des. Golbarn, however, did not start eating right away. Instead he looked at Naruto, and spoke calmly.

"Brat, I have to tell you something. You must be extremely careful when we get Thunder Bluff. The Tauren, while peaceful, are deeply religious. Though many follow the same path that you and Lord Thrall are following, they follow it in a decidedly different way," he said.

Naruto, his mouth full of noodles, looked up and frowned at him, "Whaddya mean?" he asked, swallowing his mouthful.

Raising an eyebrow in disgust at the boy's manners, Golbarn continued, "I mean that while you, and to a lesser extent Lord Thrall, follow the path of the shaman believing that you are forging your own strength; without the aid of the elemental spirits that are said to inhabit this world, the Tauren believe that their powers are guided and enhanced by these beings. It is impossible to say who is correct, because those who claim to have seen them were given a powerful hallucinogen, called a _sapta_, and thus usually their opinions are disregarded."

Naruto lowered his chopsticks, frowning, "That's stupid…our chakra commands the techniques, right? So why would they think that these elemental spirits or whatever help them out?"

Golbarn snorted.

"Typical human response. There is no proof to suggest that these beings are not helping you control your power. Perhaps chakra is a byproduct of the presence of these beings, and only those whom the spirits deem worthy can command it. Though anyone can essentially become a shaman, it takes a special type of person in order to effectively wield the power that comes with it. During the war, only a small percentage of people who sought to become shaman actually did. I imagine that it is the same with your ninja. Do you see everyone succeeding at becoming a ninja?"

Naruto thought about that. "No," he finally conceded.

"Precisely. The Tauren have always believed that the spirits choose who will or will not succeed in the trade of a shaman. Lord Thrall simply believes that everyone is good at something, and poor at other things. Neither can be proven as right or wrong, so both are accepted.

"Furthermore, the Tauren do not follow the properties of the Tetra Elemental style."

"What? They don't?" Naruto asked, blinking in shock.

"Yes. The Tetra Elemental Style was developed by Thrall's tribe, the Frostwolves, and is taught to all shamans who reside in Orgrimmar. Aside from the style, as well as the basic spells that come with it, the Orcish shaman must rely on the greater knowledge of the Tauren. The Tauren shamans not only learn far more spells, but they learn much finer control than us Orcs do. They are far more peaceful in nature, and thus it is easier for them to hone their skills to a point that takes most orcs many years to master. The Tauren shaman rely on their spells to battle, most of them of the earth type, rather than any sort of fighting style. In that area, they are unmatched by any in this world."

Naruto thought about that for a second. He was a little disappointed that he'd still have to wait until he got back to Orgrimmar before he could learn the next part of the Tetra Elemental style, but he found the prospect of learning even more jutsu just as appealing.

He just hoped the Tauren would be willing to share.

* * *

They continued their trek the next day, passing through the Camp Taurajo without any incidents. As they walked east, the path began to descend slightly, and the terrain gradually began to change. 

Where there once were barren plains, short, green grasses began to grow. The withered, dry trees with small leaves and thin trunks were replaced with large, towering pines, almost as big as the ones in Dun Morogh. As they descended, the rock became whiter, and the air became cooler and softer; a slight breeze picked up, and the sun suddenly seemed less unbearable.

By the time they had entered Mulgore proper, Naruto was enjoying the walk immensely. Without the unbearable heat, Naruto found it easier to walk and didn't feel the need to harangue the orc, who was grateful for the change in the blonde.

Because it was an entirely new setting for the blonde, Naruto eagerly sought out everything that he hadn't seen before in the Barrens. He would occasionally stop in the middle of the road, hunker down and watch a small rodent scurry away; or in other cases he would hurry off the path to get a better look at one of the large plainstriders that could be seen grazing near small pools.

The plainstriders, long-necked, long-legged and flightless birds, didn't take kindly to Naruto's apparent interest, and more than once the blonde was forced to run as fast as he could in the other direction, attempting to avoid being pecked to death.

Predictably, Golbarn found this very amusing.

After almost half a day's walk, Naruto stopped, sniffing the air again. This time, not wanting to be shown up by the blonde, Golbarn stopped and sniffed as well. At first, he couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary, and wondered if the blonde was just doing it to be annoying.

However, seconds later, a disgusting smell reached his nose as well, and he wrinkled it in distaste. He found Naruto doing the same thing.

"What the hell is that?" Naruto asked, pinching his nose shut.

A growing feel of dread began to well up in Golbarn's stomach. He knew that smell…

He pointed off into the distance.

"It's coming from that direction, I think," he said. He then began to walk towards the place he had pointed, leaving Naruto's question unanswered.

The blonde followed swiftly, wondering what could have possibly smelled so bad.

They found their answer, minutes later, upon reaching a small stream. Golbarn stared in absolute disgust into the water, causing Naruto to search the stream for whatever the orc was looking at. However, half a second later, Naruto realized that he was looking not in the water, but at it.

And he could see why.

The water, instead of being the crisp clear that was usually characteristic of mountain streams, was a putrid brown. In some parts, bubbles rose from the bottom, popping seconds after reaching the surface and releasing a puff of brownish smoke when they did.

Naruto could see fish floating dead upon the surface, carried down the stream, their bodies half-rotted and smelling most foul. Looking up the stream towards its source, Naruto could see the bodies of several plainstriders lying in the water, bloated and dead; most likely from drinking the fetid water.

"Wha-what is this?" the blonde asked, his voice a decibel above a whisper.

Golbarn's face was twisted into a ferocious snarl, his eyes beginning to glow slightly from the chakra that was begging to be released from his body. The orc gripped his sword hilt tightly, and spoke quietly.

"That…that is the waste that the Venture Co. produces in order to run their tree cutting machines and mining drills. That is proof that things are far worse than they appear."

Naruto nodded grimly, his own blood beginning to boil. How could someone destroy such beauty so callously? It was disgusting.

In his own world, the Fire Country had never needed to worry about large industrial corporations entering and destroying the forests, because technically the Hidden Village of the Leaf owned the forest, and to touch it without the Hokage's permission was illegal. He'd never have to worry that some day the forest of the Fire Country would disappear, taken by a foolish corporation interested in only money.

But these people…

Here it was a dog-eat-dog world. Because there were so many different races, it was difficult, if not impossible, for interracial laws to be set up. If one race took something from another, that race would have to take it back. No laws governed them, and the Venture Co. made it clear that they'd continue to take, unless the Tauren did something about it.

For Golbarn, this blight upon the beauty of a place like Mulgore was more than enough to get angry at. Before the Horde had crumbled, and the war had tapered off into many separate battles, Golbarn had enjoyed going to Mulgore. It was peaceful, and there was almost no sign of battle or war that scarred the splendor of the country.

But to do something like this…to stain that picturesque beauty that Golbarn had enjoyed so much, it was unforgivable.

"Come, brat. We must head to Thunder Bluff…and put an end to this," he said softly, gripping his sword hilt so tightly that Naruto swore it was going to crack.

The blonde nodded, "Yeah…"

Taking a last look at the sludge filled water, he walked away, following Golbarn back towards the road.

* * *

Naruto paused slightly in his investigation, letting his ears and nose attempt to seek out any signs of life. 

"HELLO?" he shouted into the silence.

He received no answer.

Kicking a stray stone, Naruto turned to Golbarn, who was staring at the remains of a bonfire, long died out.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

When they had arrived in Bloodhoof Village, Naruto had been relieved. It had been about two hours since they had left the poisoned stream, and the rations that Golbarn had packed (A bunch of disgusting bars of various grains and foods that was supposed to give energy) had been a less than pleasing lunch, so Naruto was looking forward to eating real food.

Even if it were vegetables.

But upon arriving in the encampment, which was larger than Camp Taurajo but still a bit smaller than the Crossroads, they had not spotted a single sign of life.

It was disturbing; Golbarn had never expected that the Tauren would be driven out of the birthplace of their own chieftain. Why would they give it up? It didn't make sense.

Naruto found that he agreed with the orc, not understanding why they had abandoned such a nice village. The lake that surrounded it wasn't even the slightest bit putrid, either.

Golbarn glanced up at the sky, noting the position of the sun.

"Very well…since there doesn't seem to be anybody here, we must press on. We may be able to make it to Thunder Bluff by nightfall."

Naruto stared at him disbelievingly.

"Are you nuts? I'm not moving another inch without real food!" the blonde shouted, glaring at Golbarn.

The orc scowled, "Brat! Learn to live with it!" he lifted out one of the disgusting energy bars that he had packed, "here, this is the only food you'll get for the rest of the day! Make it last, you little human brat!"

"What! You stupid green freak, I'm not eating that! I need something that's actually edible! Let's get some fish or kill one of those big birds I keep seeing!"

"Let's not, that would take time, and we need to get to the Bluff. My plan was to make it there by today, so we can begin our mission tomorrow, if we stop to eat now, then we will likely have to spend the night, and-"

"Screw your plan! I'm eating, whether you like it or-"

A roar cut off the end of Naruto's sentence.

Naruto spun towards the sound, while Golbarn drew his blade, their argument forgotten. However, before either could react, a massive shape slammed into the ground between them.

The force of the landing blasted both Golbarn and Naruto from their feet. Naruto was able to flip over, landing on his feet, while Golbarn fell back into a roll, landing on his feet as well.

Naruto looked up, meeting the eyes of his attacker. He blinked at what he saw.

_So this is a tauren…_he mused, staring in awe at the massive shape.

Their assailant stood as tall as Golbarn, and was so hulking and huge that two Naruto clones could have stood, side to side, and they still wouldn't have been as big. The tauren was covered in a deep brown fur, which darkened to black around his face and tapered off into a long mane behind him. The tauren had huge hooves instead of feet, three large fingers in place of five, and a flapping cow's tail behind him. His face was darker brown, his eyes a deep amber. Huge, curved horns sprouted from both sides of his head, and a golden ring had been shoved into his nose.

The massive tauren was dressed in leather armor and was carrying a huge hammer, which he had slung across his shoulder.

Naruto was admittedly intimidated by the creature's presence. It was not everyday that you saw a monstrous bull-human stand in front of you, carrying a big hammer, and grinning in a very Narutoesque way.

Of course, Naruto's shock was quickly obliterated by the first words that left the tauren's mouth.

"I bet you were scared, weren't you human? You'd better be, because you are now going to face the Thunder Bluff's Number One Most Powerful Shaman, Kaine Bloodhoof!"

Naruto fell over in shock at the pronouncement.

Golbarn groaned.

Naruto then jumped up, glaring heatedly at the Tauren, Kaine.

"I wasn't scared, bastard! And you should probably change your diapers, cause your gonna need a fresh one after you face Konoha's Number One Most Surprising Ninja, Uzumaki Naruto!" he shouted, drawing his sword.

Golbarn sweat dropped.

_They are the same person..._he thought.

Kaine seemed speechless for a second, before he too grew angry, his amber eyes shining with fury.

"Hah! You'd wish that you'd never said that, human! Time to die!"

Kaine rushed forwards, lifting the huge hammer up and launching himself at Naruto. The blonde easily avoided the first swipe, and slashed at the tauren's mid-section. Kaine drove his fist downwards, knocking the blade from Naruto's hands before it reached him, and leapt away, his hands flying through a series of seals as he did.

"Take this, human! **Summon: Stone Binding Totem!**" he shouted, savagely biting one of his fingers, and then driving his whole hand into the ground.

From the spot where he had struck, long glowing blue runes shot out forming a circular pattern of about three feet in diameter. Then, in a puff of smoke, a strange object appeared.

The object, which probably reached up to Naruto's waist, consisted of a long shaft of wood, with a wooden disk on top. Thorny protrusions stuck out of the side of the disk, and a carved bull's head had been jammed on top. It was decorated with yellow and red painting, and emitted a strange bluish light.

Naruto didn't truly acknowledge all of this, as around the time the object appeared, he suddenly felt the need to plant his face hard into the ground.

The blonde growled, attempting to lift himself to his feet, but found it unbearably hard to do so. It felt like every part of his body weighed tons, and he suddenly found that it was almost impossible to move.

Kaine grinned triumphantly. Lifting his hammer, he drove it downwards, preparing to strike the blonde with all of his strength.

But his quarry vanished with a poof, replaced by a stool that had been taken from around one of the large fire pits.

Almost immediately, he found himself being driven into the ground by a powerful kick from Naruto, who had reappeared behind him. The strike caused him to lose control of his totem, which disappeared in the same fashion that it came. Kaine lifted himself to his feet, only to have Naruto lay a series of powerful punches to his face and chest.

However, being far larger and better built than the blonde human, Kaine was able to shrug off most of the damage, and returned with a strong punch of his own. The attack knocked Naruto backwards, but he was able to land on his feet once more, this time forming a seal and immediately summoning a group of clones to his aid.

Kaine stopped again, shocked by the attack, but recovered just in time to ward off the combined attacks of the clones. He obliterated two of them with a swing of his hammer, and in turning to face the other three, managed to catch a glimpse of the seals Naruto was flashing through.

"**Doton: Tsuchidageki!"** The blonde shinobi shouted. Kaine bent his knees in preparation for a jump, knowing that the only way Naruto would be able to harm him without rushing up to engage Kaine in close-quarters combat was by directed the blast into the ground.

Of course, there was a reason for why Naruto was called Konoha's most surprising ninja.

One of the clones directly in front of Kaine suddenly shot forwards, and raised a hand, which began to glow a dull yellow. Kaine's eyes widened for a second, before he leapt back avoiding the clone's palm. The clone recovered, however and leapt at the tauren a second time, driving his palm down, aiming for Kaine's head.

This time, however, Kaine did not avoid the attack, and instead lashed out and grabbed the clone by the wrist, just above the glowing hand. With a roar of triumph, he slammed the clone hard into the ground, causing it to shatter beneath the clone, which vanished in a puff of smoke.

When Kaine stood up, however, he was met with twin kicks to the face, followed by a powerful strike to the neck from the original Naruto. The tauren stumbled back, stunned temporarily by the attack, allowing Naruto to press forward. The blonde grabbed one of the remaining clones by the wrist, and lifted him, with amazing ease, over his head.

Kaine looked up just in time to see Naruto swing his cloned form down at him, leaving him just enough time to roll to the side. However, when the clone struck the ground, Naruto bellowed, "**Kai (Release)!"**

In a flash of golden light, the clone evaporated, and the previously molded chakra for the Earth Shock was released. The ground was blown apart, and Kaine was sent truly flying this time, smashing hard into one of the walls on a large log cabin.

Smiling cockily, Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and said, "See? That's what you get when you deal with Uzumaki Naru-"

He was cut off when Kaine lifted himself up, spat a glob of blood onto the ground, and glared fiercely at Naruto.

"You're gonna pay for that, human."

He flashed several seals, and then with a roar bellowed, "**Forest Spikes!"**

Before Naruto could react, huge wooden spikes erupted from the beneath him, two of them immediately piercing his feet. He cried out in pain, only to stumble back and land on another group of them. The spears pierced his body swiftly and easily, lifting him up slightly from the ground, twitching and gasping, blood streaming from the wounds.

From where he was watching, Golbarn nearly went to help, before realized what was happening. Smiling, the orc relaxed, enjoying the fight between the two.

Kaine grinned triumphantly, only to blink when the Naruto's dying body disappeared in another puff of smoke.

_Another one of those clone things?_ He thought, his eyes searching for the blonde.

Whoever this human was, he was good. He was not only tricky, but he seemed to possess the powers of a shaman! How that was possible, Kaine didn't know, but he didn't intend to let the fight last much longer.

"Ha! Try looking below, cow-bastard!"

Kaine barely had time to register the blonde's announcement before the ground beneath him exploded, a series of hands leaping out and grabbing his legs. He quickly began to attempt to pull away, but Naruto and his clones proved to stronger than he had originally thought. Unable to free himself, he could do nothing to move when the real Naruto erupted from the ground, driving a powerful uppercut into Kaine's jaw.

All at once, the clones released him, allowing him to fall backwards, stunned. Naruto pressed on, delivering a barrage of punches to the stunned tauren.

In the middle of the barrage Kaine suddenly grabbed Naruto's fist, and pulled the blonde into a powerful head butt. Momentarily stunned by the strike, Naruto was unable to defend when the huge tauren laid the blonde senseless with a punch to the face, before throwing him hard into the charcoal remains that dwelled within a nearby fire pit.

Rubbing his jaw and wiping a trickle of blood from his nose, Kaine watched Naruto stand up shakily, dirty and now covered in soot, wiping some blood from the newly created wound his forehead.

The blonde shinobi grinned, licking blood from his lips.

"You're pretty good, cow-bastard," he stated, smirking.

Kaine returned the grin, saying, "Heh…so are you. I didn't think a human could be so good…makes me wonder were you learned those shaman abilities."

Naruto smirked haughtily, "Wouldn't you like to know!"

Kaine shot back a fierce look, "Yeah, I would."

The two looked as though they were about to engage each other once more, however seconds later a loud booming filled the air, and Kaine looked around in surprise.

"Looks like they're back…"he said out loud.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Who is?"

Kaine grinned, "People a lot stronger than you or me…" He then turned and looked towards the bridge that had been built across the moat that surrounded the village. Naruto and Golbarn looked as well, spotting several figures walking towards them.

_More of them?_ The blonde thought, shocked. This one was bad enough, but would he have to fight more of them, even stronger?

Golbarn uncrossed his arms, and looked calmly at Naruto and Kaine.

"Your fight must have attracted a lot of attention, those are Thunder Bluff Bluffwatchers," he said.

Kaine blinked, looking at him as if noticing him for the first time.

"Eh? Who are you, and why are you here?"

Or perhaps it was the first time.

Golbarn sweat dropped. _He's more like that brat than he realizes…_

When the group neared them, the biggest Tauren of them all walked forwards. He was almost a head taller than Golbarn, covered in almost black fur. His eyes were purple and one of his horns had been broken. He was wearing a large set of plate armor, decorated with various runes, and a huge spear was carried across his back. The spear shaft was a deep black, while the spearhead itself glittered like the moon on a clear night.

The huge tauren addressed Kaine first, his voice a deep rumbling that sent slight chills down Naruto's spine.

"Kaine…why did you run off like that? You were told to stick with the group…why did you not?"

Kaine looked a little sheepish.

"Sorry, Veroden. I followed that stupid wolf all the way here, but I lost it. Guess I got kind of carried away…"he said, scratching the back of his head.

The tauren, Veroden, seemed to accept this answer, before his eyes moved automatically to Naruto.

"A human…"he said, frowning. The other tauren began to finger their weapons, but Golbarn, seeing that he needed Naruto in order to complete the mission, stepped forwards.

"He is with me. I am Golbarn, and the Warchief Thrall has sent us. We are here to see the High Chieftain of the Tauren, Cairn Bloodhoof."

Kaine looked stunned for a second, blurting, "You're here to see my grandpa?"

Naruto blinked, looking at Kaine in a new light. Golbarn did as well, as for once both of them were thinking the same thing.

_I just beat up the grandson of the person we're here to talk to…shit._

_He just beat up the grandson of the person we're here to talk to…fuck._

Veroden however, showed no sign of surprise; but his eyes seemed to change, and his posture seemed to sag slightly. It wasn't long before Kaine and the other tauren began to exhibit this same trait, prompting the two outsiders to wonder what was the matter.

Veroden spoke up.

"I'm afraid that seeing the High Chieftain is impossible."

Golbarn blinked in astonishment, then stared levelly at the tauren.

"Why not?" he asked, calmly.

Veroden sighed, a deep rumbling sound that caused the tauren's body to shiver slightly.

"Because the High Chieftain is very sick…he cannot hear anything…much less speak to you."

* * *

Cyrussian T. Venture snorted in disgust as he observed his surroundings. 

To anyone else, the sight would have been glorious. Beneath veil of twilight, the reddish rock of the Stonetalon Mountains seemed to glow like precious gems. The air was cool, and a slight breeze kicked up the fallen leaves that littered the ground of the forest. The sounds of the forest played like a beautiful aria in the night, making a truly picturesque seen that most would have loved.

However, Cyrussian was not one of those people.

He was standing upon near the edge of the sea, directly in front of the massive boat that had brought him. The front had been let down, and many different sorts of beasts walked out, some led in chains, others walking of their own free will. Those bound in chains would be forced to work at the dig sites, while those who walked freely would most likely be doing the forcing.

The trade prince swatted a fly that had landed on his face.

"This is disgusting…I cannot believe that I continue to agree to do this…"

The goblin on his left, who wore drab green robes and small spectacles and carried a large leather-bound book, spoke quietly, his voice laced with fear.

"W-well my lord, i-it's because you w-want to make s-sure that everything is on t-track. You d-don't want p-people t-trying to steal y-your p-profits. A-am I r-right?"

Cyrussian nodded absently, picking at one of his fingernails. He was not happy that he'd have to deal with these common fools for a while. But, it was all for the best, seeing as how he didn't want anything stolen or having production fall behind.

"I hope that I do not have to visit the one in Mulgore, right now. I hate dealing with those cows, and that fool Grindock. Tell me, who is first on the list?"

The goblin, gulping, flipped open the large book and began searching. He did so for a few more seconds, working as quickly as possible, before he found what he was looking for.

"H-here it is! Y-your f-first task i-is to m-meet with the n-new director of the W-windshear Crag outpost."

Cyrussian nodded in annoyance, remembering the place, but the person was a little fuzzy.

"Who is it again? That foolish gnome, Gerenzo or something, isn't it?"

"Y-yes, my lord. H-he is v-very skilled. H-he has d-double production rates d-due to h-his i-inventions." The other goblin responded.

Cyrussian showed no reaction to the news, before asking again,

"And then?"

The goblin quickly checked the book before answering. "My lord, t-then it is the n-northern Mulgore c-camp, r-run by Grindock the O-Overseer."

"Yes…then let's go. Time is money, and you just cost yourself twenty gold for wasting my time with your inane jabbering."

The goblin looked horrified for a second, before hurriedly following after the goblin, not wanting to anger him further.

A loud crash from the inner workings of the ship caused the two to pause. The cries of the ships workers caused Cyrussian to smile slightly, fingering the small purple rod on his belt.

"It seems my pet is hungry…Warco?" the bespectacled goblin looked up, now truly afraid, but blinked when the trade prince pointed to the first line of bound slaves and free walking workers, "tell line one that they have been reassigned, and will be serving from now on in the ship. Tell them to hurry to the back of the cargo hold…I trust that I don't need to say more."

Warco nodded fearfully, quickly hurrying off to do his master's bidding.

Cyrussian grinned horribly, several minutes later, when the aria of the forest was drowned out by the screams and sounds of rending flesh and splattering blood.

"Music to my ears…hehe…"

* * *

Well that's done…Whew. 

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for putting up with my infrequent updates the past two weeks. I hope to get a lot done in the next few days.

I've also noticed a significant drop in the number of reviewers…(glares suspiciously around) It would be helpful if more people reviewed, considering I would not only get considerable boosts in self-esteem, but I would also get ideas of what you guys want to see.

That said, lets answer some reviews:

**PersonaJXT-** Pretty close. I won't be revealing who exactly that person was, but rest assured, it will be revealed in time. Shamans are strong, I'll admit. But Thrall is like the elite of all shamans. He could knock around any ninja, short of people like Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Itachi etc… As for Kawarimi no jutsu, Naruto wasn't able to use it because he was too busy getting his ass kicked by Thrall to form the seals. Rexxar is a Beastmaster, which is sort of a super hunter, yes.

**Myojin of the Night's Reach- **Geez, fine fine! Lets just say they've returned to their roots. That's all I'm going to say.

**Kalisko-** Yes.

**Gundam Chief- **Good questions. To start off, they do sort of know what he is doing, but not really. I imagine Jiraiya would get a kick out of making an Icha Icha Paradise suitable for all races, Tsunade is extremely worried about Naruto, but also confident that he will return. Naruto will be sending future update messages to them, some of which I will feature, some of which will just be in the background. As for Sakura, she is a bit shocked that Naruto is gone, but his message alleviated her fears that he had left her for good. She is glad that he still wants to make do on his promise.

Well, if that's all, I'm off to bed!

Until next time,

General Grievous

_Next time, Cairn's sickness, sparring more with Kaine, and the beginning of the battle._

**Spellbook:**

**Bladestorm: **An immensely powerful attack used and developed by Blademasters. Releases chakra in torrents and blends that with the orc's sword, killing everything around it. Only Blademasters are taught this technique.**  
**

**Stone Binding Totem**: Summons a totem that makes the opponent feel as if he ways several hundred pounds. Useful for stunning enemies and slowing them down.

**Forest Spikes**: Sends long spikes of wood from the ground, impaling anyone who gets trapped within.

**Bestiary-**

**Razormane quilboars (Humanoid)- **Large, pig-like men with long quills sticking out of their backs. Though they do not possess the power of speech, they are nonetheless cunning and ruthless creatures. While they usually are found near huge brambles, they sometimes venture out to prey upon unsuspecting travelers. Proficient in the use of rudimentary shamanistic spells, and primitive weaponry.


	22. Cairn's Sickness

**Disclaimer: Greatfather Winter has this to say!**

"**No you can't sit on my lap."**

**I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Naruto stared up, his eyes wide and round.

He had never seen something so…immense!

High above him, mounted on a massive bluff, one could see the edge of the Tauren capital city. The flickering light of bonfires lit up the edges, making it appear to be a beacon in the night sky.

The walls of the bluff themselves seemed to stretch up forever, and were almost perfectly straight. There was no way an attacking army could even hope to scale it, and Naruto guessed that even some ninja would find it hard to traverse, as in some parts there was nothing but sleek and smooth stone; it would be hard for them to grip it even with chakra.

He, Golbarn, Kaine and the group of Tauren led by Veroden were walking alongside the bottom of the bluff, towards a pair of platforms connected by a thin catwalk. In front of the one of the platforms was large basket; with a circular bottom that was about five feet in diameter. Ropes suspended the whole thing; Naruto guessed that that was the way they were going to get up.

He was right.

He and Golbarn hung in the back of the procession, with Kaine in front of them, and Veroden and his pack in front of Kaine. No one had spoken much in the time that it had taken to get from the deserted Bloodhoof Village to the edge of Thunder Bluff. It hadn't made for the most exciting walk, but Golbarn and Naruto had been given a new problem to deal with.

**Flashback**

"_What?" Naruto started, stunned, "sick?"_

"_Yes," said Veroden, his eyes still trained on Golbarn, "sick."_

_Golbarn, too, was stunned by the revelation, and he felt his plans crumbling beneath it. This was not good; it set back their mission by a lot, in fact._

_The orc, though speechless for a time, recovered, asking, "Why? What disease has the greatest Tauren been afflicted with that your druids cannot heal?"_

_Veroden snorted, "You must have a lot of faith, in our healers, orc. But this isn't any normal "disease." Chief Cairn has been cut down by an affliction that cannot be cured by normal potions and spells. The sickness that affects him is one of heartache."_

_Golbarn blinked, before he composed his face once more and asked, "What?"_

_Veroden turned away from the orc, and looked off into the distance, his nose wrinkled, his eyes hooded. _

"_You have no doubt seen the state of this land. Mulgore is in such a state that it had begun to physically affect the High Chieftain. From when it was just beginning, Chief Cairn claimed to hear the spirits of the earth in Mulgore, screaming out in pain and for aid. He began to grow weak, and as the days past, could not rise from his bed. From there, he slipped into a coma, from which he has yet to wake."_

_Golbarn lowered his eyes, both so that the sadness that he felt for the great and kind Tauren chieftain, and the similar rage he felt for Cairn for being so weak as to fall victim to the very spirits that were said to aid him. He noticed, however, out of the corner of his eye, that Kaine looked as if he was bursting to say something, something that Veroden might have neglected._

_Naruto, despite the earlier warning from Golbarn to guard his tongue when dealing with the tauren's religious matters, couldn't stop himself from speaking up._

"_That's stupid! How could someone Thrall said was so strong be brought down by something so stupid! How the hell do you know that he isn't being poisoned or something?"_

_Veroden finally looked at him, causing Naruto to blink at the strange look in the tauren's eyes. It was one of…admiration? The look disappeared swiftly, however, making Naruto doubt that he'd seen it at all._

_But it was Kaine who answered the blonde, his voice heated, his glare withering._

"_You stupid human! My grandfather isn't weak, and the reason isn't stupid! And don't you think we tried testing for poison? You're such a dumbass little pink sack of flesh!"_

_Naruto, his blood boiling from the insult, shouted back, " Shut up, cow-face! Why don't you-" _

"_That is enough, brat," growled Golbarn, sending a fierce glare in Naruto's direction. The blonde clamped his mouth shut, but still shot daggers with his eyes at Kaine, who returned the look full force._

_Veroden cleared his throat, and then spoke calmly to the orc and human._

"_It is getting late. We must be back in Thunder Bluff by nightfall. Since it would be a waste for you to come all this way, it might be best if you came with us. I am acting as chief in the time that Cairn lies bedridden. I will hear what you have to say, but it must wait until we return to the Bluff," he said. _

_Golbarn nodded, as did Naruto, and the entire group began to walk back towards the bridge that they had arrived on._

**End Flashback**

Since speaking with Cairn and attempting to get regain his allegiance was almost impossible now, they were relying on Veroden to help them accomplish the mission.

Golbarn, however, didn't think it'd be so easy. There was something missing, something that they weren't mentioning. Golbarn would have asked, but he guessed that if they had wanted to tell him, then they'd have already done so.

If Cairn were in such danger of dying, thanks to the Venture Co. then why wouldn't they try and drive them out?

It was puzzling, and for someone who hated the unexpected and unknown like Golbarn, it was infuriating.

Naruto silently shared his view. He knew something was wrong, and that from the tauren's explanation, that they hadn't given them the whole story. What was also puzzling was Veroden himself. The tauren seemed strong and able; so much so that the other tauren in the group looked up to him. If he was strong enough to be considered the temporary chieftain, then why wouldn't he launch an attack on the Venture Co. that was doing so much damage to Mulgore, and responsible for the current state of their true chieftain?

While the two puzzled over this, they arrived at the base of the platforms, and began ascending to the top. Once there, Veroden pointed across the catwalk to the other platform.

"Wait over there, the other elevator will come down as we go up." He said to Kaine, Golbarn and Naruto. All but two of his entourage piled into the elevator, which groaned slightly at the weight it was suddenly subjected to. The remaining two walked across the catwalk, Kaine just behind them with the two travelers behind him.

As he walked, Naruto followed the ascent of the elevator, then moved his eyes over to the descent of the second, which got nearer and nearer to them every second. It was really pretty cool; nothing compared to the gnomes, he decided, but definitely cool.

They piled on to the elevator when it arrived, and seconds later it began to rise. It was quite a bit more rickety than the gnome's elevators, causing the blonde shinobi to fight down several impulses that one usually got high in the air on an old elevator with no sides.

'You sure this thing is safe?" he muttered to Kaine, whom he hadn't spoken to since their earlier fight.

Kaine blinked, then smirked.

"Why, you scared?" he asked, inching closer to the blonde, forcing him to back up a bit.

Naruto scowled and snapped, "No!" To prove his point, he stood up right next to the edge, and leaned slightly out, smirking in challenge as he did so.

Kaine glared at him, and in response to the unspoken challenge, inched up to the edge on the other side. Being quite a bit heavier than Naruto, the tauren caused the unsteady platform to tilt to the side, causing the other two tauren and the orc to stumble and then glare at Kaine.

Golbarn growled in anger at the young tauren, saying, "Watch it, boy. I'm in no mood to fall several hundred feet because you respond to such childish challenges from my equally childish companion."

Naruto glared at Golbarn. "You're just afraid of heights, aren't you?" he deadpanned.

Golbarn opened his mouth to protest, but Kaine stamped his hoof once, causing the basket to shake, and Golbarn let out a very uncharacteristic yelp, standing straight up, and planting his feet firmly on the floor.

Both Naruto and Kaine broke out in triumphant smiles.

Golbarn glared at them with an intensity that would have melted steel.

The other two tauren hid smiles, thoroughly enjoying the proceedings.

When the basket arrived at the top of the bluff, Golbarn immediately leapt out, giving himself a firm shake and stamping the hard, unmoving wood of the platform a few times. Naruto and Kaine got out next, both still grinning at the seemingly unshakeable orc's newfound mortal fear. Veroden waited at the end of the platform for them, his deep purples eyes focused unwaveringly on them.

"Come, I will speak with the orc about what the Warchief wants of us. Kaine, take the human to the inn and then come back to the lodge."

Naruto was about to protest at being left behind, but Golbarn silenced him with another glare.

"Don't argue, brat. The tauren are kind, but they still don't hold humans in very high regard. Don't push your luck in trying to get in political matters like this."

Naruto harrumphed, but acquiesced. Kaine grunted in annoyance at his own orders, but motioned Naruto to follow him. The blonde did so, letting his eyes wander to the other parts of the village as he walked.

While the village had been pretty large looking from the bottom of the bluff, it truly wasn't much more than a collection of cabins and strange conical houses made of a variety of skins. There were several levels of houses on the bluff; them being on lowest rise, with two higher portions across the deserted area, directly across from the elevator platforms. In addition, Naruto could see several separate bluffs, connected to the main area by long rope bridges. In front of him there was a small pond, where a bunch of blacksmithing equipment had been set up: several anvils, a forge, and all the tools that usually accompanied blacksmiths. They were larger than the one he had seen in Ironforge, but then again, a normal sized tauren could easily be as tall as three dwarves, each on sitting on the shoulders of another.

Directly in front of the elevator platform was a huge tower, decorated and carved to look like a series of head mounted on top of each other. At the top of the tower, there were four large holes, with small outcroppings of wood jutting out just beneath them. The outcroppings were curved and covered in straw, and Naruto was sure there was something in them; however, it being dark and Naruto having no desire to appear suspicious by activating his goggles, he wasn't able to tell what.

Kaine, however, seeing Naruto's interest, spoke, "That's the wyvern tower," he said.

Naruto turned to him, blinking.

"Wyvern? What's that?"

Kaine stopped, before turning, gaping at the blonde.

"You don't know what a wyvern is?"

Naruto glared at him, annoyed.

"No, I don't. Are ya gonna tell me? Or am I gonna have to beat it out of you?" He raised a fist in challenge, causing Kaine to scoff.

"You? Beat me? That's a laugh. What chance does a stupid little pink-fleshed human have against a powerful, famous, and all-round better looking tauren?"

Naruto sweat dropped.

"Powerful? Maybe. Famous? Don't know. Better looking? Maybe to cattle, but I dunno were you get off saying you're better looking than me!"

The two began to glare at each other again, a hidden fire ignited in both of them, made known in the background only by the reader's imagination and knowledge of anime.

"Let's fight."

"Damn straight."

* * *

Golbarn followed Veroden across the sparsely populated village. It was almost silent, the only sounds being the popping and spitting of fires and the natural sounds of the earth.

But when he strained his ears, he could hear something else in the distance. The grinding of axes on sharpening stones; the mechanical sounds of large, goblin-made machines toiling away at whatever task they had been put to.

It was truly a sinister backdrop to the silence of the night.

Veroden led him to a huge lodge, one that Golbarn had been to before. Back when Cairn had been High Chieftain, it had been open to any orc, troll, or even undead to come in and speak with the great chieftain of the tauren. Now, it stood hollow and empty. Though it was lit with a fire, as they walked inside, it wasn't as warm as before. It felt far different than before, and not in a good way.

The room was furnished simply, with only a table and several cushions surrounding it. The table was high enough so that a tauren could sit comfortably, his legs tucked underneath it. Other than that, there were only a few trinkets set above the mantelpiece and several wall scrolls to decorate it.

Veroden motioned him to sit, which he did. The tauren lifted his spear from its position on his back, and set it by the fireplace. He then set down opposite Golbarn, and looked plainly at him.

"What does Warchief Thrall wish of us, now?" he asked.

Golbarn set his sword to the side, and then said calmly, "Lord Thrall wishes for the tauren to once again become part of the Horde. Thrall's forces are stretched thin of late; he must keep the Barrens and Durotar protected, as well as attempting to deal with the false Warchief, Rend Blackhand, who gains more and more followers daily. Lord Thrall is in a difficult position, and he calls on the trust and friendship of Cairn Bloodhoof's people to help him through this."

Veroden was silent for a moment, the reflection of the fire almost completely swallowed by his deep purples eyes.

"We cannot," he said simply.

Golbarn frowned, his eyes focused hard on the tauren's.

"Why not?" he asked, the question that he had been dying to ask almost since he had met the tauren in Bloodhoof Village.

Veroden sighed, his face looking weary and old.

"Because our people are needed hear. The villagers love Mulgore as much as they do their own Chieftain. With Cairn's sickness, they have lost the will to fight, and remain here, tending to him and waiting for him to pull through."

"He will never pull through unless something is done about those goblins of the Venture Company. Why do you not take arms to them?"

Veroden looked down for a few seconds, his face once again older than it should have been.

"Because…they are in possession of something that our Chieftain holds dear. This thing makes it impossible for us to retaliate, for if we did, we would surely kill the High Chieftain."

"What is it?" Golbarn muttered, his hard eyes staring darkly at the acting Chieftain.

Veroden sighed.

"It is…"

* * *

Naruto grinned, dodging a second strike from Kaine's hammer. The blonde shot forwards, hammering several strikes into the young tauren's face. Kaine stumbled back, temporarily stunned, but he recovered swiftly, driving the handle of his hammer into Naruto's stomach, leaving the blonde bereft of any air in his lungs.

The tauren followed the powerful blow with a second, this time punching Naruto in the face. The attack blasted the blonde away from the tauren, causing him to skid across the ground several yards away, coming to a stop near the edge of the circle.

Jumping to his feet, the damage from both strikes already healing, Naruto grinned. He wiped a bit of blood from his mouth, and then drew his sword, holding it out in front of him, the edge gleaming in the light of the fire.

Kaine slung his hammer over his shoulder, but grinned the same grin that his opponent was. They stood like that for a while; neither moving save for their hard breathing.

Then, Naruto struck.

He shot forwards, summoning two clones to accompany him as he rushed the tauren, who lowered his weapon and readied himself for impact. The blonde however didn't meet the tauren's weapon with his own. Instead, he grabbed one of his clones' hands, and began to spin, swinging the clone around several times, before he released. The clone shot across the distance between the tauren and the boy, curling itself into a ball as it did.

"**Kongou!"** Naruto bellowed, applying the same technique that he could use himself to his clone.

Kaine, blinking at the blonde's shout, suddenly realized what Naruto intended to do. He barely had time to leap to the side as the clone shot past, smashing through one of the totem poles that decorated the circle they were standing in. The clone soared for a few more yards, then crashed to the ground, creating a huge skid mark as it burrowed into the ground, coming to a stop just near the edge, half buried in dirt.

_He combined that weird orc-style shaman technique with a throw! If that had hit me…ouch…_ the young tauren thought, looking back at Naruto.

But the blonde wasn't there.

_Shit!_

Mere milliseconds later, Kaine found the blonde right behind him, followed by the appearance of several clones, completely surrounding the High Chieftain's grandson.

"**U!" **Naruto roared, leaping off a clone's back into the air, while the clone kicked Kaine in the face.

"**ZU!"**

Falling back, Kaine was struck by a second kick into the gut, lifting him upwards

"**MA!"**

Another kick to the abdomen…

"**KI!"**

…And Kaine was air-born.

The huge tauren opened his eyes wide as the true Naruto shot down, sword out, prepared to deliver what would probably be a deathblow. However, in the last second, Naruto twisted his blade, and with a shout of, "**Naruto Kiriorosu Rendan! (Naruto Falling Slash Combo!"**

The back of the blade slammed hard into Kaine's meaty neck, and if it had been anyone other than a tauren, would have crushed his windpipe. Instead, the blow caused Kaine to choke and cough, and provided enough force to send the tauren and boy back to earth. A loud **BOOM** characterized their return to the earth; the ground cracked and broke underneath the combined weight of an adolescent tauren, a ramen-addicted shinobi, and the force that the former had been subjected to.

Naruto grinned slightly from his position on Kaine's chest, lifting his sword and sitting up straighter.

_Heh, who's stronger now, bastard?_ He thought, thoroughly enjoying the victory.

**THINK AGAIN, BRAT.**

_Huh?_ Was his only coherent thought before Kaine, who had been lying prostrate on the ground since the impact, suddenly sat up and drove his forehead into Naruto's own. There was a sickening crack, and Naruto fell back off of him, dazed and stunned by the blow to his head.

Meanwhile, Kaine sat up and swiftly kicked Naruto in the jaw, lifting him off his feet. He wiped a bit of blood from his mouth, and then flashed through a group of seals.

"**Windfury Totem!" **he bellowed, driving his palm into the ground, hard. Runes spread out in a circular formation around his palm, and in a puff of smoke, another totem emerged. This time, instead of a totem with a cow's head, it possessed the head of a bird, and suddenly Kaine felt lighter, faster, as if he weighed nothing more than a feather.

Naruto got up in time to see Kaine suddenly appear in front of him, before he was subjected to several brutal attacks, none of which he could see, and thus had no ability to defend.

_How the hell did he get so fast? _

Kaine didn't let up; his lightning fast blows flung Naruto around like a rag doll, and the shinobi could do nothing to defend himself.

With a final cry, Kaine drove his hoof downwards, slamming it into the ground right near Naruto's head. A powerful surge of chakra was sent streaking through the ground, ripping it apart and knocking Naruto senseless.

Or rather, it would have if Naruto had been there to be subjected to it.

The Naruto that lay before him disappeared with a puff of smoke, replaced by a splintered head from the totem pole that his clone had smashed through earlier.

The real Naruto stood a few yards behind the tauren, gasping, bleeding, and still grinning.

Almost every part of Naruto's body was quivering with excitement. He had never had such a fun fight in his life. Sure, joke fighting with Sasuke, beating up Kiba, and being beat up by Lee had been fun, but Naruto had never had someone his own age to just fight with. Sasuke had never really enjoyed their spars, but Naruto hadn't either; those had been to prove who was stronger. This, although both seemed to fight under such a pretense, Naruto found himself not caring if he won or lost. This was a fight that he could happily walk away from, either in victory or defeat.

Kaine shared Naruto's sentiments. Being the chief's grandson, people had never truly taken him seriously in a fight before. They had always "lost" in order to keep themselves in good favor with both his father and his grandfather. It hadn't been a true gauge of strength for him. He'd always be fighting someone "weaker" than him, regardless of how strong they truly were. He'd had to train himself in every way possible, and yet he still hadn't been able to find anyone or anything that'd truly test his strength to its fullest.

Until this pinkskin came.

Kaine found himself enjoying the fight. He also found himself beginning to like the blonde. The blonde didn't treat him like someone who should be feared or respected, or someone who should be coddled and protected. He treated him like an equal, something that Kaine had never been before.

Of course, the blonde's annoying personality was a downside to the budding friendship, but he decided he could live with that.

Naruto found the tauren fun to be around as well, even though his annoying personality was something to be desired.

_He's like Konohamaru…_the blonde thought irritably.

Is it not funny, that even when looking in a mirror, one cannot recognize himself if he has a mask on?

Kaine wiped his mouth, then sat on the ground, letting the Windfury Totem disappear. Naruto dropped to the ground as well, feeling drained and tired.

Not to mention hungry.

"Whaddya say that we take a break, huh?" Kaine muttered, looking over at the blonde.

"Sounds good…I'll beat you next time…" Naruto muttered, stretching. "You guys have an food around here?"

"Yeah," said Kaine, pointing off into the distance, across the bridge that they had crossed in order to get to Hunter Rise, "there's a pretty good place back on the main bluff if we go."

"Sounds good," the tired blonde muttered.

The two weary youths got up, retrieved their weapons, and then slowly made for the bridge, too tired to even think about running.

Thunder Bluff was apparently not just one bluff, but several. In addition to the main bluff that they had arrived on, there were three other, smaller bluffs that were connected by large bridges. There was Spirit Rise, Elder Rise, and Hunter Rise.

Spirit Rise was the place that Kaine went to receive his shamanic training from the resident shamans that were there. They also had a healer who worked there, but apparently was almost continually at Cairn's side, attending to the fallen tauren chieftain as best she could. Beneath the rise was a place called the Pools of Vision, where priests of the other races had congregated, but now was mainly recognized as a place where druids, shaman and anyone else could go to think, pray, or meditate.

Elder Rise was where the druids, like the Archdruid Hamuul Runetotem lived. Hamuul was one of Cairn's greatest friends, and was responsible for taking care of the ancient tauren along with the healer on Spirit Rise.

Hunter Rise, the place where Naruto and Kaine had fought, was where battle tournaments, trials, meetings of war, and hunting expeditions took place. They had a large battle arena for warriors to spar in if they needed to brush up on their skills.

It took them some time to cross the bridge, and then even longer to find the place they desired. It was a small hut with a pleasant smell wafting from out of the entrance. There was a fire lit inside, and when they entered they met an old female tauren, who was sitting on a stool behind a counter. It was smaller than _Sarjak's_, Stormwind Noodles, and Ichiraku, but Naruto didn't mind much, as it felt much the same in atmosphere as the other restaurants.

The tauren female smiled kindly at Kaine, obviously recognizing him.

"Ah, young Kaine, I was wondering if you were going to be back today. How was the trip?" she asked, apparently not noticing Naruto.

Kaine grinned, sitting down on one of stools at the counter.

"Pretty good, Hontas. It was a bit long, though, and I had to deal with this weirdo human as well."

A vein throbbed in Naruto's forehead.

"Who you calling a weirdo, bastard!" he growled.

Apparently gaining some of his fire back, Kaine turned and sneered at him.

"You, moron!"

Naruto nearly leapt at the tauren before he stopped, seeing the look of astonishment on the Hontas' face.

"Oh my! A human in Thunder Bluff! That's quite the surprise, young Kaine. What is your name, little human?" she said, smiling down at Naruto as if he were a small child.

While Naruto could cuss at girls, he rarely did so for one reason or another. Tsunade was the exception, of course, but this one was kind to him, even if he was a human.

"U-Uzumaki Naruto," he said, blushing slightly. He was never good at speaking to girls who showed him such kindness.

"A strange name…but a good one nonetheless. You must sit! Any friend of young Kaine is a friend of mine!" she said happily, gesturing to the stool next to Kaine.

"He's not my friend," they muttered at the same time, both out of earshot of the tauren, who had gone to get menus for the two.

She returned, handing them each a piece of animal skin with the menu written on the front. Naruto blinked at the choices.

"What's this?" he asked pointing to the first dish on the page. It was something called emokanda, and front what the ingredients were, it reminded him strikingly of both ramen and loon'des.

Hontas smiled cheerfully.

"That's the specialty of the tauren! It's a bowl of plants, grasses, grains and others compacted into long strips, which are then put into a pot of many different herbs and spices. It comes in several flavors- Fadeleaf, Kingsblood, Briarthorn, and Peacebloom. Would you like to try it?"

Naruto might have gagged at any other time, but wanting to be on his best behavior, suppressed his revulsion at eating ramen made out of only vegetables.

But, he decided, it was probably better than any of the other things on the menu, which were all made of vegetables as well.

"Sure," he said, "I guess I'll try the…uhm…Fadeleaf?"

Hontas smiled again, pleased by his choice.

"An excellent choice! Fadeleaf is very salty, and if grounded improperly, causes blindness. But if it is done correctly, it can really boost your agility and immune system!"

She then turned to Kaine, saying, "What can I get you, young master?"

Already having made his choice, Kaine grinned, "I'll have the Briarthorn emokanda, please."

Nodding cheerfully, she took back the menus and turned around to begin cooking their meals.

Naruto noticed that she prepared them in much the same way that old man Ichiraku made them, and Sarjak as well. The difference was that she never added a single piece of meat into the broth, adding only bits of greenish plants and dashes of spices. Though he hated to admit it, it smelled great, as good as any meat-based ramen that Ichiraku could cook up.

He hoped that it would taste as good as well.

Minutes later, she set two steaming bowls of emokanda in front of the two youths, saying, "Eat up!"

Grinning weakly, Naruto picked up his chopsticks (which were very large, he noted), and snatched a bit of emokanda. He pulled it up, letting the broth drip off a little, before he steeled himself, and stuffed it into his mouth.

He chewed. Once, twice, thrice.

_This isn't half bad…_he thought, pleasantly surprised by the taste. It wasn't really like ramen, the spices were different, as was the texture, but it was good nonetheless.

He was shocked.

Vegetables can be good… 

He quickly dug in more, making Hontas smile, then turn and re-enter the back, leaving Kaine and Naruto alone.

They ate silently for a time, the only sounds being the constant slurping of noodles.

Then, Kaine spoke.

"Veroden didn't tell you guys everything."

Naruto paused, noodles hanging from his mouth. He swallowed first, and then looked up at Kaine.

"Whaddya mean?" he asked, watching the tauren slump slightly in his seat.

"There is another reason why my father is so sick. A reason that I don't think Veroden wanted to say because it is a great shame for us all. It is the same reason why we can't retaliate against the bastards that are doing this to our land…"

Naruto's interest was immediately piqued. He had been wondering about this for quite a while.

"Why?" he asked, with bated breath.

Kaine sighed.

"My father," he said quietly.

Now Naruto was completely confused. What did that mean?

"What about him?" the blonde asked, staring curiously at the tauren, whose mood seemed to be darkening by the second.

"My father is the reason…that we can't retaliate. Baine Bloodhoof. He…they…took his soul. My father's soul was taken by the Venture Co."

Naruto gaped, stunned by the revelation. What the hell did that mean? They stole his soul?

"What the hell? How's that possible? How d'you know?" the blonde asked, still taken aback by the tauren's words.

"It's possible…you just need a really powerful warlock or shaman in order to do it. When one thinks of the Venture Co., one doesn't really think of magic or anything like that. How they were able to get someone to take his soul is beyond me. My father used to be chieftain of Bloodhoof Village. He was a great leader, not as good as my grandfather, but getting there. My grandfather was planning to give my father the position of High Chieftain when he believed Baine was ready. But, as you can see, that never happened. One day, after I returned from hunting, I found my father lifeless on the floor. The druids looked at him, but they weren't able to help. Instead they simply said that someone…or something had removed his soul. In order to keep his body from dying, they froze it beneath the Pools of Vision.

"It was after that happened, that we received a message from the head of the Venture Co. himself," Kaine said, his face suddenly twisting into a baleful glare.

"Cyrussian T. Venture…"he said, his voice laced with enough venom to kill a kodo in seconds.

"This bastard…after taking my father's soul, said that if we tried any sort of attack against his forces again, that he'd send my father's soul to the Twisting Nethers, were it would be torn apart by demons for eternity. After seeing that he was somehow able to remove my father's soul without anyone knowing, we weren't willing to call his bluff, if it truly was one, that is.

"My grandfather, after hearing this, fell to the sickness that had bee plaguing him for so long. A combination of heartache for his lost son…and the unbearable strain of having his homeland destroyed…and being unable to do anything about either of them. That is the worst sort of torture that anyone could be subjected to…" he whispered, staring down into the bowl in front him.

Naruto said nothing, his mind digesting what he had just been told.

This complicates things… 

**TOO TRUE.**

"Then why don't you just find this Cymussien P. Venture and kick his ass?" the blonde asked, finally speaking.

Kaine glared at him.

"It isn't that easy, dumbass. Ninety percent of the time, he isn't even on this continent. He remains in the Undermine, where he rules as one of the strongest trade princes in existence. He only travels out occasionally to observe that his worksites are doing what they are supposed to. We don't even know when that is…"

Naruto harrumphed.

"Besides" the tauren continued, "his name is Cy**r**ussian **T**. Venture, not Cymussien P. Venture."

Naruto scowled.

Silence befell the two then, and neither spoke until Hontas returned to collect their empty dishes.

"I'll take you to the inn, like I was supposed to," said Kaine sullenly, once they had said their goodbyes to Hontas and were standing outside, the clear night sky and everything that it held staring down at them.

Naruto nodded, saying nothing once more, and followed the young tauren across the village once more. They climbed the large spire up to the second rise, where Kaine showed Naruto to a small cabin, labeled _The Wind's Song_. Kaine went inside and spoke calmly to the innkeeper, explaining whom Naruto was and what he was doing there. The innkeeper nodded, mentioning that an orc had come by earlier and gotten a room as well. When everything had been settled, Naruto said a short farewell to the tauren, who returned it just as shortly. He then followed the innkeeper up the stairs, and into a small room, where a rolled up bunch of furs, a pillow, and a candle lay. There were no other furnishings that Naruto could see, but there was a small window, which looked out into the moonlit sky.

Naruto dropped into the pile of furs, unfurling them, before laying his head upon the pillow, and promptly knocking himself out.

* * *

"So what're we going to do now? As long as that old man is in a coma, we aren't going to be able to do anything, are we?" Naruto said, sitting next to Golbarn, who sat watching the sky.

"I don't know…there isn't much we can do," the orc said.

"Bullshit," Naruto snapped, "there's plenty we can do, it's just how what we're going to do first is what's hard. Maybe we could try to convince that guy, Veroden, to just attack?"

Golbarn let out a hollow laugh, his eyes full of bitter mirth.

"That is impossible, brat. These people would never do something to endanger their leader. They believe that if Baine dies, then Cairn dies. They will do nothing, as long as their leader's life is in jeopardy. They love Cairn that much."

Naruto looked up at him, frowning.

"They love him that much? So why don't they just end his suffering? Even if they fail…that's still better than never trying in the first place," he said firmly.

Golbarn nodded, "I agree. But they do not. Cairn is so loved by them, that many of his people see him as someone to be worshipped. They do not believe he is a god, but they believe him to be their hope, and their pride. They have so much faith in him that they'd follow him to the Twisting Nethers and back…not even Lord Thrall can boast of that about his own people." At this, Golbarn's face darkened slightly, his mind returning to his lord, and the problems that befell Orgrimmar and the Orcish people.

They had to get back…they had to accomplish this mission.

Naruto stayed silent for a few more moments, before he stood and dusted himself off.

"If we're gonna stay here, than I might as well go beat that stupid cow up again…" he muttered, walking away from the edge of the bluff that he and Golbarn had been sitting by.

Golbarn smirked a little, muttering about annoying brats and their stupid little rivalries.

* * *

_Damn! That stupid Kongou thing just keeps him going! How the hell am I supposed to beat him if I can't even hurt him?_ Were Kaine Bloodhoof's thoughts as he dodged another one of Naruto's strikes.

The two were once again in the fighting circle on Hunter Rise, which was quickly becoming more a battlefield than an actual training area. For the past few days, Naruto and Kaine had used it so much that the grass had become blackened from Naruto's Goukakyuu blasts; there were numerous craters from the bodies of one or both of the two fighters smashing into the ground, and many more from where Naruto's Kongou absorbed the damage from Kaine's attacks.

They had also gotten so used to the area of the ring that neither needed to look for where the boundaries were; it had become almost a sixth sense for them to leap out of the way, just inches from the edge of the ring.

Their sparring matches had come in several forms. There were the more serious ones, where neither held back their own strength, and that usually ended up with one or more of them lying face down on the ground, exhausted of energy and desperately needing medical attention.

More often than not, Golbarn would be the one to get a druid to attend to them, up until the point where they just had a healer stand and watch them, waiting for one to fall unmoving to the ground.

Golbarn found the matches incredibly amusing. He also found them amazing. Neither fighter gave up- they would always fight until they were physically incapable of doing anything. Naruto, because he was smaller and less muscled, broke more bones than Kaine. But because of his healing abilities, he would always be back and ready after a moment's downtime, his seemingly endless source of stamina making itself known once more. His Kongou also helped in keeping him from harm, but at first, Kaine's attacks had been almost impossible to block using it. The tauren was so ferociously strong that it made Naruto wonder if Thrall had been holding back during their training sessions.

After a few days, however, Naruto could take one of Kaine's punches in the face without flinching. He had also gotten used to moving quickly, in order to keep up with Kaine when he used the Windfury totem.

Totems, as he had been told, were the basis of most of the tauren's shamanistic abilities. The totems used the power that was supposedly harnessed by the spirits of the world, and used it to boost their own abilities. Along with their stronger jutsu, they more than made up for the huge and heavy target they made.

Like with Golbarn's Bladestorm, however, Kaine refused to share with Naruto the secret of the attacks. Naruto noticed the casting process was much like summoning, and wondered if one had to make a contract.

But with what?

Similarly, Kaine seemed deeply interested the Tetra Elemental style that Naruto was still in the process of learning; or moreover, he was interested in how Naruto had gotten Thrall to teach him.

"I mean, it's not every day that an orc trains a human…how'd you get him to train you, anyways?"

Naruto scowled, looking away.

"I lost a fight, okay!"

Kaine smirked.

"Against whom?"

Naruto scowled again, remembering the fight clearly.

"Some bastard named Rexxar…"

Kaine gaped.

"Are you serious! The Rexxar? The one who saved my father from the centaur? No wonder you lost!" he said, laughing as he sat down on the ground, resting once more after the grueling sparring session.

Naruto growled in anger at the tauren's words, but his response was cut off by Kaine's next words.

"But why did you come here, anyways?"

At Naruto's perplexed look, he explained. "I mean why did you come to Kalimdor? One would think that you humans are completely tied up back in your own lands. Why come here, to Orgrimmar in fact, when that's the equivalent of walking into the wolves' den?"

Naruto blinked a few times, before slumping to the ground, his eyes downcast slightly.

"I…made a promise to someone…"he said quietly.

Golbarn, who sat near the boundary of the fighting ring, raised an eyebrow. Kaine leaned forwards, interested.

"To whom?" he asked, smirking at the slight blush that crossed Naruto's face.

"A good friend, I suppose…her name's Kira…the princess of the humans."

Kaine blinked, surprised that the annoying little brat was in good graces with a princess. He was then reminded of his own position, and scoffed.

"A princess huh? What was this promise anyways? She pledge her love to you or something?"

"No, you bastard!" Naruto snapped, blushing hotly again, "it's not a stupid promise like that…It's something a lot bigger than that."

Kaine cocked his head to the side, suddenly interested.

"'Sides," Naruto said, smirking, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Girls fall to their knees to be with me!"

Kaine sweat dropped, his eye twitching.

"They must have terrible taste," he muttered, making Golbarn nod his head in agreement, and Naruto pop a vein in his forehead.

"Bastard! It'd be better than going out with a stupid walking hamburger!"

"Did you just call me a pig? You bastard, take that back!"

"Make me! You probably don't even have a chance with a girl! I'll show you!"

Forming a seal, Naruto roared, "**Sexy no jutsu: Style: Tauren!"**

In a puff of smoke, something that will not, under any circumstances, be described, appeared. To those who aren't tauren, it would be a horribly, mentally scarring visual that would make you wish that still existed.

For those who were tauren, however, it would be the most beautiful thing they had had ever seen.

This was evidenced by Kaine's bulging eyes, slack jaw, and seconds later, gushing nose, which caused the tauren to fly back, landing hard on the ground near the edge of the bluff. His eyes were glazed over perversely and blood-dripped all the way down his front.

Golbarn twitched at the sight, mentally noting to dash his head open on a rock, as soon as he found one big enough.

Naruto transformed back, smirking triumphantly.

"Too…powerful…" muttered Kaine, from his position on the ground.

Later, when Kaine had sufficiently recovered from the loss of blood, he asked Naruto something.

"What was the promise, anyways? It must be something big, or else you wouldn't be running across half the world in order to fulfill it."

Naruto sat back, his eyes watching the sky. He was suddenly reminded of how interesting Shikamaru found the clouds, and finally could sympathize.

They really were peaceful…

After a while, he spoke.

"I made a promise…to help her achieve her dream. I don't know why…but I felt that I needed to help her; and I don't go back on my word. I'm going to see this through to the end."

Kaine was a little surprised at the blonde's conviction.

"Oh? So what's her dream?" he asked.

Naruto blinked, wondering if he should say it. He shrugged inwardly.

_It couldn't hurt, I suppose._

So he said it.

"Hahaha! Are you serious? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Kaine said, looking down at the blonde, whose eyes flashed dangerously at the laughter.

"Shut up, bastard!" he growled, ready to leap on the young tauren.

"I'm just saying…that dream doesn't sound possible. I mean, there is so much bad blood between the races…it would be impossible for just one person to change all of that."

"I'm not one person…" Naruto said, frowning. "I have ta' rely on others all the time…whether I like it or not. And besides, how do you know it isn't possible? It sounds like your grandfather would have wanted something like that, anyways."

Kaine though a moment, then nodded slightly. "You're right…my grandfather would probably have supported that plan. He was always one for peace. He was wise enough to know that peace couldn't be solved through inaction and politics, and that it required a lot more than that, such as friendship, spirit, love and honor."

The tauren smiled sadly at the thought of his grandfather, so Naruto spoke.

"If he was that wise…then he'd know that simply letting this place die would be a waste. I once met a person who believed that everything would go wrong, given the chance. He believed that it was impossible to change things, and that you should just give up, and let whatever is plaguing you go by. He was stupid, in that regard, but he learned that that wasn't the case, and that people could change things, and that things don't always go bad. This is the same…you can't just let your people accept this…as long as that old man is in a coma, things aren't going to get better. You're going to have to do something about it."

Kaine glared at him, a familiar heat rising inside of him.

"Don't you understand? As long as that bastard goblin and his company have my father's soul, then we can't do anything! If my father's soul is lost, then my grandfather is lost as well."

"Both you and Thrall said that the old man was wise and strong…and Golbarn said that his people loved him so much that they'd do essentially anything for him. But don't you think that'd he'd do the same for them? If he was a wise as you say…and your father was his heir…then they'd know the consequences of their actions. They'd give up their lives, if it meant that their people could be safe…if it meant their home could be safe."

Naruto unconsciously touched his stomach, feeling the weight of the Fourth's sacrifice upon him. A true leader would be willing to do die for his people…and if Cairn was so wise…then he must've known that.

Which was why Naruto was so troubled that he was in a coma.

There had to be another reason why.

Kaine, however, was still stunned by the blonde's words. Was his grandfather really willing to give up his life for the people that he ruled…and if so, then why did he lie in a coma at this point?

But he couldn't deny the truth in Naruto's words. The single, absolute truth.

There was never a time when a choice could not be made. There was never a time when someone couldn't change something. They had dragged themselves into this trap…and only they could drag themselves out of it.

He stood; any fatigue that he had received as a result of his sparring with the blonde disappeared.

Now…he could do something. There wasn't much time to waste…but they could definitely do something now.

"Let's go…we're going to talk with Veroden."

Naruto grinned, and hopped to his feet, preparing to follow the tauren.

Golbarn did not stand up at first. He merely watched the two, in particular, his blonde companion.

_Perhaps I see now what Lord Thrall sees in this boy…_ he mused, before standing himself, and walking after the two.

* * *

"No."

The single word was enough to draw the attention of everyone in the room. It was quite a full room, as well. The High Chieftain's advisors and healers, the Runetotems, were both present- Archdruid Hamuul and Magatha The Elder Crone. Then there was the leader of the Bluffwatchers and the strongest warrior tribe of the tauren, Taim Ragetotem. Among the others, there were the heads of all the major clans of tauren that resided in Thunder Bluff: The Skychasers, the most shamanistic tribe; The Stonehoofs; the Thunderhorns, greatest hunters; the Wildmanes; and finally the Winterhoofs. They had all been called to the High Chieftain's lodge to hear Kaine's proposal, as well as Veroden's answer to it.

Which had just been made known.

"We have to! We can't just sit here and let Mulgore be destroyed like this! We need to-"

"I said no, Kaine. The High Chieftain would not want us to put his son in danger. There is nothing we can do without bringing harm to our people and our leaders. We are trapped."

"No we aren't! My grandfather loves his people as much as he loves my father! And my father would always be willing to give his life up if it meant that his people could live happily again! We can't just sit here! There is finally something we can do! We can't just not try…it isn't right!"

Hamuul watched the young tauren curiously. This was quite a change for him. Before, Kaine had been adamant that they shouldn't take action. If it meant endangering the lives of his family, then he would not go through with it.

Yet now…now he wanted to take action. Now he wanted to rid Mulgore of the cancer that was the Venture Co.

And, if he was to guess correctly, it was all because of the small human boy that stood by his side, a fox-like grin set upon his face.

_It seems that wonders will truly never cease._

Veroden was about to answer, most likely to rebuff the argument, but Hamuul made his presence known.

"I agree."

The words held as much power and command as Veroden's earlier one. Everyone turned to face him, so he spoke calmly.

"Cairn is an old friend of mine. I know him as I know the back of my hand. I believe that the boy speaks the truth. We must do something, no matter if it brings about the death of two of the finest tauren we have seen in this world. It is better, I think, than to have to return to the way of life that we had before Thunder Bluff…I daresay no one wishes to remember that."

Magatha nodded calmly, but said nothing. The other leaders seemed to come around to the idea, now that one of the most influential of the clans had made his position known.

Kaine's heart leapt.

We have a chance, now! 

Veroden's eyes flickered across the room, noting everyone who seemed to agree with the Archdruid's statement.

"Is that what you wish…?" he asked, his voice bringing their attention to him once more.

"Very well…I believe that if that is what you wish…then the High Chieftain would not have contested it." He turned to Kaine.

"What is it that you propose?"

Kaine grinned.

"We attack, and beat them into the dust!" he said flippantly.

"..." Was the general consensus.

The sad thing was that no one could come up with a better plan.

The next day, Mulgore would be alive with battle.

* * *

Another chapter done!

Pretty good timing, ne?

I've noticed that this might look a little like the beginnings of another Gnomeregan arc…it isn't. It will seem like that, but it will change, believe me. The next chapter will have lots and lots and lots of battles! More Kira, too, maybe!

Alright, review time!

**Tokyo no Ecchi- **I have no doubt that you are correct on all aspects. But, I have changed a lot in this world in order to make it fit. I wanted the Tauren and the Orcs to have different beliefs, but still get along together. So I made the Tauren believe in these "spirits" while the orcs believe in their own strength. I haven't read Lord of the Clans, so I don't really have anything to base Thrall's abilities on…Essentially, the Shaman in my world have three different "sects" if you will. They have the Tauren, who believe in spirits, and that their power is what allows them to do such amazing things, the orcs, who believe in their own strength, and the trolls, who believe in both, to a degree. I thank you for your corrections, but I intend to make the differences affect my story. Happy Winter Veil!

**Legacy-zero- **Humph…that's true, I suppose. As for Naruto kicking major ass…you can believe it. Happy Winter Veil!

**Kodomo- **basically, yeah. Happy Winter Veil!

**Master Chaos- **You truly have a talent at making people feel better…I thank you, private! NOW DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY, SOLDIER! Happy Winter Veil!

**Sir Grag- **Yes, they are exactly like minotaurs. Happy Winter Veil!

**mike- **Thanks! It's great to know that I have such adoring fans! You can be sure that when Naruto gets back, he'll have a lot of adjusting to do…and a lot of catching up as well! But that's a long way a way…sadly. Happy Winter Veil!

**Kaaera-** Congratulations on finishing your paper! I know how annoying those can get…As for Naruto knowing medical jutsu, no, not right now. He may learn some healing jutsu in the future, but he doesn't really need them right now. Happy Winter Veil!

**nantukoprime – **That's actually very helpful…never thought about it like that. As for Naruto conversing with Varimathras is going to be fun…expect lots of pain and explosions, and heavy cursing. Happy Winter Veil!

**Tatsu-** Great questions, again.

Naruto will use the second Kyuubi form soon. He was about to use it during his fight with Rexxar, but the Beastmaster took him out before he could.

Yes, yes, when the time comes, he will get more. Hold your horses!

Hold your horses! Forsaken are second to last on my list, actually, next is trolls, then Forsaken, then Elves.

Happy Winter Veil!

**BindeR- **next chapter-all the action you ever need. And then some. As for the weight training…a bit too overdone. Everyone has Naruto weigh train…so I won't. Happy Winter Veil!

**Unit Fox-Hound**- Geez…you guys keep this running, and I may consider it. Thrall and Tsunade does seem like a good couple…doesn't it? Happy Winter Veil!

**ShadowKunai-** Thanks! And to answer your question, yes partly. Happy Winter Veil!

Well since that's everyone, I'm going to bed again! I don't think the next chapter will be out before Christmas…though its possible…

To all those I didn't say it too- HAPPY WINTER VEIL AND CHANUKKAH AND CHRISTMAS AND KWANZAA! GOOD NIGHT CLEVELAND!

General Grievous

**Spellbook-**

**Windfury Totem- **Increases speed of caster and those he wants to enhance. Very strong, but also very draining.

**Naruto Kiriorosu Rendan- **Modified Naruto Rendan, delivering a powerful slash instead of a kick. Fatal if used with blade, disabling if used with back of blade.

**Cookbook-**

Stormwind Noodles- Noodles made by Eliza in Stormwind. Mmmm…smells like home!

Dwarven Bear Tongue Soup- A delicacy that all dwarves enjoy. Served with noodles, nice and tasty!

Gnome Whisker Soup- Thinner, but spicier and if you're lucky, you won't break your teeth on a loose screwbolt or cog!

Sarjak's Loon'des**- **Heavier with meat, spicier, but great nonetheless. Sarjak is much like old man Ichiraku…only big and green.

Emokanda of Thunder Bluff- Entirely Vegetarian!


	23. Grindock the Overseer

**Disclaimer: If not owning Naruto and World of Warcraft were a crime, then I'd be Henry Earl!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

In the dark of night, bathed in the light of the shining moon, a small group of warriors could be seen, or rather heard, moving across the nigh endless plains of Mulgore. Its members crept along the soft; dew covered grass, and their large hooves making loud clumping sounds as they moved.

The group was composed of many tauren, outfitted in armor, clutching weapons of all different kinds and sizes, their faces set so they resembled those of statues, hard and still. Their eyes, ranging from a deep amber to a light purple, and everywhere in between, glittered in the light of the moon, along with the sharp axe heads, sword blades and spear heads that they carried. Some carried bows, with large quivers with equally large arrows across their backs.

But among the group of tauren were two interlopers. An orc, dressed in a leather kilt, with large leather boots, heavy plate pauldrons, leather gloves, a tabard bearing the symbol of Orgrimmar and carrying a large sword at his side stood in the middle of the group, his eyes wary, moving swiftly towards every foreign sound made, every flash of movement unknown to him.

Next to the orc, a young human stood, who was, by contrast, apparently uninterested in his surroundings. Instead, this human kept his eyes forwards, his deep blue eyes set in front in a determined, stoic stare. He was dressed in wide, black leather pants that only went down to the middle of his shins. He wore heavy boots, a leather jacket, had numerous pouches on his belt, which consisted of a piece of cloth tied around his waist, on the front of which was a metal plate with a symbol resembling a leaf etched into it. He wore a pair of green goggles that rested on his forehead and slung across his back was a sheathed short sword.

A little ways in front of the human, walked what one could guess was the leader of the group. Dressed in a dark brown leather kilt, decorated with tribal patterns, huge leather pauldrons, leather gloves, boots and jerkin, all of which bore a symbol of a teardrop-shaped shield, upside-down, with two large axes crisscrossing behind it, and a large, eagle-headed totem between the two axe heads. On his back was a massive looking weapon, resembling a totem pole that was decorated heavily in blue and red symbols.

Kaine glanced back at the top of the massive weapon, his mind suddenly drifting back to a few hours prior, when he had received it.

**Flashback**

"_Since we have reached an agreement about our battle plan, then I leave it to the clan heads to choose the warriors who will participate in this raid," Archdruid Hamuul Runetotem announced, his raspy, yet strong-willed voice easily commandeering the attentions of everyone in his presence._

"_You'd best choose quickly, as well," he continued, "for it would be in our best interested to get this done as soon as possible. Tonight they will make the march to the Venture Co. camp to the north. Does that sound agreeable to all?"_

_A rousing chorus of "yes" spurred the room into action. The many clan heads soon left, likely to gather their members in order to ask for volunteers._

_Kaine didn't think that they'd have to ask more than once._

_When the cabin was nearly empty, save for Hamuul, Naruto, Golbarn and Veroden, Hamuul turned to Kaine._

"_Kaine, I believe that I have something for you," he said, motioning the young tauren to follow him._

_At this point, Veroden turned, "I will watch over Cairn, he will need someone close, I think, if he intends to get through this."_

_Hamuul nodded, "A fine idea, my friend. But Cairn is strong…I have no doubt that he will pull through."_

_Veroden said nothing in return, and left quickly._

_Hamuul led Kaine, Naruto and Golbarn across the courtyard in front of Cairn's lodge. They turned into a lodge that housed the bridge that led to Elder Rise, and upon reaching the Rise itself, entered the massive tent that lay atop it._

_Hamuul crossed the room, Kaine still following diligently, before he stopped in front of a large totem pole, about as tall as Kaine, a little over a foot in diameter and standing straight up, fastened to the ground by large wooden clamps._

_Or rather, that was what Naruto and Golbarn thought it was. Kaine, however, recognized it instantly._

"_This…you're…giving me this?" he croaked, almost too shocked to speak._

_Hamuul chuckled, his grey eyes glittering with both pride, and a small touch of melancholy._

"_Yes, young one. This is your grandfather's wartotem. Seeing as how both he and your father are indisposed, I think that you are the right one to wield it," the Archdruid said, smiling slightly._

_Kaine was stunned by the offer. His grandfather's wartotem was a massive, unique weapon that was said to have been forged by the spirits of the earth. Cairn had wielded it in battle against the demons in the Third War, where he created earthquakes with each strike of the massive club. When he had been young, Kaine had been in awe of the stories of his grandfather, which, when he had begun his training, had led him to take up the massive hammer, so that if he ever got the chance to use a wartotem, then he'd be ready and able to use it._

_He smiled slightly, reaching for the huge weapon. It was so large that he had to encircle it with both his arms, and lift it from between the clamps that held it upright. He didn't dare swing it here, lest he accidentally hit something and blast it to dust._

"_Use it well, young one." Hamuul said, smiling._

_Kaine grinned, tucking it under his right arm. "I plan to, old man," he retorted._

_The moment was broken when Naruto decided to ask, "What the hell is that? How the hell are you supposed ta' fight with that big thing?"_

_Kaine snorted, "Obviously, you don't realize the power this wartotem possesses, wanna find out?"_

_Naruto rolled his eyes, "Yeah, like you could hit me with a piece of firewood."_

_A vein throbbed in Kaine's forehead._

"_Why don't you come over here and call this a piece of firewood, you little pinkskin!" _

"_Fine, stupid cow, I will!"_

_Golbarn cast a resigned look over at Hamuul, who was watching the proceedings, a slight smile tugging at his lips._

"_Are you sure that was wise?" he asked, watching as the two's bickering gradually began to escalate into another sparring session._

_Hamuul laughed, "Perhaps, perhaps not. But I believe Kaine will do his father and grandfather proud in wielding that weapon."_

**_CRACKOOOM!_**

_Both Golbarn and Hamuul fought to retain their balance as Kaine finally lost it, driving the weapon into the ground where Naruto had previously stood._

"_I meant if it was wise to give it to him when he is still on the Bluff…" Golbarn muttered, dusting himself off._

"_Perhaps not…"the aged druid muttered, sweat dropping._

**End Flashback**

Kaine patted the top of the wartotem, smiling a bit. He would use the power of the spirits to end the destruction caused by the Venture Co. He would use them to help his grandfather, maybe even save his father. But what was more important was to drive the Venture Co. from Mulgore forever.

He looked sideways at Naruto, who was still staring forwards, his face set.

And it was all because of this guy…

This annoying, loud, strong, and surprisingly wise boy, who had not only convinced him to take action against the Venture Co. regardless of what might happen to his father and grandfather, but was even choosing to fight himself. Granted, the boy was certainly obligated to do it, but the fact that he was doing with such force, such zeal, as if he were a tauren himself, and he cared about what happened to Kaine's people. It was a new experience for the young tauren indeed.

From a very early age, he had been taught and told that humans were hateful, prejudiced and horribly destructive. They were convinced that they ruled the earth, and that everyone else was inferior to them. That was why, in his eyes, the Horde and its members had been so amazing. They accepted the supposedly "lesser" races into their fold; the trolls, who were denoted as savages by the humans; the orcs, who were almost eternal enemies of the humans since they had arrived on Azeroth; the undead, whom were regarded by many other races, not just humans, as being revolting creatures who didn't deserve to exist on this world. Even the tauren themselves, who from first appearance were labeled as monsters, had been treated fairly, and brought into the power of the Horde. Yet the Horde had accepted them all, and they had forged what almost everyone had thought was an unbreakable bond that could outlast the constantly changing alliances of the Alliance.

But, of course, that hadn't been so. As he grew older, he had learned of the rifts that races within the Horde had created between themselves. Around the time that the Forsaken had left, he had discovered that even his own people were slightly unnerved by the undead beings, and many were almost glad that they would no longer have to deal with their presence in Thunder Bluff. It was startling to him to believe that even his own race was not as accepting as they first appeared to be.

And yet this boy, this insufferable little annoyance that he found both enjoyable to fight against, and fun to be around, didn't seem bothered or even repulsed by what was different than him. Hell, he had even arrived with an orc at his side, speaking the very language that was held common between them, Orcish. He didn't discriminate, he didn't hate what was different, he was accepting, and even willing to help a group that had been his kind's enemy years before.

Of course, Kaine had a slight suspicion that Naruto had very little knowledge of this fact, and wondered where the boy had been all his life to be so ignorant of his kind's enemies.

He'd find out later.

It was almost dawn when the mechanical rhythm of heavy machinery suddenly appeared, causing both Naruto and several tauren to wince at the volume and suddenness.

Golbarn stopped, and gestured for the others to do the same. The orc had been up almost all night running through various attack plans, and after reviewing a map that had been drawn up of the Venture Co. camp, he had come up with what he believed to be a suitable attack plan.

If it was one thing he hated, it was not having a plan.

"A direct assault would almost inevitably end in ruin. So, I have designed a plan that I trust" he cast a frightening glare in Naruto's and Kaine's direction, causing both youths to blush slightly and smile sheepishly, "that you will all follow it."

"I have not had the chance to observe the camp itself, so I must ask that someone, who can keep themselves hidden and move swiftly, scout out the area we are going to attack. I want details on number of workers and able-bodied guards, and who the apparent leader is."

One tauren, who was slightly shorter than Kaine, about Golbarn's height, raised a hand. A quiver of arrows had been strapped to his side, and he clutched a longbow in his hands.

"I believe that I can do that," he rumbled.

Golbarn nodded. "Your name?" he asked.

"Morgaine Swifthoof," the tauren responded.

Golbarn gave a short nod, remembering that the Swifthoofs have a talent for being just that, swift on their feet and great hunters to boot.

Naturally, Naruto would have been a better choice, as he was smaller and lighter, but Golbarn had first hand experience, and he knew that the boy wasn't much of a rogue. Considering the boy's chosen profession, that'd have to change one day.

"Very well, then go." After the tauren had moved away, surprising Naruto with the nearly soundless departure, Golbarn continued.

"When he returns, we can finalize the procedures, however, the one I have developed will most likely work in any case. It is simple: we will have archers remain behind, each on placed in an equidistant point around the camp. Your orders are to take out anything that might pose a potential threat to the ones who fight hand to hand. Use magic arrows to destroy the machines that could be used as weapons, take out larger foes by aiming for their necks or eyes, and cause as much damage as possible. Move often- it will not only confuse the enemy, who thankfully are not very bright to begin with, but it will give you better angles of attack. Be very careful in this endeavor, as you would not want to hit one of your own."

The various archers, totaling twenty in all, nodded. They were in the minority out of the fifty tauren that had come to fight, but were by far the most experienced. That was why Golbarn had had them chosen.

He then addressed the warriors, shamans and three druids who had arrived with them.

"You possess a more straightforward task. You will be split into three groups, ten in each. One druid will accompany each group, providing medical support for their group, and others if the druid finds himself too caught up in a fight. The shamans, should they be trained in the art of healing, should stick to healing themselves only, as they must conserve their chakra for using the more destructive techniques. Employ these techniques in a fashion that allows you to take out, kill, cripple or even injure large numbers of the enemy. Do not waste time or effort using your techniques on single fighters, unless they are designed to be so. You must be equally strong in fighting your opponents hand to hand, as you are using techniques. If you have chakra to spare, then summon totems that affect yourself and any members of your group that are within range. You, of course, should know this, but I am simply reminding you should you get caught up in the thrill of the fight," he said, looking calmly at Naruto and Kaine once more, causing the youths to glare back this time, annoyed by the insinuation.

"You all know your arts better than I, however in battle you cannot afford to be wasteful; you must conserve and fight tactfully, rather than simply rushing in, annihilating anything that you see. It might work at first, but you will tire quickly, and soon you will find yourselves mobbed by your opponents, and will most likely end up dead."

He said this to address not only Naruto and Kaine, but also the younger tauren, who had only seen a few real battles in their lives. It was only a small portion, he knew, as most of the warriors picked for the group had been chosen because of their experience, but he felt the need to say it anyway. It was better to be prepared, he thought.

"Does everyone understand their positions?" he asked, his sharp eyes flickering back and forth between the group members.

When everyone nodded, he turned back towards the direction of the camp.

"We will remain here until our scout returns. Everyone stay silent, and out of sight, if possible."

There was another series of nods, and the group dispersed, disappearing into one of the small patches of trees that they stood between. They were some of the few remaining in Northern Mulgore, and if the Venture Co. wasn't stopped, it was likely that they wouldn't last much longer. Naruto, Kaine and Golbarn sat beneath a large evergreen, each silent, their minds focused on what was to come.

Golbarn felt uneasy. In his opinion, that wasn't a good sign. He almost never felt uneasy after he had come up with a sound strategy, but something like this had a huge amount of unknowns to it. Two of such unknowns comprised his own group: Uzumaki Naruto and the grandson of the High Chieftain, Kaine. But he had long ago resolved himself to that, and knew that even if they didn't follow his plan exactly, that somehow they'd be able to pull through.

Naruto, for example, while he may have been unpredictable and almost always did things his way, had an uncanny luck that seemed to allow him to work whatever situation he got himself into, into a favorable outcome. The blonde wasn't stupid…well not really. In the weeks he had worked beside the boy for missions he had come to realize that the boy had a mind suited to thinking on the fly. He didn't plan things out, but he still managed to come up with a great plan at the last second, put it into action, and come out on top.

Kaine, however, was a little bit trickier to read. He was a lot like Naruto, yet he possessed a somewhat clearer mind, and a little bit more ego. He had never seen the youthful tauren in battle, so he couldn't make an accurate judgment on his battle strategies. Sparring, Kaine was great, and adapted to the situation almost as fast as Naruto, but sparring and true battles were very different things. He only hoped that the tauren could cope with the difference.

But the other unknowns, such as the capabilities of the Venture Co. militia themselves, bothered him. He had been able to gain a lot of information from Veroden and logs of their previous battles with the Venture Co., but he couldn't very well predict that they'd fight the same as they had several years ago. Judging by how the goblins were the chief race that the Venture Co. employed, he could guess that they'd had those years to develop some truly nasty weapons or traps to insure that their mining work went unimpeded. In addition to that, they employed the vicious little gnomes from Elwynn Forest in the Eastern Kingdoms, nasty forest trolls that bore no alliance to the Darkspear tribe that had allied with Thrall, and the brutish ogres that inhabited much of Kalimdor and the southern Eastern Kingdoms.

All in all, he was definitely worried.

He spared a glance at the other two, and found that Naruto was resting his head against the tree trunk, and was snoring loudly.

Kaine was simply watching the sky through the pine needles that obscured it, looking lost in thought.

Golbarn sweat dropped.

_Apparently I'm the only one who is worried…_ he thought, shaking his head slightly.

* * *

It was almost two more hours before the scout, Morgaine, returned. The group gathered once more, and Morgaine said clearly, his face masked by a dark look.

"From what I can see, they have almost three dozen or so goblins working the machines and giving orders. Most of them were armed with daggers and clubs, but I could see easily accessible explosives that they could use as well. I counted an additional forty-four trolls, wielding mining and woodcutting implements, another fifty gnolls, clutching shovels and digging tools, and even a small group of Dark Iron dwarves, about ten, who work to forge the equipment used by the other members."

Naruto paused briefly at the name, suddenly remembering that Orsson had mentioned them during their flight from Stormwind to the mountains outside Dun Morogh. They were apparently monstrous versions of dwarves who took orders from some giant fire monster at the center of the earth.

"Their leader is an ogre. He stands much taller than many ogres that I have seen, and is dressed in large black armor, bearing a dragon clutching a gold coin upon the front. He was very loud, and apparently calls himself Grindock. He holds a strong rein upon the rest of the workers, and they appear to fear him very much. About half the members of the camp work inside the mine at any given time, and gradually switch out, giving some chances to rest and eat. They don't get very long, and soon must work outside, before the process is repeated," he finished, staring down at Golbarn, who nodded thoughtfully at the information.

It was pleasing, he decided. That meant that they wouldn't have to deal with every member of the camp at once, and if they got lucky, they could destroy the tunnel and simply end their existence, and the prospect of reinforcements, in one go.

Tweaking his plans ever so slightly, Golbarn turned to the rest of the group.

"A slight change of plans, I want several of the main attacking force to attempt to destroy the entrance to the mind. If we can seal it off, then we won't have to worry about them sending reinforcements for some time. Who will do this?"

He chose four tauren from the multiple volunteers, two warriors, a hunter and a shaman. With a satisfied nod, he said, his voice quiet, yet still carried to even those in the back of the group.

"Get into position, we attack at my single."

Naruto, following Kaine and a group of seven tauren warriors and one druid, none of whom he had ever met, and felt his heart beat ever faster as they approached their entrance point on the eastern side of the camp. Golbarn went towards the western side, and the group with the tauren who were heading to destroy the mine was approaching directly from the south.

Naruto felt great, and the silent thrill that he got before battles like this surged through him, making him grin ferociously.

Kaine, his grandfather's wartotem tucked under his arm, nodded slightly to himself, and grinned in a Narutoish manner.

_I will destroy this cancer that sucks the life from our home…I will make both my father and my grandfather proud._

The sun was barely rising when they got into position, and they were bathed in the crimson light of the rising sun.

The camp was circular, set around a huge hole in the foot of a great mountain. There were many tracks, likely from Goblish vehicles dragging trees from all across the area. The ground had been reduced to dirt, the grass stripped away or killed by the enormous quantities of chemicals that the machines leaked. Surrounding the entrance to the mine, Naruto could see many tents, small fires, all contained within a large ring of different types of machinery. Some resembled the robotic suit that Mekgineer Thermaplugg wore, only they were a metallic grey and had creepy face-like panels built on the front. They had both a claw and a buzz saw for arms.

Others resembled the tanks that he had seen outside Ironforge, the only difference being that they too possessed huge claws on either side, had large, rectangular containers on their backs, and were far larger. They too possessed wicked looking "faces" with green "eyes" and yellow "teeth" on a head-shaped protrusion from the front. Many were loaded with lumber and judging from the intact trees that still resided around the camp, Naruto guessed that they had done the cutting elsewhere. He briefly wondered why they hadn't taken the trees so close to them first, but realized that the trees held a tactical advantage, though he imagined it was a much larger disadvantage.

Golbarn was right about them not being too bright.

Naruto and his group settled near the outer edge of trees, all ready for battle.

And then they waited.

But not for long.

**THUNK!**

Naruto winced slightly as the sound of an arrow hitting flesh, and the smell of blood (a slightly strange smell, and he guessed it was from either a goblin or a troll, as he had never smelt their blood before), wafted to his nose. There was a series of other THUNK sounds, before incoherent shouting, followed by a loud, high-pitched wail that Naruto guessed was some sort of alarm.

But he wasn't concerned with that right now.

His group, Kaine and Naruto at the head, sped through the forest, breaking free from it into absolute chaos. Both Golbarn's and the third group had already engaged the fighters the by time they entered, and the sound and sight and smell of battle was almost like a drug to the charging tauren warriors.

Lifting their huge weapons- whether they were swords, axes or hammers, they ran into the throng of Venture Co. miners, who had abandoned their duties and were fighting back as brutally as their attackers. Kaine lifted his wartotem, and drawing a small surge of chakra from within him, he slammed it hard into the ground.

The resulting shockwave, weak enough so that the tauren were unaffected, but strong enough to cause many of the smaller creatures- the goblins and gnolls, to stumble, and thus fall prey to a stray arrow, sword, axe or hammer. The young tauren grinned broadly at his work, and rushed deeper into the throng, swinging the massive totem at anything that was green or as tall as his waist.

A troll, wielding a long mining pick, leapt at him from his right. Growling in rage, Kaine twisted his body violently, still clutching the wartotem under his arm. It swung around and slammed hard into the troll, blasting it backwards, a reverberating gong-like sound mixed with the cracking of bones accompanying it. Slamming into one of the huge tree cutting machines, the troll dropped to the ground apparently dead. Turning to face his next opponent, a gnoll, Kaine failed to remember one thing that was quite important about trolls.

They could regenerate.

Kaine thrust his wartotem into the gnoll's face, ejecting it across the camp. Three more gnolls, clutching pick-axes, rushed at him from behind, and so Kaine drove the wartotem into the ground, hard, knocking them back. He released his hold on it briefly, and in a flash, performed a set of seals.

**"Summon: Windfury Totem!**" he roared, drawing a small spot of blood, then slamming his hand into the ground. He felt the familiar rush of power, and the lightness accompanying it. He then poured more chakra into it, feeding it his allies around him.

By now, the three gnolls had recovered. But in flash, Kaine was upon them, smashing one into oblivion with a single swing of the wartotem. The blast caused the ground to shatter apart beneath the ruined remains of the gnoll, and its two companions were blasted away from him.

Kaine grinned triumphantly, feeling immensely more powerful with the totem in his hands. This was going to be cake! They wouldn't stand a chance against…

His momentary victory was cut short when he felt the tip of a mining pick slam into his left shoulder, causing it to explode in pain. He cried out, nearly dropping the totem, and was knocked back by the force. He stumbled a few feet, then recovered and turned to meet the attacker.

He was suddenly reminded of his previous mistake; not making sure that the troll was dead.

The forest troll had gotten up, and was grinning wickedly. There were traces of the damage done by Kaine's wartotem still visible on the being's chest, which was heavily bruised and a small trickle of blood trickled down from the pointy-eared, tusk-endowed green creature's mouth. He still clutched the bloodied pick in his hand, grinning wildly.

"How's dat mon?" the troll sneered, licking the blood from his axe and leering at Kaine.

Kaine grinned, standing up.

"Pretty good…but how's this?" he retorted, lifting his grandfather's ancient weapon up and driving it forwards. The troll dodged to the left, coming up next to him with frightening swiftness. The troll hammered once at his arm with the pick, causing blood to spurt. Kaine backed off, swinging the totem to create some distance between them. The troll, however, emboldened by his unblocked strikes, came forwards with the same swiftness he had displayed before.

But instead of getting a hit this time, all he got was a horn.

Straight in the neck.

Kaine, having lowered his head, had gored the charging troll, and with a few shakes, threw him off. Not intending to make the same mistake twice, Kaine brought the wartotem hard down onto the troll, obliterating it.

Kaine turned to continue fighting, when a druid came up, her hands glowing.

"Stay still, young warrior, I will heal you first," she said, laying her hands on Kaine's arm.

Kaine thanked her quickly, and when the wound had healed, rushed off towards the center of the camp.

* * *

Naruto, sweaty, dirty and covered in blood (most of which was not his own), fought like a demon against the Venture Co. miners and woodcutters. Magni's Pride was covered his streaks of red, and he had used a sizeable portion of his kunai and shuriken. Three clones accompanied him, one on either side, and one behind, all acting as protection so that he could continued forwards, unimpeded by threats from the side.

A troll hurtled a crude axe towards him, but it had no effect, as Naruto had stopped, activating the Kongou seconds before it struck.

If the Earth portion of the Tetra-Elemental Style was this useful he was positively drooling of the uses he could have for the Wind style.

Naruto shot forwards, driving his sword into the troll's belly, then swiftly pulling it upwards, cleaving the creature's chest in two. He passed by its still falling body, his clones following, when he spotted a peculiar sight.

Standing near the entrance of the mine, ten dwarves with slate grey skin, and beady red eyes had emerged. Each of them clutched large, long rifles, and were observing the battle intensely. All of them had black hair and were dressed in black armor.

Suddenly one of them raised, and aimed his rifle straight at Naruto, and discharged the weapon, causing a burst of fire and a small puff of smoke to pop from the wide opening in the front.

The ball would have struck Naruto, who was facing them, but one of his clones leapt in front of him, seconds before the rifle had even fired, and took the bullet. The clone immediately disappeared leaving the small musket ball to drop to the ground, still smoking.

However, the other Dark Iron dwarves had already raised their weapons and aimed them towards the blonde shinobi.

_Crap,_ he thought, ducking.

"Fire, lads!" one of the Dark Irons bellowed.

The rifles discharged simultaneously, and the two remaining clones disappeared in puffs of smoke. Two gnolls, who had been attacking from the back, fell as well, bullets in their heads.

"Load up!" the same Dark Iron bellowed.

Naruto, however, didn't intend to give them the chance. He rushed forwards, his sword prepared to dice them into small chunks, but the Dark Iron who had given the rest orders spotted him, and barked,

"Abandon guns! Swords and bombs go!"

The Dark Irons, who had almost finished reloading their weapons, did as their leader had commanded them. Seven of them drew small blades much like his own, only the blade was far darker, almost black, in contrast to the bright shining silver that Naruto's usually was.

The remaining three, however, including the leader, withdrew small red spheres, and with their other hand grabbed the small black fuse that stuck out the top with their thumb and index finger. They then snapped the two fingers across, and the fuses lit at once.

_Crap again,_ thought Naruto.

The three Dark Iron dwarves tossed their bombs forwards, so that they landed several feet in front of Naruto, about two feet apart from each other. He had no idea how large the blast radius of the bombs would be, so it took a chance, as he always did.

Instead of stopping, Naruto focused all of his chakra into his legs, and leapt high into the air. He was about twenty feet above the battlefield when the bombs went off.

He was just high enough.

The bomb blasts flared upwards, moving so dangerously close to Naruto that he felt the heat engulf him so completely that it made breathing difficult. The force of the blasts sent both tauren and Venture Co. employees flying, and Naruto, being just above the three blasts, was lifted even further upwards.

Naruto, now almost twenty-six feet above his opponents, whom he noticed had picked up their guns and were preparing to fire once more, suddenly had a great idea.

Gathering chakra into his feet once more, Naruto utilized one of the chakra control abilities that Thrall had taught him earlier, air grasping. With a cry, Naruto ejected himself off the air itself, and tucking into a ball, activated his Kongou.

**"Naruto Nagareboshi! (Naruto Meteor!)**" He cried.

He shot towards the ground like his attacks namesake, and seconds later, upon impact, caused the group of Dark Irons to scatter. The force of his reentry created a massive crater, and several Dark Irons were knocked off their feet, landing hard against the ground.

Pulling himself up, and almost completely unharmed (though a little dazed) by the attack, Naruto stood and looked around him.

The Dark Irons had almost recovered, and now they had abandoned their guns once more, clutching swords and maces and advancing towards him. Naruto wiped some sweat off his forehead and grinned brightly at the advancing dwarves.

"So, who's first you bastards!" He said in Common.

"You are, human," their leader sneered, pointing his sword at Naruto. The blonde grinned again. He thumped his chest and roared into the air,

"Then come get it, bastard! I'll kick all your asses in one go!"

He formed a single seal, crying, "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" causing two clones to pop into existence. Both were clutching Magni's Prides of their own, and Naruto, in turn, grabbed onto their free hands, and began to spin. At the same time, he released a burst of built up chakra and shouted,

"**Naruto Bladestorm!**"

In a display similar to when Golbarn annihilated the quilboars on their way to Camp Taurajo, a whirlwind of chakra ripping around the blonde, scything apart the advancing Dark Irons. The bluish swirls of power sliced the air, cutting anything in their path. The Dark Irons, who had been far enough away to be out of the vortex's range, were blasted away by the tornado like power surge.

Golbarn, who had been fighting near the edge of the camp, just south of Naruto, gazed in abject astonishment at the display.

_That brat used my technique!_ He thought. _He made up for the shortened reach by using those clones as his weapons, and simply spinning them around to gain the whirlwind effect. He then released a surge of chakra, creating the increased damage and cutting effect! And he did it all by watching me perform it once!_

When Naruto stopped spinning, he fell to the ground, dizzy. Around him, the ground had been blasted away, and he stood on a small pedestal of rock, surrounded by multiple pieces of bodies of the Dark Irons.

_Geez, how does he stay standing after it? I get so dizzy!_ The boy groused to himself. He finally managed to stand, his clones coming with him. He turned back towards the battlefield, and nodded.

"It's just the beginning!" he roared and launched himself back into the fray, his clones following suit.

* * *

Meanwhile, the four tauren who had been assigned to destroy the entrance to the mine were having problems. The two warriors held off dozens of goblins, several gnolls and a particularly vicious group of trolls, while the hunter stood behind them, loosing arrows at any that got too close.

The shaman, Naimin Skychaser, was concentrating at the task he had been given. They had managed to pilfer several sticks of dynamite, and were busily setting them near the edges of the entrance. It was so huge that he needed several, and had to put them places so that the collapse would not only occur, but also be enough to stop any from getting through for quite a while.

He worked desperately, setting the sticks near the walls in and outside the mine. He bound the fuses of the dynamite sticks, which were all quite long, into a single fuse, and let it trail outside the entrance. Then, flashing through some seals, he produced a small jet of flame from his hand. The fuse lit, and quickly began to burn towards the dynamite.

"Let's go!" Naimin roared, standing up and turning towards his companions, who were still defending him.

"WHAT THE HELL IS ALL THAT NOISE?" came thunderous voice from within the cave. Naimin turned, and watched in horror as a massive ogre, dressed in heavy, black armor and possessing a massive spiked club, walked through the entrance to the mine. The ogre's baleful white eyes searched the war torn camp, and lost some color.

"YOU BASTARDS! THE BOSS IS GOING TO KILL ME IF HE SEES THIS PLACE IN SUCH A STATE! YOU COWS HAVE REALLY DONE IT THIS TIME!"

He then noticed the fuse, which was rapidly approaching the spot where it split off into every direction. Grindock stood over the very point, and with a growl, he slammed his club down hard on the fuse, severing it completely. The ignited portion fizzled out harmlessly when it reached the break, and Grindock then turned his wrathful eyes to the nearest tauren, Naimin.

"YOU'RE FIRST ON THE MENU, COW," he thundered, suddenly moving forwards with terrible speed, born from his tremendously powerful leg muscles. Naimin had barely any time to defend, and was knocked to the side in a single swing from the ogre's club. He flew and slammed hard into the wall near the mine entrance, and passed out.

Without stopping for a second, Grindock smashed the hunter, killing her instantly. The two warriors turned to meet the foe, raising their swords in defense. The first tauren struck at Grindock's stomach, only to find that his blade bounced off harmlessly.

"HAH! IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT MORE THAN THAT TO KILL ME, COW! PUT SOME MUSCLE INTO IT!" he roared, and to demonstrate, batted the warrior hard into one of the machines, causing the metal siding to buckle inwards, and the warrior to die, his head crushed by the initial blow.

The other warrior thrust his sword into Grindock's leg, and this time it did go in. However, the ogre hardly seemed to notice, and killed the tauren with a powerful hit from his club.

"BAH! WEAKLINGS! DIDN'T EVEN FEEL THOSE HITS!" he thundered. The ogre then turned to the goblins who had been fighting the three tauren, and glared.

"YOU LITTLE FUCKS CAN'T EVEN HOLD THINGS HERE FOR A SECOND! I'LL BE REPORTING YOU TO THE BOSS WHEN HE GETS HERE!"

One of the goblins looked petrified, and squeaked, "It wasn't our fault! Those cows just attacked, they even have a human with them!"

Grindock paused, and his mouth suddenly began to water.

"A HUMAN, EH? OHH BABY, I HAVEN'T HAD ME ONE OF THEM FOR YEARS! WHERE IS HE? I'LL KILL HIM FIRST!" he rumbled surveying the battlefield.

"There, boss, there!" another goblin squealed, pointing at Naruto, who was fighting side by side with Golbarn near the western edge of the camp.

Grindock smacked his lips, and lifted his huge weapon.

"THEN THERE I WILL GO!"

* * *

Naruto dodged another strike from a charging troll, and beheaded the hapless creature before moving onto the next, a large snarling gnoll.

Golbarn fought with much more grace, and far less movement than the blonde, but just as effective. His blade cleaved a gnoll in half, before he moved and slammed his sword hard into an attacking troll's eye.

"You will tell me how you were able to learn my Bladestorm technique so easily, brat. I don't like it when my special moves are stolen," Golbarn said, lowering his blade slightly to catch his breath.

Naruto grinned, "Neither do I, but unless I heard ya' wrong, this isn't just your move!" he stuck his tongue out at the orc, who scowled in return.

"BETTER MAKE IT QUICK, ORC, BECAUSE THAT HUMAN IS SOON GONNA BECOME MY DINNER!" a booming voice shouted from behind them.

Naruto turned quickly, stunned slightly at the volume and proximity of the voice. Golbarn had already done so, and gazed upon its owner with contempt.

_The leader, I presume,_ he thought.

Grindock stopped a few yards away from them, his face twisted into a terrible, hungered grin.

Naruto tensed slightly, and brought his sword out in front of him. Golbarn raised his blade as well.

"HOPE YOU TWO PUT UP MORE OF A FIGHT THAN THOSE COWS BACK THERE, THEY WERE CAKE!" Grindock thundered, hefting the huge spiked club up off his shoulder.

"So you're running this place?" Naruto asked, his eyes narrowed.

"YEAH, WHY?"

"Just wondering…cause I gotta kick that guy's ass, so you better get ready, fat ass!"

Unlike a certain festively plump genin that Naruto knew back home, Grindock didn't respond with anger to the insult, instead, he laughed, and patted his distended stomach.

"HEH, BEING FAT AIN'T SO BAD, MORSEL. I THINK YOU'LL FIND OUT SOON ENOUGH!"

Naruto launched forwards, lifting his short sword up to slash at the huge ogre. Golbarn hung back; his calculating eyes flickering slightly as he digested the ogre's words.

Naruto's blade, however, didn't reach the ogre, who swung his club with such force, and so quickly that even after ducking so low that his chin nearly touched the ground the club clipped him with enough force to draw several gashed down Naruto's back. He growled, and jumped up, only to avoid another swing by dropping on to his back.

Grindock laughed, and swung his club downwards this time. Naruto rolled to the side, and the club collided with the ground, causing it to rupture and burst apart from the force. Naruto jumped up again, this time summoning several clones on his way up. His clones leapt away, avoiding another strike from Grindock's club, and quickly surrounded the huge ogre. The surrounding clones waited a few seconds, before charging forwards, their blades raised. Simultaneously they thrust their swords forwards, piercing the ogre's flesh in his thighs, side and arms. The real Naruto aimed a shot at his head, but Grindock's hand shot out, grabbing Naruto by the head, and with a roar of laughter drove his face into the ground, causing it to crack under the force. Naruto screamed in pain, feeling the full force of the attack, which nearly shattered all of the bones in his face. The Kyuubi's chakra quickly began to repair the damage as Grindock shook off the clones, dispelling them in a few short swipes with his club.

"TOO EASY!" he roared.

"You are far too cocky, ogre, to be a proper fighter," came a voice from behind. The huge orc half-turned, only to be ejected backwards by a powerful blow from Golbarn's sword. His chest plate shattered, and the blade pierced the first three layers of the ogre's five-layered skin, but no more, instead driving him backwards with the force of the strike.

Grindock slammed into one of the robot-like machines, causing it to tip over. He stood again, growling in anger.

"STUPID ORC, ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU," he rumbled, touching the lightly bleeding wound gingerly, even though it really caused him no pain.

"I thought so. Your kind was never too bright. But I won't make the same mistake as the brat, I know how to kill you, even with your tough skin and immunity to pain."

"HOW'D YOU KNOW I WAS IMMUNE TO PAIN? YOU'RE PRETTY PERCEPTIVE, ORC, I BET THE BOSS COULD USE SOMEONE LIKE YOU. HOW ABOUT IT, IT PAYS WELL!"

Golbarn laughed, swinging his sword.

"I am loyal to Thrall and only Thrall. No amount of money can change that. Now die."

Golbarn appeared in front of Grindock in a flourish, slashing the ogre's chest twelve consecutive times. The ogre cried out, backing away a little, so Golbarn pressed on, aiming his next strike for Grindock's head.

"NOT A CHANCE, ORC!" the ogre roared, grabbing the blade and forcing it backwards. He then drove the handle of his club hard into Golbarn's stomach, depriving him of breath, before clubbing him hard, ejecting him into a still-standing tent in the center of the camp.

Shaking off the damage he had been dealt, Grindock advanced towards where Naruto lay still. Unbeknownst to him, the blonde was about healed from the previous attack and was preparing to get up.

That is, until in a roar of fury, Kaine appeared in between the fallen shinobi and the huge orc.

"Hey, tubby! Now you have to face me! Thunder Bluff's Number One Strongest Shaman! Kaine Bloodhoof!" he cried, lifting his wartotem up.

Grindock gave him an irritated stare. "DAMN COWS GETTING IN THE WAY OF MY MEAL…"

Kaine lifted the wartotem and drove it hard into the ground causing a large tremor to throw the ogre off balance. Still bearing the effects of the Windfury totem, Kaine shot forwards, and slammed the wartotem as hard as he could into the ogre's chest, just on top of the slash marks caused by Golbarn.

Grindock staggered surprised by the strength of the blow, and even more surprised when he coughed, tasting copper in his mouth.

Grinning in triumph, the youthful tauren shot forwards again, delivering three more, equally powerful blows to the leader of the Venture Co. mine. What was left of the ogre's chest plate was now reduced to dust, and Grindock clutched his chest in an obvious sign of pain.

Seeing his opponent weakening, Kaine went in for the kill. As he was not as perceptive as Golbarn, he did not suspect that the ogre was immune to things like pain. Which meant that it wasn't possible for him to clutch his chest in pain, if he couldn't feel it.

"HAH FOOLED YOU!" roared Grindock, releasing his chest and grabbing onto the wartotem with one hand, stopping it cold. Kaine, stunned by the action, blurted out,

"You can't stop that! The Bloodhoof Wartotem can't just be stopped by one hand!"

Grindock laughed, ripping the wartotem from Kaine's grasp.

"HEH, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T USE IT, I CAN TELL THAT THING USES CHAKRA. YOU USED ALL OF YOURS UP FIGHTING, AND TRYING TO HIT ME! STUPID LITTLE CALF!" he delivered a sickeningly powerful blow with his club to Kaine's chest, having the same effect as his previous attack, ejecting Kaine a good fifteen feet away from him.

Sparing a glance at Golbarn, who had still not gotten up, Grindock turned back and began advancing towards Naruto, his mouth watering slightly.

"HEH, YOU'RE ALL MINE, LITTLE MORSEL!" the ogre happily announced, licking his lips.

However, as soon as he grabbed on to Naruto, and began to lift him, he blonde disappeared in a flash, replaced with a small stump.

Utterly baffled for a second, Grindock was unable to counter Naruto's surprise attack.

**"Naruto Nagareboshi!"**

From the trees near the edge of the camp, a blond ball shot, crashing hard into Grindock's wounded stomach. The force drove him backwards a few steps, and as he was about to recover, a second blonde ball shot, once again knocking him off balance and forcing him back.

Three more times did Naruto shout his attack and three more times was Grindock forced back by the powerful projectile clone, before grew angry.

"THAT'S IT!" He thundered, raising his left hand, preparing to catch the next attack.

"**Naruto Nagareboshi…**" Naruto cried once more, and another blonde projectile erupted from the trees.

Grindock grinned, ready to catch the rapidly approaching clone.

Only it wasn't a clone, and it didn't stay in a ball this time.

Uncurling himself, Naruto raised a hand, displaying a glowing, fiery red orb in his hand. His face was wild, his eyes were red, the whisker marks on his cheeks were far more prominent, and his teeth were bared in a ferocious, victorious grin.

"…**Oodama Rasengan Rendan! (Big Ball Rasengan Combo)!"**

The glowing orb of chakra slammed into the ogre's open palm, and combined with the force of Naruto's approach, Grindock's arm literally exploded. The Rasengan tore through flesh, muscle and bone, eradicating everything as it traveled along the arm along with Naruto. At the last second, before he sailed past the ogre, he air grasped, and drove the Oodama Rasengan straight into the Grindock's left side.

A swirling blast of chakra erupted in front of Naruto, twisting and ripping through the ogre's thick flesh, as well penetrating deep into the ogre, rending his innards as well.

The force of the blast lifted the heavy ogre off his feet, driving him backwards for yards. The remaining members of the Venture Co. mining crew leapt out of the way, as did the attacking tauren.

In flash of swirling red, it was suddenly over, and Grindock crashed to the ground, unmoving.

Naruto sagged slightly, his whole right arm completely numb, and his chakra levels lower than he would have liked. He spared a glance at Golbarn, who had stood and was watching him wearily. Kaine had also gotten up, his face clearly displaying both his pain, as well as his wounded ego.

Naruto walked forwards, Golbarn and Kaine slowly following him, ignoring the fighting that was still taking place, and stopped in front of Grindock, who lay coughing blood up into his mouth, and then swallowing it again. The ogre's entire left arm was a sickening mess of flesh and bone shards, blood pouring out in every direction. There was also a massive hole in both his left side, and a smaller on his right.

And he was still alive.

"HAH…LITTLE…S-SHIT…GOT ME. B-BOSS…IS…NOT GONNA…. LIKE THIS…" the ogre croaked, spewing blood across the ground as he tried to roll himself over.

Naruto readied to form another Rasengan, but Grindock laughed at him.

"I'M…BEAT…MORSEL! BUT…YOU…WILL BE…AS WELL…THAT STUPID…COW…IS GONNA…GET ALL…OF YOU…HE…REPORTS…DIRECTLY TO…THE BOSS! BET…YOU DIDN'T…THINK…THAT YOU HAD…A TRAITOR!"

Kaine's eyes widened, and his throat went as dry as the Barrens.

"Traitor? Who is it? Tell me!" the young tauren growled advancing towards the dying ogre.

He received, instead of an answer, a face full of bloody spit.

"HAH…NOT TELLING!" the ogre coughed, before giving a final barking laugh, and lying still.

Kaine gave a frustrated growl, wiping the spit from his face, and raising his totem to attack the corpse. Golbarn stilled him with a glance.

"Don't," he said calmly, sheathing his sword.

Naruto glanced at both of them, before stumbling and falling to his knees. He was dead tired, and incredibly hungry.

The battle had already winded down. The remaining Venture Co. miners, after seeing Grindock killed, fled into the mind shaft, not looking or noticing the tauren who sat by the entrance, holding a ball of fire in his hand.

Naimin, having regained consciousness several minutes prior to Grindock's death, had crawled to the small stub that remained of the combined fuses. He waited until the Venture Co. miners, far too paralyzed by fear to notice him, had all entered the shaft, before he lowered the flame onto the fuse.

It lit in a flash, and soon the fuses split off, rapidly approaching the sticks of dynamite that they belonged to.

He managed to pull himself to his feet, and stumbled away from the mine entrance, as fast as he could, hoping to at least survive the blast.

He wouldn't have if Kaine hadn't walked up and pulled the wounded tauren along with him, retreating away from the entrance as fast they both could.

Seconds later, it erupted in a massive cloud of fire, and the sound of crumbling earth and falling stone could be heard for miles across the plains. Oddly enough, however, no animal was disturbed. No animal fled from the sound. Because, in their souls, they knew that it was the sound of Mulgore's freedom. They knew that everything would go back to normal, now that the loud monsters were gone.

Or at least, in their souls, they dearly hoped so.

* * *

_Several hours later…_

"What is this?" Cyrussian T. Venture asked his advisor as him and his entourage stared at the mountain of rocks and dirt that stopped them from leaving the mine. The huge cave in had destroyed not only the entrance, but for almost fifty yards afterwards as well. The result was a nearly impenetrable wall of dirt.

Warco, Cyrussian's personal assistant, gulped.

"I-I don't k-know m-my lord. T-there s-seems t-to be a c-cave in."

Cyrussian gave him an irritated stare, causing the goblin to quail slightly.

"I can see that, Warco," he snapped. He turned back to the mountain of rocks. "But why has it happened in my mine, hmm?"

"I-I don't k-know s-sir," Warco squeaked.

Cyrussian sighed, feeling that his day had possibly gotten even worse. But he knew that a cave in wasn't just what had happened. No, something unexpected had happened on the other side. Something that had forced the cave in, and thus had forced production to be halted, and thus had lost Cyrussian money, and now he had lost even more, due to the time that he spent standing in front of a pile of rocks.

He felt his anger beginning to rise, and a fierce, maniacal gleam appeared in his eyes.

"How long with this take to clean up?" he asked Warco.

The little goblin blinked, adjusted his glasses and looked at some notes.

"I-I b-believe s-several d-days if w-we g-got the m-machines from W-Windshear Crag," he said looking fearfully at Cyrussian.

Cyrussian's eyes turned cold, so cold that they glittered like ice.

"I don't have time for that," he stated, reaching inside his robes. From it he produced a small rod, purple in color, with a series of buttons and attachments along the side. On the top were two curved pieces of metal, facing each other, almost touching, forming a circular shape.

He pressed a button on the side and said clearly,

**"Come, pet, clear this trash from my sight."**

Mere seconds later, the outside was treated to its second explosion of the day, as the dirt and rocks from the cave in were forcefully ejected from the entrance by a massive flash of golden lightning, which streaked through the trees surrounding the camp, vaporizing them.

Moments later, Cyrussian walked from the now clear entrance, and his eyes widened slightly. The camp had been completely ruined, the majority of the workers lay dead, and even Grindock the Overseer lay dead, brutally maimed by some incredible force.

But most of all, there was no work being done.

No work meant no money and no money meant his business would not do as well.

Cyrussian's cold eyes got even colder as he caught the scent of something that made his blood boil. The wet, manure like smell of a tauren.

A cow.

Those cows had done this.

Cyrussian turned to Warco, who nearly wet himself at the look of wild rage in Cyrussian's eyes. The Trade Prince's face was perfectly composed, but the seething rage in his eyes would startle even the bravest of warriors.

"Those…cows…will not go unpunished…I will insure that they never bother me again…that is a promise," he whispered, his voice deadly soft. "Warco, send a message to my mole…tell him that he must make the ones who did this pay…those fools will die in the worst way possible, but before that, I must take away their reason for living."

Warco gulped and nodded, before scurrying off to procure a messenger bird.

They would certainly learn not to mess with Cyrussian T. Venture.

* * *

Veroden stood near the bedside of Cairn Bloodhoof, watching the old man sleep. The pain his land was in was reflected upon his face, twisted and disfigured by pain and suffering. The tauren hadn't moved much since the party had left the previous night; he simply stared at the fallen chieftain.

It was odd, he decided, that one person could affect so much. Cairn's coma had turned his people into weak, craven fools, or more to the point, his people loved him too much. They loved him so that they would rather do nothing than let him die. They loved his son because he loved his son, and they could not endanger the son without endangering the father.

And then, just a week ago, almost, that boy had appeared. The boy who had managed to make friends with Kaine, as well as an orc, and who had somehow managed to rouse the people from their haze of stupidity, and see what truly had to be done. The boy was odd, as well, but he also felt a sort of respect for him. The blonde believed in his own strength, and didn't rely on gods or spirits to help him achieve strength.

As his mind began to wander from the boy, he was alerted by a couple of squawks to the presence of a large hawk, which stood perched on the window of the cabin. He walked over, glancing curiously at it, before noticing the message attached to the bird's leg. He untied it calmly, which prompted the bird to take off, leaving him alone with the comatose High Chieftain.

He unraveled the scroll and slowly read the message. When he finished, he crumpled it up and tossed it into the fireplace, before walking to the edge of Cairn's bed, his violet eyes uncertain as he stared down at Cairn.

"This is it, old man," he said. "This is your chance…prove to me that you aren't weak; to prove to me that your strength can overcome this. I will not give you another, old man…"

He waited, watching Cairn's body remain still. At any moment, he expected the ancient tauren to stand, to throw off the furs and blankets and stand once more.

But he didn't.

Veroden gave a slight sigh, reaching into a satchel at his side, and retrieving a glowing green stone. He held it out in front of him, just above Cairn's chest.

There was a flash, and a steady stream of soft green light erupted from Cairn's body, entering the stone. It disappeared almost as swiftly, and Veroden returned it to his satchel, before turning and walking towards the door.

"Fine then, old man. Then their blood is on your hands."

* * *

DONE!

I will once again apologize for lateness- I was struck down with a terrible lethargy during the latter half of Christmas Vacation, and was unable to do anything but eat and sleep.

So, in order to appease your appetites, I have decided to introduce something that will make many of you giggle slightly and others shiver in abject horror.

Here it is, an omake from me to you!

* * *

**Omake: Nocturnal Fun**

Tsunade awoke suddenly, giving an incoherent shout and a series of rapid breaths, clutching her chest to steady her heart and breathing.

She was drenched in warm sweat, so that her face was clammy and her hair stuck to her face in a terrible case of bed head. Her shirt was drenched as well, so that it clung to her sizeable attributes, so much so that Jiraiya would have given his left hand to bear witness to it.

But none of that was registering with her now, as she had just awoke from one of the strangest, and most arousing, dreams she had ever had.

She had been in a room…a white room, with a soft, huge canopy bed. It was covered in red silk sheets, much like her own, and there were many fluffy pillows strewn about the top of the bed.

When she had sat within the bed, and had been greeted by a very strange sight.

There was already someone in the bed.

And that someone wasn't human.

The…thing…had light green skin, dark hair, and a body covered in rippling muscles. Two small tusks jutted from his lower jaw, but despite that, he wasn't at all unattractive. But what attracted her most were the…thing's…eyes. They were a bright, electric blue, filled with power and compassion.

And love.

For her.

So, she had done what any woman in her situation would have done…

She had had sex with the green man.

No…sex was too less a word to describe it. They had fucked like rabbits.

Yeah…that's it.

She blushed brightly at the memory. It had been so weird, so arousing…was there something wrong with her? Was it natural to have dreams of that nature?

Especially at her age and with a green man with tusks?

Her memories were interrupted by Shizune, who had walked into the room, rubbing her eyes.

"Are you okay Tsunade-sama?" she asked, yawning.

Tsunade blinked, "Yes, why?" she asked.

Shizune blinked as well, "Well…you were making quit a bit of noise earlier…I thought that you might be being attacked…" she said.

Tsunade blushed at the memory of what she was doing earlier but hastened to assure Shizune that all was well.

"I am fine, Shizune. I just had a bad dream…that's all."

"Oh!" said Shizune, looking relieved, "that is good, and then I guess I'll go back to bed. Goodnight Tsunade-sama."

"Goodnight Shizune," Tsunade returned. Her first apprentice turned to leave but Tsunade suddenly called out,

"Shizune?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?"

"Have you had any weird…dreams? You know like…_those_ dreams?"

Shizune paused, working out what Tsunade meant, before taking a look at Tsunade's sweaty, ruffled appearance. Her face turned a brilliant shade of cherry, and she shifted from side to side, abashed.

"W-what do you m-mean…weird?" she asked.

Tsunade opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly thought better of it.

"Eh…never mind. Go back to bed, Shizune…" she said, blushing.

Shizune blinked, but nodded hesitantly, and walked back to her room, leaving Tsunade alone.

_Okay…_she thought, _it was perfectly normal…there is nothing wrong with having wet dreams…even at my age. And it certainly is natural to have weird ones…like doing it with incredibly hot green-skinned men._

She laid her head back again, and hoped to fall asleep.

Who knows, maybe she'd do it again?

* * *

Thrall awoke sweating profusely, and panting. The Warchief of the Horde had just awoken from one of the strangest, yet most arousing dreams that he had ever experienced.

No, scratch that, it had been the most arousing dream he had ever had.

He had been in a big, white room, in the middle of it, a soft bed with red sheets made of silk and many pillows of the same color lying atop it.

When he had gone to sit down, he had discovered that someone already occupied it.

A human.

A naked human.

The Warchief blushed slightly at the memory of the gorgeous blonde. Tall, strong, big-breasted, wide-hipped and in other words, the very picture of Orcish femininity. She had…made love to him in so many ways, so many times that he was glad for his Orcish stamina. She had been so aggressive…something that he liked in a woman.

"Lord Thrall?"

Thrall blinked and turned to see one of his guards sticking their head in, watching the orc with a frown.

"Are you alright, Lord Thrall? We heard you making many loud noises…we thought you might be in trouble."

Thrall, trying to maintain his composure, shook his head.

" I am fine…I simply had a bad dream, that's all."

The other guard stuck his head in.

"Sounded pretty good to me…"the orc rumbled, causing the first guard to smack him and smile sheepishly at Thrall, whose attempt to remain calm wasn't working so well.

"Just leave, I am fine," he said again.

The two orcs nodded, before Thrall stopped them again.

"You! I would like it if you brought me some more sheets…these are dirty."

The orc blinked, snorted, and then left, leaving Thrall alone once more.

He hoped sincerely that he had that dream again…

* * *

Heh heh heh! So did you like it? It's only a taste of what's to come in the actual story, when they meet!

Hahahahahaha!

Anyways, I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter, and the next will be fun as well!

Here's the viewer mail!

**PersonaJXT**- The Kongou is the basis of the Earth style…it basically makes the user incredible durable…I got the idea from One Piece- the CP9 members Tekkai technique.

**DeputyJones**- You and me both buddy…I can't wait to subject Naruto to that!

**needmore**- That is pretty ironic…guardian spirit, huh? Wonder if Kishimoto is going to do anything with that… As for how many can sense the Kyuubi, not many. The seal holds back the demonic chakra, and they aren't exactly looking for any inside him. Thrall and Rexxar know of it because they saw him use it against Rexxar, and Naruto told Thrall, but as for that, none of the Taurens so far know of it, though they will. I don't plan to make him superpowered (at least right now, much later in the fic when everyone else is superpowered, it will be okay), he is going to be as Narutoish as possible in his technique learning. Power levels for the Demons and Kages huh? Well, Kyuubi is the strongest bijuu, I think, so he's about the level of guys like Kil'Jaeden and Archimonde. He couldn't be killed, so he was sealed, while Archimonde was essentially killed by the earth and Kil'Jaeden is still alive. So Kyuubi is wicked strong…but I still think Kil'Jaeden could kill him if they fought.

As for the race leaders and Hokages…Thrall is a stronger fighter than Tsunade, but she's a better healer. Cairn is as knowledgeable as the Third, and even older, Sylvanas is wicked powerful, immortal and cruel, so she's probably above Tsunade and around the Fourth, maybe. Vol'jin is knowledgable and strong, probably as good as the Third as well (in his prime), and Mekkatorque is smarter than any of the Hokages, but weaker than most of them, while Magni is wicked strong- about the level of Tsunade or maybe the Fourth. King Wrynn is strong, but probably not as strong as any of the Kages (at least mentally). Hope that helps!

**Gundam Chief**- It takes me anywhere from a week to two days to write these chapters…depends on the mood. How long does it take me to come up with ideas? Well it happens all the time, when I'm thinking about the fic while I work or something, but I always constantly change them, especially when they get to the page. I can't give you an honest answer, cause I really don't know!

I am very honored to be called dono, Gundam Chief-san!

**Regress13**- Thanks! As for him making the choice and the pairings…keep reading! I can't tell you, that'd ruin the surprise! Thanks for your kind words!

**Das Leech**- Thanks for the site, I'll have to check it out!

Well, that's everything…

Night!

General Grievous

**Spellbook-**

**Naruto Nagareboshi**- Naruto uses the Kongou, and kicks off the air using air grasping to make himself into a cannonball that causes massive damage on impact!

**Naruto Nagareboshi Odama Rasengan Rendan**- Barrages an opponent with nagareboshis and in the last second one of them uncurls and hits the opponent with a Rasengan!

**Bestiary-**

**Grindock the Overseer** (Humanoid) **(Elite) (Original)** – A powerful, brutish ogre that is not only thick-skinned, but somehow possesses an incredible tolerance for pain…so much so that he acts as if most wounds don't even happen! He is incredibly strong physically, and ruthless, especially when it comes to protecting his job.

**Venture Co. Miner, Woodcutter **(Humanoid) – Come in several varieties- forest troll, gnoll and goblin. All essentially the same attacks, but each of their racial abilities makes them stronger.

**Dark Iron Bombardier, Rifleman (**Humanoid**) (Elite)**- Servants of a terrible monster named Ragnaros, the Dark Iron dwarves go wherever there master tells them, and will ally with anyone that he demands them to.


	24. Veroden and Ventursaurus Rex

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft!**

"**O RLY?"**

**YA RLY!**

"**NO WAI!"**

"**BUTTSECKS?"**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Flames.

Smoke.

The smell of burnt flesh and smoldering fur, of charred leather and scorched wood. The smell was entirely unbearable, filling Naruto's nostrils with the acrid smell of death.

But, it was nothing compared to the sight.

There were dozens, maybe even more than that, littering the ground atop the great bluff. There were countless bodies of tauren men, women and children, dead or well into the process.

From there stemmed another unpleasant sense- the wailing of the still living, clutching the bodies of their fallen loved ones; and the dying moans of the ones who would not live to see another day.

Kaine could not look; his face was ashen, his eyes wide with disbelief and horror. He hadn't realized that he was crying until the tears clouded his vision, causing him to lift a hand and brush them away, not to get rid of them, but to see if they were actually there. His mind had come to a complete halt, and everything that he had previously been processing was blown from his mind- the victory over the Venture Co., the hope that he may be able to save his father and grandfather, and the feeling of joy that he would get at seeing the happy faces of his people, when they returned with news of the destruction of the camp. They had very few casualties, and more than three quarters of the group that left had returned. They would have returned, their heads held high, their spirits soaring, to the cheers and smiles of the people of Thunder Bluff.

Instead…they got this.

There were no happy faces no cheers, no tears of joy; only despairing looks, sobs, and tears of pain and sadness.

A sadness that Kaine could feel inside him, as well. A sadness that derived from seeing people he had spent his whole life around in such agony.

He walked forwards, numb. He walked between the fallen bodies of many tauren, some so brutally murdered that Kaine couldn't tell who they had once been. Others, however, who were still mostly intact, bore looks of frozen shock and horror; ones that Kaine knew would haunt him to the grave.

But he couldn't close his eyes.

He couldn't push it all away.

He would see them all, in death, and remember.

He would remember them when he met the person who had done this.

He would remember them when he removed that person's still bleeding, black heart.

He would always remember them.

Golbarn watched Kaine calmly, only his experience keeping him from punching something. He had seen this before, and had learned that no matter how mad you became, it would do no good to anyone.

But this was new to Naruto.

The boy hadn't moved from his place near the elevators, his blue eyes hidden beneath the fringe of his hair. He was shaking, and realized that he too, was crying. But the shaking was not from sobs, but from his using every ounce of his power not to explode in rage, not to rush off and find the person who had committed this crime, and ripped them limb from limb. In the back of his mind, he could almost hear the Kyuubi urging him to do so, but he pushed that away and focused on the present.

He wiped his eyes, but still more tears flowed. He followed after Golbarn and Kaine, the latter having broken from his shock and had begun to run in the direction of his grandfather's cabin. Naruto didn't break into a run, however, because he, like Kaine, wanted to remember this.

This was what a ninja saw everyday. Destruction, death, pain, suffering, ninja experienced it all, and from that experience, they grew. They became stronger, they learned and they matured. Naruto was going to be Hokage- and if he wanted to be the best, then he'd have to experience the worst.

He had experienced much of what the worst had to offer, most of it in his childhood. He had had people glare at him, sometimes throw stones at him and shout at him to leave them alone. He'd had shopkeepers refuse him service, and had people go out of their way to spit in his path.

And yet, while he had experienced the very worst of human nature, he still could not understand why it happened.

Why would someone commit such a crime? Why would someone kill innocent people? Naruto, though he was not a part of the tauren race, believed that because they acted like humans, then they were just as good. No more, no less.

What would lead one of their own to commit such a horrible act? What drove people like that to do such things?

The smell of blood and death was everywhere, but to someone who had had as much experience as Naruto in smells, that could be looked past (so to speak). Underneath the coppery smell of blood, and burning flesh and wood and leather, Naruto could not detect the faintest trace of goblin. He couldn't smell any troll, ogre or gnoll. There was only tauren.

A tauren had done this.

Kaine through open the door of his grandfather's cabin, looking wildly around.

"Veroden!" he cried, calling out to the temporary chief. There was no answer, so he rushed into his father's bedroom, and met a figure within.

"Vero-" he began, but stopped when he saw whom it was.

It was Hamuul.

"Hamuul? What is going on? What happened here? Who did this? Where is Veroden?" the boy would have continued rambling, but Hamuul silenced him with a hand.

The old Archdruid was dressed in tattered clothing, his face scratched and bloodied, his eyes dim and full of sadness and resignation. The ancient tauren did not want to speak, he did not want to answer any of the young tauren's questions, but he had to.

"Many things have happened in your absence, young one. Many terrible things. You will not like the news that I have to bring…it is so unfortunate that this was the time they would strike…and he would reveal his true intentions," Hamuul muttered, letting his eyes drift back to the prone body of Cairn. Kaine followed the older tauren's gaze, and he watched his grandfather for a time, before he realized what was wrong.

"Wha-?" he choked, rushing to the still form of the High Chieftain.

"There is no life left within that husk, young one. It is now nothing more than a sack of bones and flesh. Cairn Bloodhoof does not reside here anymore," Hamuul said.

"Then he's…dead," mumbled Kaine, feeling the last vestiges of hope fly from him like a sparrow from a wily cat.

"No."

Kaine blinked and looked up, staring wide-eyed at the old tauren.

"Wha-?" he said for the second time in two minutes.

"I did not say he was dead…I said that he no longer resided here. He is now in the state of your father…lost to us…likely taken by the traitor," Hamuul said, walking up next to the now kneeling Kaine, his face still composed, though his eyes still full of pain.

"The traitor…" growled Kaine, very nearly losing control at the mere sound of the word. Such as disgusting, vile and hateful word.

Traitor.

"Who was it?" growled the young tauren, his amber eyes beginning to glow like miniature setting suns. Being the grandson of Cairn Bloodhoof, the strongest of the tauren, Kaine commanded a formidable battle spirit, and possessed the potential to be as great, if not greater, than his grandfather. His battle spirit filled the room, making it seem so much smaller suddenly.

Yet Hamuul was unfazed. He had faced much stronger spirits in his life.

"Veroden…" the Archdruid whispered.

It was as if a god from above had swept down and with a simple exhalation, blew Kaine's fiery aura right out, as one would a candle. Kaine's face turned ashen once more, and he felt his body freeze in much the same manner as it had just minutes ago, when he had laid eyes on the scene at the top of the Bluff.

"Wha-what? V-Veroden?" he gasped. It was absurd, impossible, and inconceivable! There was no way that he would do something like this!

Veroden…Kaine's hero, the person whose strength he had admired for so long…the person that had not only taught Kaine almost everything that he knew…but the person who had given him hope where there had been none…after his father had been taken.

The traitor…and Veroden…were one and the same.

"No…" he said quietly, slumping. He looked up at Hamuul, almost begging the wise tauren to say otherwise. Instead, Hamuul just watched him sadly, his once composed face now cracked, full of pain and sadness.

"W-why didn't you stop him!" cried Kaine, looking up at the druid desperately.

"I could not. Veroden destroyed the bridges to the other rises…and I was on Elder Rise when it occurred. I did my best to repair it, but he rebuffed my attempts each time, and used a powerful technique to drain my chakra. His strength was immense…and he used a much darker breed of shamanism. He crippled the Ragetotem forces and the Bluffwatchers by using this power…and then simply butchered anyone in his path. He left by taking the elevator, and headed north. I would have sent warriors to pursue him…but they were needed here, to tend to the fallen, and to guard the elevator, in case he returned."

By the end of the explanation, Kaine was seething. He clenched and unclenched his fists, at released the battle spirit that had peeked through earlier.

Hamuul watched silently, letting the young tauren rage quietly. There was not much else he could do. They had all been played for fools…deceived by Veroden for so long.

But Hamuul still could not understand. Why had Veroden done this? What had he possibly been offered by the Venture Co. to betray his own people? Money? Power? Land? None of those things appealed to Veroden. He had never had any interest in money. He had always believed in working to gain strength by himself; he would never take power if it were offered to him willingly. He had no use for land, either. Mulgore was for all tauren, and Veroden knew that.

So why had he done it?

"Old man Hamuul…" muttered Kaine, looking up into the ancient's eyes.

Hamuul looked down at the tauren, who was getting to his feet. The pain, the confusion, the sadness, was gone from his eyes.

All that was left was rage.

Rage and purpose.

"I'm going…I'm going to follow him," he said, his voice thick with hatred.

Hamuul gave him a level stare.

"I would not advise you to. Veroden is leagues beyond you, young one. You may possess your father's wartotem…but you do not possess the power and spirit that he had…not yet at least."

"I don't care," Kaine retorted, reaching back to touch the massive totem on his back. "I'm going to find him…and crush him. I won' t let anything stop me."

"Even the fact that you have no idea where he may be headed?" the elder tauren shot back, raising a grey eyebrow.

Kaine's determination faltered for a second, but it surged back with a vengeance seconds later.

"I don't care! I'll search every corner of Mulgore! I'll go to Stonetalon, to Desolace, to the Barrens! I'll go to Ashenvale, to Feralas, to the Thousand Needles! I'll go through all of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms if I have to! But I'll find him!"

"Your determination is admirable, kid," boomed a voice from behind the two. Kaine whirled, and met the eyes of Golbarn, Naruto at his side, near the entrance.

"But, even so, it's entirely unnecessary. We know where he is going."

Hamuul raised an eyebrow.

"May I enquire how?" he said, looking at Golbarn levelly.

Naruto pointed behind him, and said, "He told one of the guards near the elevator. He said that when we returned, to tell you:

'**I'll be waiting in Camp Aparaje… don't be late, Kaine.'**"

Kaine grinned ferociously, and made to leave the room. He now knew where to go, where he could find the one who did this. Camp Aparaje was a small, deserted tauren village in the Stonetalon Mountains. During their training sessions, Kaine and Veroden had used that place as a camp. The Venture Co. rarely ventured in that direction, preferring to focus on ridding Windshear Crag and Mirkfallon Lake of life instead of heading in that direction. In the same area, too, a small camp of Grimtotem tauren rogues who continued their nomadic ways and were quite famous for being the most brutal and clever tauren. They had never bothered to attack Kaine or his teacher because of the power that Veroden possessed.

But it didn't matter now…he would go, and he would destroy that traitor.

However, Hamuul stopped him by laying his hand on the young tauren's shoulder.

"Revenge is a foolish path to take, Kaine."

Kaine paused, slightly surprised at Hamuul's use of his name. Before it had always been "young one".

Kaine opened his mouth to speak, however, Naruto spoke first.

"He's right, dumbass. I know someone who walks that path…and I'm not going to let you make that mistake."

Naruto settled into a fighting stance, one hand on his sword, the other next to his weapons pouch. The boy glared up at Kaine, a hint of red leaking into his eyes.

Kaine stared back at Naruto, for a few seconds actually considering fighting Naruto. But he stopped himself. He couldn't fight Naruto like this.

As much as he hated to admit it, the boy was probably his only friend in the world. All of the other tauren his age treated him like a prince, who should be treated with the utmost respect. He had never wanted that. He had wanted to be recognized for his own strength, not his grandfather's. Naruto, though a human, did recognize that strength, and was even fun to be around, to boot.

He could fight Naruto in a sparring match, he could also fight him with words, but he could never fight him just to remove the boy from his sight. He would not let himself destroy the only friendship he had ever had.

He stepped back, hanging his head a little.

"Geez, you gave up too easily."

Kaine's head snapped up, and he frowned at the boy, who now stood with his arms crossed, grinning at the young tauren.

Naruto continued, "You act like you have to do this all by yourself…if you let us help, then we could probably beat that stupid bastard together. Don't do this for revenge…do it for your grandfather. So let's go get that asshole and kick his ass!"

"For once," smirked Golbarn, fingering the blade by his side, "I agree with the brat. You were right that now is the time for action, not self-pity, or emotional drama or things like that. We must meet Veroden at Camp Aparaje, and retrieve your grandfather's soul. We must make haste, Kaine…we wouldn't want to be late."

Kaine stared at them for a while, disbelieving. His first impulse was to shout at them, telling them that this wasn't their fight. But a second, more powerful impulse gripped him, and he could only choke out two words.

"Thank you…"

"You're not gonna cry are ya'? Guys don't cry, crybaby!" Naruto said, snickering.

Kaine's battle spirit evaporated the unshed tears in his eyes as he exploded,

"NARUTO! I"LL KICK YOUR ASS!"

"JUST TRY IT COW BOY!"

"I WILL, PINK PIGGY!"

"WHAT? PIGGY? YOU BASTARD!"

Even in the direst of moments, Hamuul couldn't help but sweat drop at the sight.

Golbarn rolled his eyes, but was smirking all the while.

_What a kid..._

"Now…on the matter of you getting to Camp Aparaje…" said Hamuul, clearing his throat to catch the attention of the two arguing boys. 

They turned, both blinking rapidly at him.

"It would take you days to climb through the mountains…and I highly doubt you want to wait that long. There is only one other way to get there as quickly as possible…"

He turned and walked to the window, his eyes settling on the large, spiraling tower-totem in the distance.

Naruto and Kaine followed his gaze to the tower, and both their eyes widened in realization. Naruto grinned, a familiar feeling of excitement bubbling up inside him.

In the distance, a wind rider let out a screeching call, piercing the fading moans and cries of the dead.

* * *

"So who is this Veroden guy anyways?" Naruto asked, as he, Golbarn, Kaine and Hamuul walked across the village.

There were far less dead bodies now, leaving only bloodstained patches of grass or charred craters. Every Tauren they passed was grim-faced and weary, some had bloodstained hands and blood covered their tunics, others were clean, but looked the same as those who were covered in blood.

Kaine looked up a little, recalling his memories of the regent chief.

"He is my teacher in the shamanistic arts…or at least one of them. He was also my father's most trusted friend in battle and my grandfather's most trusted advisor. The clan heads elected him to be regent chief because both my father and grandfather trusted Veroden so much.

"But his past…I don't know much. My grandfather took him into the village shortly after the beginning of the last war. I don't know his clan or his background. I only know that my grandfather admired his prowess in battle, as well as his skillful dealings with the clan heads. They did have their disagreements, but none of them tore their friendship apart. My father admired Veroden immensely, and sought to become as strong and skilled as he. They were like brothers, almost, my father being the younger brother who wants to be as good as his elder brother. That's why I can't believe he would do this…"

"No point in wonderin' right now…" Naruto responded, drinking in the information.

Kaine nodded in agreement as they reached the bottom of the wind rider tower, were Hamuul stopped them.

"This is as far as I go…I must attend to the wounded now. I can only wish you good luck, for you will certainly need it. Veroden is immensely powerful, and you must exercise the greatest caution in fighting him. He possesses a strange ability…one that I have never seen before. It drains chakra, and removes the effects of seals and runes. He is also a very skilled warrior and shaman. Be careful, young ones."

Kaine nodded, flashing him a somewhat reassuring smile. Naruto grinned in his usual way, while Golbarn nodded in acknowledgement of the blessing.

"I will return with my grandfather's soul…as well as my father's. We won't let this go on any longer," said Kaine, turning and shooting a look at Naruto and Golbarn.

"Yep!" Naruto responded.

"Definitely," retorted Golbarn.

Kaine nodded, and grinned once again at Hamuul, before turning and walking into the wind rider tower. Naruto and Golbarn followed swiftly. Hamuul watched them go for a while, before turning and walking back in the direction they had come.

_I hope…that you can do it, young one. But I feel that Veroden may not be the true foe that you seek…_

_

* * *

_

Veroden sniffed the air, the wet scent of decaying wood and wet leather meeting his nose. The ruins of Camp Aparaje were exactly as he remembered them.

The camp was small, only about four-dozen yards across, and was circular in shape. On all side of Veroden there were ruined tepees, the animal skins long since stolen, only the wooden pegs that held them up remaining. There were also two log cabins, whose roofs were caved in, and had many holes in the sides. There were several fire pits, all of them now large puddles, filled with murky, black water from the charcoal of burnt logs.

It was raining, too. He hoped that Kaine arrived soon.

It would be the perfect backdrop.

He inhaled the air once more, letting his mind drift some. He idly fingered the glowing green shard that now hung around his neck. Every time he touched it, he swore he heard a voice, the voice of his friend, Cairn. But it would pass quickly, and the clearing would fall silent once more, save for the pattering of raindrops on the ground, and the surrounding ruins.

In the distance, he swore he could here the sound of machines being driven, the crunching of wood as it was crushed between huge metal claws from the large deforestation machines that the Venture Co. had developed.

He ignored it, for the most part. He hated those sounds with a passion. It was why he hated visiting the camps. He rarely did it, only visiting to check on the progress of the sights, before sending a report back to Cyrussian. The Trade Prince himself would come once a year only to see if he was telling the truth, and possibly to fulfill whatever sadistic whims that he had come up with in the past year.

He looked towards the mountains, remembering what Cyrussian had told him in the message.

"**Bring them to me.**" He had written, so forcefully that his anger seemed to ooze from the page.

He would do so, of course.

Or rather, he would bring two of the three to him.

Kaine would remain here…he had plans for his student.

_There might still be hope…_ he thought.

Kaine was the last hope…the last chance for redemption of the Bloodhoof clan. He didn't know if the young tauren would stand a chance, but Kaine was talented…incredibly so. He would no doubt surpass his grandfather in strength, when he gained more experience in battle, that is. The boy had the potential…he just needed to tap into it.

He needed to learn to rely on his own strength.

His attention was suddenly diverted, when the far off call of a wind rider reached his ears, even in the pouring rain.

He smiled.

"You are right on time…Kaine."

The wind rider began to move towards the ground, moving at a much slower speed than it had previously been.

But Naruto didn't care, for as long as he was in the air, he would enjoy this experience to the fullest extent.

_Flying is so cool!_

Rain splattered his face, but he was wearing his goggles, so his vision was unimpaired. He shot a look over at Kaine, who looked torn between trying to enjoy the flight and trying to look cool. Golbarn was doing neither, as he had his head low, and had his arms wrapped tightly around the wind rider's neck.

The wind rider itself, a large, gryphon-sized beast with the head of a lion, the wings of a bat, and the tail of a scorpion, looked like it was fighting for every breath it took.

Naruto winced, thinking that Golbarn was probably very strong, and he made a mental note not to hug the huge orc any time soon.

The rain bore down on them in torrents as they descended, and Kaine raised a hand, pointing towards a small clearing in the trees, deep in a large valley. Naruto urged his wind rider towards that direction, hoping it would follow his orders. Luckily it did, and soon they found themselves in the ruins of a long deserted village. It was small and circular, with the tatters of fallen houses and tepees on all sides of the clearing.

But it was in the center that Naruto's attention was focused.

For in the center stood a lone tauren, dressed in black armor, clutching a large, black spear, and following their descent with deep, violet eyes.

He shot a look at Kaine, who looked as if he would leap from the back of his wind rider so that he could challenge the former regent chief sooner.

But he didn't, instead waiting for his wind rider to settle on the ground, its chest heaving, exhausted from the flight. Naruto's touched down next to his, and he felt all the excitement from the flight abruptly disappear. It was immediately replaced by the fiery determination that he thought himself famous for.

And the faces of the tauren who had been killed back on Thunder Bluff.

He gritted his teeth, feeling the familiar boiling chakra of the Kyuubi begin to stir inside him.

But he didn't act, instead simply leaping from the wind rider, and walking up next to Golbarn, who stood a little ways behind Kaine.

Kaine now stood in the center of the ring of ruins, his wartotem clutched in his hands, his breath visible in the surprisingly cold air.

"I'm only going to ask you once, Veroden," he growled, hefting the wartotem to rest on his shoulder.

"I'm only going to ask you this once…then we'll fight, and I'll kill you."

Veroden gazed calmly back at him, nodding slightly.

"Why?"

Even in the rain, the word, so soft that it was almost a whisper, seemed like a shout.

Veroden snorted, also hefting his weapon onto his shoulder.

"I won't tell you. I have no intent to, and never will. My reasons are my own…and I will take them to the grave with me, if you can put me there, boy."

Kaine seethed in anger at the insult, almost breaking into a run at the words. However, Veroden's voice stopped him.

"We will fight, Kaine. However, I have news for the other two members of your party."

Naruto and Golbarn glanced at each other, before turning and looking back at Veroden, whose violet eyes were upon them now.

"You have been summoned by the Trade Prince, Cyrussian T. Venture, president of the Venture Company, to Windshear Crag. He is very interested in meeting the ones responsible for the destruction of the Northern Mulgore camp, so I am letting you go, in order for you to meet him yourselves. The path behind me leads to a fork, where you must take the right path to Windshear Crag. This battle is between Kaine and I, and there is no room for an audience."

Naruto looked like he was about to protest, but Kaine's shout stopped him.

"Go Naruto!" he cried, "I'll deal with this bastard…you can kick the ass of the one who's responsible for all of this! I won't forgive you if you die, either!"

Naruto blinked a few times, before he let out a bright, cheerful laugh.

"Sure thing, cowboy! I'll kick that guy's ass, and if you're lucky, I may save you a bit to kick when you're finished here! Come on, Golbarn! Let's go kick some green, greedy, goblin ass!"

Without a moment's more hesitation, Naruto ran past the two tauren, and disappeared into the trees as he ran up the path leading away from the valley.

Golbarn grimaced, sent a final look at Kaine, before following the blonde, and soon he too was no longer visible.

Veroden watched the two go with some interest, and said to Kaine in a calm voice, "That boy…is very interesting."

Kaine held the wartotem of his grandfather up, and took a step forwards.

"Yeah…he's a pretty cool guy. A little annoying, but I can deal with that." He shifted his stance into a more appropriate attacking stance.

"Now, are we going to fight, you bastard?"

Veroden nodded, "Of course."

With that, Kaine charged.

Raising the wartotem over his head, Kaine brought it crashing down onto Veroden, who blocked the attack with the tip of his spear. There was a great rush of air, blowing away the rain around them, but Veroden remained unharmed. Kaine pulled back for another strike, but Veroden was quicker, driving his elbow into Kaine's gut, followed by a powerful head-butt to the younger tauren's head.

Kaine flew back, landing on his backside, but recovered swiftly as Veroden attacked. Moving as fast as a bolt of lightning, Veroden was upon his former student, kicking him in the stomach with his powerful hoof. Kaine landed on his feet this time, and brought the wartotem down onto the wet ground, delivering a powerful shockwave in every direction. All around him the earth shattered and split, but Veroden leapt out of the distance of the shockwave, hurtling his spear straight at Kaine.

The massive black spear shot with such force that when it struck the ground, a mere foot from Kaine, the ground exploded beneath it, causing debris to fly in every direction. The spear sunk into the ground, causing much of the earth around it to sink as well, making a huge crater.

Kaine was pelted by some of the debris, but was relatively unharmed by the attack. He turned to face Veroden again, but found that he wasn't there.

"Your slothfulness is your greatest weakness, Kaine."

Kaine was blasted from his feet again as Veroden appeared behind him. The blow had been directed at Kaine's spine, which caused his body to freeze, and a series of shocks to run through his body for a few seconds, numbing it. He dropped his wartotem, and was unprepared for Veroden's next kick, which sent him flying into the ruins of one of the houses. What was left of it crashed down around Kaine, partially burying him under several rotten logs.

Kaine pulled himself to his feet, and wiped some of the blood that had appeared by his mouth. He flashed through some familiar seals, and shouted into the torrent of rain,

"**Summon: Windfury Totem!"** He slammed his palm into the ground, causing a huge totem to appear from nowhere.

Kaine felt the familiar rush of power, and the sudden weightlessness of his body. With a roar, he rushed forwards, appearing in front of Veroden seconds after he started moving. He slammed his fist hard into Veroden's jaw, and followed with another series of powerful blows to Veroden's stomach and face.

The attack drove Veroden backwards, and Kaine suddenly felt his heart lift a little, hope leaking into him. He could win this, he knew, if he just kept it up.

Veroden stood, however, and shrugged off the damage, acting as if he hadn't just been pelted with dozens of rock-shattering punches.

He made several seals, and said calmly as he did, "You are making the same mistake both your father and your grandfather made, Kaine. I am disappointed. **Grim Embrace!**"

Veroden then slammed his palms together, and from them exploded hundreds of tendrils of shadow, which flew across the short distance between him and Kaine, piercing the young tauren in dozens of places.

Kaine's eyes widened, and he felt a horrible pain shoot through him. It was so powerful that he found himself unable to stand, his cries echoing throughout the entire valley. He felt his grip on his totem vanish, and then, almost as soon as that had happened, the pain vanished.

He blinked, and managed to stand, looking himself up and down as he did. There were no wounds present on his body, nor was there any trace of entry upon his clothes. He looked at Veroden, who watched him calmly, before moving forwards, only stopping to pick up his spear as he walked.

"Using those objects on me…it is no wonder that you and your predecessors have fallen so quickly. You rely far too much on them…you rely far too much on the spirits of the earth…and not enough on your own power."

Kaine coughed, "W-what was that technique?"

Veroden raised an eyebrow. "That technique…is an ancient one, passed down to the greatest members of my clan. It's intent is to drain chakra from the target, but it does so much more than that. It removes you connection from the earth temporarily, and makes those who think to rely on it as blind as bats. It is a technique that my clan developed solely for use against the shaman of Thunder Bluff."

_What?_ Thought Kaine blearily, trying to make sense of the situation. _But isn't he a shaman of Thunder Bluff?_

"You must be confused, Kaine. So I will clarify. There is a reason that I never mentioned my clan's name to you. I felt that it was both unnecessary for you to know it, and dangerous for anyone else to learn it. Both your father and your grandfather knew it, but because I did so much for them in the past…they overlooked the fact that I was from the clan…known as Grimtotem."

Kaine's eyes widened. Suddenly it made so much more sense. The Grimtotem…the only clan that believed Cairn Bloodhoof and the Horde to be menaces to the world, who fought constantly with them, and who were legendary for their unique brand of shamanism.

One that didn't include the use of totems in their style.

He suddenly realized, that in all their training sessions, he had never once seen Veroden use a totem, for any reason. The fact that he had overlooked something so blaringly obvious was sickening. He had never considered himself to be the most perceptive person, but he should've been able to see this.

Growling in anger, Kaine stood again.

"I don't care what clan you're from…I only care about killing you, and getting my grandfather's soul back. Nothing more, nothing less."

Veroden smiled as grimly as his namesake, and raised his spear.

"Good, perhaps there is hope for you…"

Veroden bent his legs and forcefully catapulted himself straight at Kaine, who flew through some seals, bellowing, "**Earth Wall!"**

The ground in front of Kaine surged upwards, forming a large, thick, square wall in front of him. However, he did not wait behind it, instead leaping to the side towards his wartotem, which lay several yards away. Veroden drove his spear through the wall, shattering it with ease, and then turned and shot after Kaine, intent on stopping him from getting the totem.

Veroden was a good deal faster than the young tauren, but Kaine refused to give up, managing to reach the weapon only seconds before Veroden. He grabbed it and twisted around to meet Veroden's spear point, which had been going directly for Kaine's heart. The gleaming point buried itself in the near indestructible wood of the totem, which gave Kaine some semblance of control. He wrenched his weapon to the side, pulling Veroden's as he did. He then punched Veroden as hard as he could in the jaw, to little effect. The much larger tauren barely felt the blow, and retaliated with a punch of his own, the strength of which drove Kaine backwards. He was able to keep a grip on his totem, but Veroden managed to wrench his out, before moving forwards to press the attack.

Kaine raised his weapon high, slamming it into the ground in front of Veroden; the force of the attack blasted Veroden back, and caused the wet ground to explode around Kaine, flinging mud in every direction. Veroden landed on his feet several yards away, slightly dazed by the attack.

Kaine took a few steps back, breathing heavily. The rain beat down on them harder now, and Kaine was quickly running out of things to use. Without his totems, he was only fighting at half his power, at best.

_This is how he was able to overpower both my father…how am I going to beat him?_

Sure he had other shaman techniques at his disposal, however, Veroden likely knew them as well, and that made it impossible to get the drop on him. What's more was that Veroden was faster, stronger and far more skilled than he. He wouldn't be able to win this fight.

Geez, you gave up too easily. Kaine's head snapped upwards at the memory of Naruto's voice, said to him only a few hours prior. He shook his head. Naruto had been right; he had given up too easily. He wouldn't do so again. He looked forwards again, his face set in a grim smile. The memory of Naruto also brought to him a plan, one that he hoped to the Earthmother would work. 

Veroden waited no longer, and moved forwards with blinding speed, hurtling his spear forwards, before he began a string of hand seals.

Kaine dodged the spear, which flew past him, and partially destroyed one of the valley walls. He then prepared himself for Veroden's spell, which he slammed into the ground, bellowing into the rain, "**Earth Shock!**"

His power and skill being so much greater than Naruto's, the attack had far more of an area effect. It obliterated the ground around Veroden, and caused the earth beneath Kaine to surge upwards, lifting the young tauren from his feet. They went numb from the transferal of force from the ground to his legs, but being in the air, that didn't particularly matter.

Veroden leapt into the air after Kaine, hammering him with enormous force into the ground. The wet sound of the muddy ground moving aside for Kaine to land, then returning to nearly swallow the young tauren, filled the air, and Veroden, with nowhere else to land, drove his hoof down hard onto Kaine's neck.

Or rather, what his neck would have been if the person that lay half submerged in mud had been Kaine.

Instead, the tauren vanished in a puff of smoke, replaced by a small, rotten log that looked as if it had come from one of the houses.

Veroden's eyes widened, but before he could fully register what had happened, he was surrounded.

By Kaine.

Four, identical versions of his former student stood around him, all clutching wartotems, and grinning a grin that would not have looked out of place on Naruto's face. Veroden had never seen such a technique, at least not used by shaman. He prepared to leap in order to get out of the circle of Kaines, but found that the ground was attempting to eat him. His eyes widened further as he saw another Kaine standing a few yards out of the circle, his hands on the ground, smirking.

He had used his chakra to soften the earth, making it nearly impossible to get a foothold of any sort. The four Kaines, almost as soon as they saw that he had realized this, charged.

The one behind him delivered its blow first, sending so much chakra in the initial strike that it disappeared in puff of smoke,

"**KAI-"**

Veroden flew forwards, but his flight was interrupted by a second strike from his front, which was directed upwards.

"**NE-"**

The two remaining Kaines followed his path upwards, and when he was almost twenty feet in the air, two directed two simultaneous blows downwards,

"**BLOOD-"**

Now merely a blur, Veroden fell straight towards the only Kaine left, the original. Roaring in fury, pain and triumph, Kaine delivered the final strike with his wartotem, driving Veroden into the ground with such force that the wet, soft ground was blown away instantly, leaving only the dry ground deep beneath it for Veroden to slam into. The force was great enough that the remains of the houses and tepees fell to the ground, and trees shook and rocks were dislodged.

"**HOOF COMBO!"**

It would seem that sparring with Naruto was more than just fun…

The rain faded to a drizzle, before stopping altogether.

Kaine looked down into the huge crater, looking on the unmoving face of his former teacher, and the person whom his father and grandfather had lost their souls trusting. The tauren who had garnered the respect of almost everyone in the village, and yet who had been the one to destroy it. The only Grimtotem that Kaine had ever known.

He noticed something glittering upon Veroden's chest, and moving closer, he saw a small, green stone, glowing with a bright, scintillating glow. He slowly made his way down into the crater, and bent down, picking the stone up, snapping the leather thong that it had been attached to. When he touched it, he felt his grandfather; he felt the warm, safe presence of the old tauren that he hadn't truly seen for so long.

He gave a soft smile, and crushed the stone in his hand; causing the glow to erupt forth from it, circle around him twice, before shooting off into the distance.

Kaine felt a great burden lift from his heart then, and he would have continued to stand there, until a great, and terrible sound filled the air, bringing his thoughts back to the present. He looked off into the distance behind him, and a dread filled his stomach.

There was still one last thing to do.

He cast a final look at Veroden, and remembered his earlier words.

I have no intent to tell you why, and never did. My reasons are my own, and I will take them to the grave with me, if you can put me there, Kaine.

He felt a slight pang of regret that he'd never know why he had done it, whether he had never truly been friends with his father and grandfather, only a deceiver for the Grimtotem, or if he had just lost respect for them.

But right now, he didn't care. His friends, he smiled at the thought, needed his help.

And he would give it.

As he ran in the direction that Naruto and Golbarn had departed earlier, he failed to notice a pair of eyes watching him from the crater.

* * *

The noxious smell of chemicals and recently greased machinery, of smoke and of fire and charcoal filled Naruto's nose as they walked up the path towards Windshear Crag. Even in the rain, the smell was almost overpowering to the blonde.

They had just moved off to the right of the main path, towards where Windshear Crag was supposedly. There were once trees, he could see, all along the path. However, in the arrival of the Venture Co., there was nothing left, save stumps and long rotten trees. Therefore the road was clear to them, and they could see the looming tree-cutting machines of the Venture Co. in the distance, still visible in the fog. Naruto couldn't see movement, nor could he hear any, save for the rain.

They entered the valley of Windshear Crag, and almost like magic, the rain began to dwindle. They had been walking for almost half an hour, but it was a little bit surprising, and eerie that it stopped just as they arrived.

The valley dipped down into a small, black river, which ran into a surprisingly clear lake to their left. In the fog Naruto could here the creaking of wood and the splashing of water, which meant that they were doing something in the lake.

And yet he couldn't see or hear a thing to suggest that there was anything other than them here.

Then, there was a flash.

And another.

Both Naruto and Golbarn turned towards the flash, which came in the direction of the lake. As they watched, there were several more flashes, then nothing.

They waited.

More flashes began, and Golbarn realized that it was to get their attention. They were calling the two of them, telling them to come in that direction.

It seems he is not here to deceive us…he wants to confront us before he attacks.

He was beginning to wonder if they had not gotten in over their head. He was unprepared, and aside from the fact that he was going to meet the president of the Venture Co., he had no idea what was going to happen. He had already played and replayed dozens of scenarios in his head on the way up, ranging from Cyrussian calling an ambush of several hundred Venture Co. employees, to him using the powerful, almost indestructible machines that were used for tree cutting and digging.

His only real comfort was that Naruto was with him. The blonde was strong, and used to dealing with the unpredictable, as he himself was quite good at being unpredictable. It was, however, only a small comfort, and he felt a slow, icy chill begin to creep into his stomach. Somehow, he doubted that this meeting, and the inevitable fight, would go smoothly.

He clutched his sword tighter, moving alongside Naruto as they sought out the source of the light.

A few moments later, as the fog began to clear around them, they spotted it. There was a lone tower, several yards away from the shore of the lake. It was wooden, and looked somewhat unsafe. There was a large canopy stretched out on top of it, likely to prevent the rain from getting in.

They also saw their first sign of life, as several goblins, all clutching swords and dressed in armor, stood at the foot of the tower. With the rain gone, Naruto had managed to catch their scent several minutes before he actually saw them, but the small number of them still surprised him.

Either they were very strong goblins, which Naruto thought was doubtful, or they were simply there for show. To make their true foe seem more important.

Naruto settled for the latter reason, before they stopped, several yards in front of the tower.

"Ah! You have arrived then. Good, come a bit closer, I want to get a good look at those who have caused me so much frustration."

The voice, cold and sickly high-pitched, as a goblin's normally was, could be heard easily over the creaking of wood and splashing water that was coming from the lake, the majority of which was obscured by fog.

Both Naruto and Golbarn readied themselves at the voice, and took a few steps forwards, their eyes searching for the source.

"Up here, fools," it snapped, causing both to look up into the tower, where they met the face of Cyrussian T. Venture.

Dressed in outlandish purple vestments, with a long purple cloak that had a black dragon clutching a gold coin on the back, the Trade Prince looked as every bit as annoying as a goblin president should've. Naruto's lip curled slightly as he saw the sickening smile on the goblin's face, which reminded slightly of the same sickening smile of the criminal Gatou, back in the Wave Country.

Cyrussian, in the process of picking his teeth, gestured to the goblins at the foot of the tower to alert their attention.

"You guys go, unless you wish to stay…but I don't pay overtime."

Seconds later, the goblin guards were gone, speeding off into the fog as fast their little legs could carry them.

Both warriors sweat dropped.

Cyrussian didn't seem as amused at their actions, instead focusing on Naruto and Golbarn.

"So…you are the ones responsible for the attack on my camp, eh? I was under the impression that there were more of you…"

"There are," responded Golbarn, "he just needs to take care of something with the traitor first."

Cyrussian blinked, then looked thoughtful.

"Is that so? You must mean my mole, then?" he chuckled, looking a little lost in thought, "he's the perfect example of a great employee. He does whatever he's asked, and does it better than I could have hoped for. He's the best mole that money can buy, I think."

At this, Naruto froze.

_Money?_

He had voiced this out loud as well, causing Cyrussian to laugh, incredibly amused at the boy's response.

"Oh yes, money! The greatest force in the entire world! It can buy loyalty! Power! Fame! It can make or break friendships and inspire love; it can fight wars, make legends, it can create alliances, destroy others, and it can even purchase souls! Amazing, isn't it? There isn't anything in this world that money cannot acquire!"

The sheer disbelief etched on Naruto's face at the words quickly changed to a burning, furious anger. At the time, he didn't believe he had ever been as angry as he was then. He felt the demon's chakra so close to the surface that only a small wall kept it from exploding out from him.

This guy had the nerve to suggest…!

Golbarn had adopted an unbelievably cold expression, one that would be nearly absolute zero if one were to measure it with a thermometer.

Cyrussian continued, smiling at their reactions.

"He was a cheap one, as well, so I am getting quite a bit more for my money than I had originally intended. He even came to me, looking for work! He said that he'd take whatever I'd offer him! I felt obligated to give him a tidy sum, which has steadily increased. He has saved me much more money than I would have thought. You just don't get help like that these days. He even delivered to me the insurance that I used to keep those stupid cows in their pen for the last few years. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be working now…but he did well in bringing you to me. Massacring all those cows! Haha, I should've asked him to bring me some, I could make a hamburger!" he sighed, smiling wistfully. "If there were only more like him in this world…I'd be even richer than I am now!"

"**SHUT UP!**"

The sardonic smile was wiped from Cyrussian's face at Naruto's shout. The boy was simmering, both literally and figuratively. Reddish chakra was leaking from every part of his body, and the wet earth beneath him began to steam from the heat.

"You bastard! You can't honestly think that that guy did this for money? Are you that stupid that you think money is so important to everyone?"

Golbarn, whose expression had gotten even colder than before, spoke as well.

"I agree with the boy…you are immensely naïve if you think that a person like that could be bought off. You would have to be even more naïve to think that money can do all the things that you said it could."

Cyrussian's eyes were wide with disbelief. Never in his life had anyone challenged his philosophy! The shock, however, began to melt away, and a fiery maelstrom of rage exploded within him.

How dare they?

"You…bastards…think you can say that to me? You have not only cost me thousands of gold pieces in labor and equipment, but you now have the nerve to challenge what I know is true? I am disgusted that a human, an orc and a bunch of walking steaks could do so much harm to my business and myself. I think that it is time that I end this. I will start with you, then I will move onto the rest of the cows, and exterminate them, completely removing their presence from this world. I will do so with anyone who stands in the way of my business…"

Cyrussian reached inside his robes, removing a small, purple rod with a circular attachment on top, and buttons and dials on the side.

"I would like you to meet a friend who is very close to my heart…at the proof that my words are true. SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!"

With the utterance of one of the most clichéd movie quotes in history, the little goblin pressed the side of the rod, causing the circular piece on top to glow bright green.

The fog began to swirl, moving aside for the arrival of a monstrous shape, which appeared in an instant, forcing the fog away from it. It was massive, bigger than anything Naruto had seen previously in his journey through this world. Something that resembled Gamabunta in size, but was far more grotesque than the giant toad could ever hope to be.

The creature was terrible to behold, with a deep, black, leathery body, with three long spikes jutting out from its spinal cord. It had front legs the color of bronze, which were covered in scales, and had huge claws, hooked and digging into the wet ground. It's hind legs were flat, possessed no claws, and bulged with far more muscles than the front legs. Attached to the light blue body were huge, leathery golden brown wings, covered in the same scales that the front legs were. Behind it was a tail, covered in armor like plating, curved upwards and possessing a huge stinger at the end, reminiscent of a scorpion. Its head was monstrous, and colored the same deep black that the body was, with long bluish stripes streaking down the side, just above, across and then just below the reddish eyes of the behemoth. Its mouth was filled with rows upon rows of dagger-like, curved teeth, and on both sides of it huge, troll-like tusks sprouted, running the entire length of the beast's snout, coming to a point near the end of it.

Naruto's eyes bulged out of their sockets at the sight, while Golbarn groaned slightly.

I thought it might be like this…he thought, drawing his sword as swift as he could.

Cyrussian laughed, gazing up at the beast with an almost loving look.

"Amazing, isn't it? The most powerful force in the world is money, and this creature's existence is proof of that. It was born from the best alchemy and science that money can buy! The ferocity and hunting ability of a devilsaur, the magic and flight capability of a bronze dragon, the armored exoskeleton and venom of a scorpid, the sheer strength of a kodo, and finally the regeneration abilities of a troll. All of these things come together to form my precious Ventursaurus Rex!"

Giving the rod a little wave, the beast reared back and bellowed into the air, causing Naruto to clap his hands to his ears from the volume.

"Now," Cyrussian said, sneering, "I will reiterate what I said before…there is nothing in this world that money cannot buy…and this I will prove!"

Then, the Ventursaurus Rex charged.

* * *

Both moving simultaneously, Naruto and Golbarn dodged to the side as the Ventursaurus Rex charged past them, each footfall causing the ground to shake, and mud to splatter in all directions.

The creature turned towards Naruto and launched the huge, scorpion-like tail at him. The blonde had to leap backwards to avoid being skewered by the huge stinger, and retaliated with a few hand seals and a shout of, "**Katon, Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"**

The fireball surged from his mouth, engulfing the tip of the creature's tail, causing it to retract it, letting out a roar of pain. It swung its tail around several times, before submerging it in the wet mud, dousing the flames.

Meanwhile, Golbarn had moved to its side, and clutching his sword tightly with both hands, rushed forwards, aiming at its hind legs.

Chakra began to coalesce around his blade, and he roared, "**Mighty Cleave!"**

He swept his sword through the air, causing a blast of wind to streak from his blade, so thin that it could have sliced though a single strand of hair, but so strong that it could have cut through steel.

The attack did its job wonderfully, separating the leg of the Ventursaurus Rex from the rest of its body.

Blood exploded from the wound, and the beast toppled on to its side, very narrowly missing Golbarn. It began to roar in pain from the wound, and Golbarn had no intent to let the opening go to waste.

Naruto had seemed to read his mind, and was already moving towards the tower, drawing his own blade and moving with killer intent towards the president of the Venture Co.

Golbarn rushed towards the creature's head, intent on taking it out as quickly as he could. However, without any warning, the best lifted itself up and turned its head to the side. When it opened its mouth, Golbarn was suddenly struck with an overpowering sense of doom.

When a bronze light began to glow deep inside the beast's throat, he knew that it was more than just a feeling.

Leaping to the side, Golbarn was able to just move out of the way before a stream of golden lightning erupted from the beast's mouth, streaking along the ground and disappearing into the fog. Seconds later the sound of rock shattering and sizzling filled the air as the blast struck the wall of the valley.

He pulled himself to his feet, and grunted in anger as he saw that the beast's back leg had grown back, and creature was already turning towards him once more, its baleful red eyes searching the ground intently.

At the same time, Naruto had made it to the top of the tower, only to have Cyrussian, with a laugh, leap over the railing, and landing with surprising ease fifteen feet below. Cursing, Naruto followed, but Cyrussian danced out of the way, moving with an almost impossible agility, smirking all the way. Frustrated, Naruto threw at kunai at the small goblin, but Cyrussian dodged it again, finding it incredibly amusing that the boy didn't seem to take the hint.

Summoning a group of clones, Naruto suddenly surrounded the Venture Co. president, each of his doppelgangers grinning like foxes as they held their swords up, their intent clear. Cyrussian's smile vanished instantly, but he showed no signs of fear. Instead, he lifted the purple rod into the air, and pressed another button on the side. He flashed the true Naruto a grin, before he abruptly vanished in a slight crackle of electricity.

At the same instant, in another crackle of electricity, the Ventursaurus Rex appeared.

It appeared directly over the group, putting them in between its two clashing pairs of legs. The painful ease, the beast stomped the clones out of existence, forcing Naruto to run as fast as he could from beneath it.

The beast twisted its head to the side, sighting Naruto as he ran out from its right side. It turned its body in that direction, and snapped its tail at the blonde several times, forcing Naruto to leap and dodge several of the lightning fast attacks. Naruto retaliated with an explosive seal adorned kunai, which struck the beast in the head, and exploded seconds later.

Unfortunately, the tough leathery skin of the Ironhide Devilsaur and the hidden, near invisible exoskeleton of the scorpid had given its head more than enough protection from harm. The beast felt it, stumbling backwards so that it smashed through the tower, but the wound was already healing when the smoke cleared from its head, making Naruto growl in frustration.

How the hell was he going to beat this thing?

Golbarn's eyes widened when the Ventursaurus Rex vanished, replaced by its master. He saw the beast appear behind the tower, directly over Naruto and his clones. He cursed, while Cyrussian laughed.

"This rod does much more than summon my pet, orc," the goblin stated, smiling coldly at Golbarn, who growled and launched himself at the smaller creature. Cyrussian dodged a few slashes from Golbarn's sword, moving with grace that did not befit the short green man.

"Hahaha! Is that the best you can do, orc?"

Scowling, Golbarn raised his sword, and muttered, "**Heroic Strike!"** and in an instant, shot forwards, moving twice as fast as before, and slashed at Cyrussian's head.

But being small in size had its advantages, and with a grin Cyrussian ducked down low, completely avoiding the strike, before leaping up and leaping at Golbarn. He produced a small, gleaming dagger from his robs, now stained with mud, and drove it hard into the orc's leg.

Golbarn did not cry out from the pain instead using the distance he now had on the goblin to attack. He gripped his sheath, and thrust it straight out, causing it to collide with Cyrussian's head. The president of the Venture Co. was knocked off his feet, and stunned by the blow.

Growling, Golbarn wrenched the small dagger from his leg, and flung it at Cyrussian. The goblin, having recovered, blocked it with a second dagger, which he threw at Golbarn.

The orc blocked the knife with his sword, but caused the grinning Cyrussian to press the button on his rod once more, vanishing and being replaced with the massive Ventursaurus Rex once more.

_Damn!_

_

* * *

_

_This is getting troublesome._

When the Ventursaurus Rex vanished, and Cyrussian appeared once more, Naruto realized that they were going to get nowhere if they kept this up. Once Cyrussian was in sufficient danger, there was nothing to stop him from simply teleporting and replacing himself with his demon-spawned pet.

The blonde glared at Cyrussian, who smiled coldly back, clutching a gleaming silver dagger in one hand.

Naruto glanced to the side, watching the Ventursaurus Rex appear and begin to attack Golbarn.

He had to take out that thing first. It was the main danger, and Naruto realized that it would be a whole lot harder to kill if they continued to attack it as they were now.

Luckily, Naruto had a solution to that.

"OI! GOLBARN! GET OVER HERE! I GOT A PLAN!"

* * *

Before Naruto had uttered this, Golbarn once again found himself facing the might of the Ventursaurus Rex, but this time, he had a plan. The beast let out a tremendous bellow, nearly knocking the orc off his feet, before snapping its stinger towards him.

Golbarn, however, was ready for the incoming stinger, and dodged to the side, slashing the whole tip of its tail off. A greenish liquid exploded from the severed end, and the Ventursaurus retracted its tail, howling. Golbarn delivered a second and third strike to the beast's front legs, causing it to fall forwards, in a sort of kneeling position.

Focusing his chakra into his sword once more, he held it aloft and bellowed, "**Mortal Strike!"**

He leapt forwards, and drove his gleaming blade into the beast's side, before dragging it all the way along the Ventursaurus' flank. It screamed in agony as blood exploded from the huge wound. When Golbarn reached the end, he retracted his blade and landed deftly on the ground, turning to observe the damage done.

The beast snarled and whipped around to face him, its front legs healed, and Golbarn cursed as he saw the wound on its side begin to heal as well.

_Any damage that isn't fatal is superficial to this thing…_ he thought.

"OI! GOLBARN! GET OVER HERE! I GOT A PLAN!"

Golbarn looked in the direction of Naruto's voice, and without a moment's hesitation ran towards him, hoping to god the blonde knew what he was doing.

Fortunately, Naruto knew exactly what he was doing. Biting his thumb savagely, Naruto began to form hand seals, and then ran towards Golbarn as he did.

Cyrussian watched the boy run with interest. It was obvious that he still believed Naruto stood no chance against his monster, so he did nothing except wait to see what the blonde would offer.

He would not be disappointed.

When Golbarn was close enough, the massive Ventursaurus Rex hot on his heels, Naruto slammed his palm into the ground, and bellowed,

"**KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"**

Both the blonde and Golbarn suddenly vanished in a cloud of smoke and Cyrussian's pet backed away from the sudden appearance of the smoke.

Naruto reappeared atop a massive brown toad, which was garbed in a blue robe, and had a short-sword sheathed at its side. A huge pipe stuck out of the side of the toad's mouth, and there was a nasty scar over one of its eyes.

Golbarn lost all semblance of calm, his eyes bulging from their sockets and his jaw hitting the toad's thick, warty skin.

"**OI, BRAT! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA SUMMONING ME? YOU GOTTA LOT OF NERVE AFTER WHAT YOU DID LAST TIME!"**

Naruto sweat dropped, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Sorry boss…hehehe…but you gotta help me! That thing needs its ass kicked, and I need your help, boss!"

"**NO WAY! LAST TIME YOU SUMMONED ME I GOT SORES ALL OVER MY ASS! I AIN'T HELPING YOU!"**

Naruto beat down on the toad's back, roaring in frustration.

"Why do you do this with me? I bet you don't do this with Ero-sennin!"

"**THAT'D BE A BET THAT YOU WOULD LOSE, SHORT STUFF. I PULL THIS SHIT WITH JIRAIYA ALL THE TIME. BUT I'LL HELP YOU OUT, I SUPPOSE, SINCE YOU SEEM TO NEED IT, AND YOU ARE MY SUBORDINATE AND ALL."**

Naruto smiled in relief as Gamabunta turned its full attention to the massive Ventursaurus Rex, which had remained in the same position it had been before the toad had appeared.

Golbarn shook his head in amazement.

_This boy just keeps surprising me…_

From his place near the toad's foot, Cyrussian could not help but curse, his eyes glittering with malice.

Does that brat think he can stop my pet with a toad?

He fingered the rod, a sneer forming on his green skinned face.

The boy would learn that no amount of power would possibly beat that which money could buy.

* * *

Gamabunta exhaled, breathing a cloud of smoke into the rapidly clearing air. He observed his opponent with a calculating eye, trying to decipher the best way to go about attacking it. He had never seen anything resembling this monster in his life, which meant that he had no way of knowing how to destroy it effectively.

The beast was smaller than him, but looked as dangerous, if not more so, than Manda, the Boss of snakes. If he were the size of a human, it would be the size of a large dog.

It seemed as if the beast was not as patient as he, as it began to move, rushing towards the huge toad.

Gamabunta drew his weapon in a flourish, slamming it hard into the side of the beast's head. The gleaming blade slashed through one of the tusks, and cut deep into the beast's snout. Blood erupted from the wound, but the creature didn't back away, instead raising its front claw and grabbing Gamabunta's arm, digging its claws deep into the giant toad's flesh.

Grunting in anger and pain, Gamabunta reached up and plucked his pipe from his mouth, swinging it and driving the tip, which was full of burning ash, into the Ventursaurus Rex's eye. This time it did jerk back, allowing Gamabunta to pull his sword free of the behemoth's head.

He grunted in even greater anger as they wounds he had just dealt began to heal before his eyes.

This wouldn't do, he decided.

The Ventursaurus Rex didn't give the toad much chance to consider his options, and opened its mouth, causing a deep bronze glow to emanate from it. Golbarn shouted a warning, and Gamabunta leapt into the air mere seconds before the huge blast of lightning erupted from its mouth, scorching and destroying the ground that got in the way of the blast.

Gamabunta landed behind the behemoth, before propelling himself forwards, driving the blade deep into the monster's back. The force from the thrust threw the beast forwards, knocking it off its feet and causing it roll a few times, crushing the stumps of long dead trees.

"**OI, BRAT!"** the toad boss roared, rolling its two yellow and black eyes up to look at the blonde that stood on its head.

"What, boss?" Naruto retorted.

"**YOU KNOW ANY KATON JUTSU?**"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, a few, why?"

"**WHEN I SAY SO, BREATH THE LONGEST, HARDEST STREAM OF FIRE YOU CAN GET, AND I'LL DO THE REST. YOU HEARD OF THIS TECHNIQUE BEFORE?**"

Naruto nodded vigorously, remembering Jiraiya brag about it on occasion during the first few days of his training with the perverted hermit.

"Yep, I'm ready when you are, boss!"

Gamabunta grunted in acknowledgement, and then took a deep breath, causing his mouth to expand, his cheeks filling with a liquid almost to the point where he couldn't hold any more.

Naruto flashed through a group of seals, sucking in his own breath.

"**KATON: GAMA YUENDAN! (Fire Element: Toad Oil Cannon)"**

Naruto released a powerful stream of fire, exhaling as much as possible. His recent chakra control exercises with Thrall had increased the effectiveness of his fire type ninjutsu by a lot, so it wasn't hard for him to create a stream long enough to reach the space just in front of the giant toad's mouth, where it met a stream of oil that had been exhaled by Gamabunta.

The results were, to Golbarn, unbelievable.

A tremendous blast of fire erupted outwards, shooting directly towards the Ventursaurus Rex, which had recovered from the previous attack, and had been in the process of turning to meet the toad once more.

It never got the chance.

The maelstrom of flames engulfed the beast, broiling its skin in a heartbeat. Its eyes smoldered and burst, before its flesh began to bubble, then melt from its bones, as the oils and fats in its body started to ignite from the heat.

The flames continued to travel, setting the series of houses and machines behind the Ventursaurus Rex aflame.

Gamabunta spat out the last drop of oil, and then wiped the excess off his mouth. Naruto took several deep breaths, and wiped the sweat off his forehead from being so close to the heat.

"Did we get him?" the blonde asked, searching the blaze for any signs of life.

"**DUNNO…**" the toad retorted, fingering the weapon at his side. He had been in this position before, when Jiraiya had last summoned him. Though he knew that this creature was sufficiently different form Manda, he didn't want to take any chances.

A roar from above was their answer, and seconds later Gamabunta felt a searing pain in his back as the Ventursaurus' tail slammed into his back, injecting enough poison to kill almost a dozen kodos with one, single, barb.

The toad roared in pain, and leapt forwards, landing near the lake, causing the water to ripple from the force. The toad glared, angered as he saw the Ventursaurus land, its wings beating furiously. The creature looked decidedly different from before. Its skin was now a pasty white, though it was rapidly returning to its former black. There was a strange sheen that covered the entirety of its body, almost as if it were covered in some sort of viscous fluid. Even the tail had very little armor on it, though as they watched that began to change.

"What the hell was that?" roared Naruto, looking stunned. The blonde whipped around and searched the dying flames, unbelieving that they had missed. He instead saw a huge, black carcass inside the flames, shaped roughly like the Ventursaurus.

"It molted," muttered Golbarn, looking disgusted.

"It what?" Naruto responded, looking up at the orc, partially confused and partially angry.

"It molted…its what arachnids do when they shed their exoskeleton to grow larger. It seems as though rather than just possessing visible traits of all those monsters, it possesses their natural ones as well. That means that there is an exoskeleton surrounding its entire body. It also means that it is far more dangerous than I originally thought.

Gamabunta fought to stay awake, but was finding it to be very difficult.

"**I WON'T LAST MUCH LONGER, NARUTO. I DON'T THINK THAT I CAN HELP YOU, ANYMORE."**

"What? But boss…"

"**THE STUPID BASTARD GOT ME WITH SOME POISON…I'M NOT SO GOOD WITH THOSE. IF KATSUYU WAS AROUND, THEN MAYBE I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET HER TO HEAL ME, BUT RIGHT NOW, ITS PROBABLY BEST IF I GO. SORRY…"**

Both Naruto and Golbarn protested, but soon found themselves hurtling towards the earth, Gamabunta having returned to whatever dimension toads came from.

Naruto landed hard on his feet, Golbarn a few yards away. The blonde growled in frustration.

_This isn't good…_

The Ventursaurus Rex had re-grown almost all of its skin, and began moving towards them again.

"You see?"

The two whirled at the voice, and saw Cyrussian walking towards them, smiling coldly.

"You see that you cannot win? You see that you cannot beat my pet? You are both finished…my money has once again prevailed…HAHAHAHA!"

The Ventursaurus had already come up behind them, its massive, rippling body poised to stomp the two to death at a moments notice.

Naruto turned to face the beast, his face set in a ferocious snarl.

He'd be damned if he let himself die now.

He readied himself to fight, but a voice pierced the air, causing Naruto's heart to stop for a second.

"HEY, WHY DON'T YOU PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE?"

From what could only be constituted as nowhere, Kaine dropped down onto the Ventursaurus' head, delivering one of the most powerful strikes that he had ever managed to with his wartotem. The force of the attack cracked, nay, shattered the beast's skull, and drove the shards deep into its brain. The creature took a few lumbering steps forwards, but looked as if it would drop at any second.

Naruto suddenly felt himself being lifted up, and he saw that another Kaine was gripping him, and had grabbed Golbarn as well, and was moving to out of the way of the toppling giant.

_He knows Kage Bunshin?_ Naruto thought, a little annoyed that the tauren had stolen his technique.

Meanwhile, Cyrussian stared in astonishment as the tauren delivered the fatal blow to his precious pet. He was so stunned, in fact, that he didn't notice the approach of another Kaine clone, which grabbed him suddenly, and lifted him off the ground, preventing him from running off.

Cyrussian let out a roar of anger at this, bellowing, "Let me go, you great fool! Let me go, what are you doing?"

The clone grinned, and hissed in his ear, "Killing you, bastard."

Cyrussian struggled harder, but was slightly confused, as Kaine wasn't tightening his grip, and thusly didn't seem to be trying to crush him. However, when he realized where they were standing, which was directly in front of his dying monster, which was still stumbling around, closer and close to them, he grew afraid.

"Don't!" he cried, trying in vain to get out of the clone's grip.

"DON'T!" he screeched again, as he saw the Ventursaurus begin to fall. Time seemed to slow, and Cyrussian could only watch in horror as the beast that he had paid so much for, and had put so much faith in crashed down, landing with a tremendous boom.

Directly on top of him.

The valley was suddenly quiet.

* * *

The clone nearest to Naruto popped, as did the one near Golbarn. The true Kaine stood a few yards behind the Ventursaurus, grinning in triumph. He was clutching his wartotem in the crook of his arm, and staring at his work with a satisfied expression.

He flashed a grin at Naruto, who shot a glare in return.

"Looked like you needed some help, pinkskin," Kaine said, smirking at Naruto.

Naruto crossed his arms and harrumphed. "I could've handled it, cowface."

Kaine merely smiled in return, before turning to Golbarn.

"You okay?"

The orc nodded, walking towards Kaine.

"What's the big idea stealing my technique, asshole?" grumbled Naruto as he moved towards Kaine as well.

Kaine stuck his tongue out at Naruto, saying, "You did it to Golbarn, so why shouldn't I be able to?"

Naruto opened his mouth to answer, before a sudden movement caught his eye. Though words of warning were almost immediately on his lips, he had only managed to get out the first syllable of "watch out!"

The plated tail of the giant Ventursaurus slammed with enough force to lift the tauren off his feet, sending him flying back into the lake. In almost the same instant, the tail snapped to the side, knocking Golbarn back as well.

Naruto jumped away from the deadly tail, shocked by the life that was still left in the beast.

It was dead, he was sure of it. The creature had exhibited no signs of life, and had even smelt dead. So what the hell was it doing alive?

"Hahahaha…"

The voice of Cyrussian T. Venture caused Naruto to freeze, another shock running through him. That was even more impossible!

He watched as the Ventursaurus lifted itself up, turning to face Naruto.

"Did you think that it was going to be that easy, human?"

Naruto watched in morbid fascination as a small lump formed on the beast's forehead. The lump grew larger, and began to take shape. It began to grow a head, arms, legs; then ears, claws, and a finally a wicked grin and purple robes.

Cyrussian T. Venture let out another bark of laughter, brushing his robes off and smiling down at Naruto, who looked back up at him, gobsmacked.

"Surprised to see me?"

Naruto's shocked expression quickly turned to one of rage, which began to grow as the goblin spoke again

"I told you that this was perfect…money can buy anything. This creature is almost a part of my body, I can fuse with it whenever I want, and easily repair any fatal damage that is done to it. So you see…you can't win! Just give up, and I promise to send you to hell without any suffering…well," he grinned, "not too much suffering."

Naruto crouched low, and released his rage. He released everything that he felt towards the monster that stood in front of him, the monster who was the root of Kaine's, and that tauren's problems.

His eyes bled red, his canines lengthened, his fingernails became claws, his hair became wilder, and the storm of red chakra that had begun to swirl around him took on a very fox-like shape. He could hear the Kyuubi howling in approval within him, and for once he didn't care, he would rip this thing apart, using whatever power he had at his disposal.

Cyrussian blinked at the change, and blinked again, realizing that the boy was no longer there.

Seconds later, the goblin felt a powerful, white-hot fist smash into his jaw, lifting him off his feet and sending him flying towards the ground. He struck it and began to skid, striking a stump, and thus coming to stop.

Naruto was already moving towards him, the fox-like outline of chakra already becoming more pronounced. Cyrussian cracked an eye open, and saw the blonde's charge. Growling, he pressed his rod, and vanished, leaving the massive Ventursaurus in his place.

At this point, however, Naruto was beyond caring who he tore up, as long as it was big and intent on his and his friend's deaths.

The Ventursaurus Rex drove its stinger downwards at the blonde, but Naruto immediately stopped, and growled, "**Kongou!"**

The stinger smashed into his body, but instead of piercing his skin, the stinger broke and shattered, and a flash of reddish chakra traveled up the length of the tail, causing it to shatter and break apart as well.

The beast roared in pain, and struck out with its claw, but encountered the same resistance as before. Naruto stood perfectly still, despite the sheer power of the Ventursaurus' claw. There was another flash of red, and the hooked claws broke and the beast's fingers bent backwards, blood spewing from the places where the bones pierced its skin. It howled in pain again, moving backwards, and Naruto ran towards it, a ball of glowing reddish chakra beginning to take form in his palm.

He leapt up into the air, and with a cry of "**Oodama Rasengan!"** He slammed the glowing ball into the Ventursaurus' head.

The Rasengan tore through the hard skin, exoskeleton and bone of the giant beast, and ejected it backwards. It toppled over once more, its eyes rolling up into its head, as its brain was shredded to ribbons by the cutting winds of the Rasengan.

Naruto immediately turned, his eyes searching out his other quarry. Cyrussian, however, was nowhere in sight, until the blonde sniffed the air, his enhanced senses picking up the Trade Prince instantly.

Behind him!

He whipped around, but was met, however, by the beast's gaping maw, and a brilliant bronze light, which surged forth from the Ventursaurus' mouth, and slammed into him.

Caught completely unawares by the attack, Naruto was blasted backwards, moving so quickly that he was almost invisible. The reddish chakra had been forced against his skin by the lightning, causing it to crackle and burn. He managed to touch the ground, and forced all of his chakra into his feet to grip the soil, as well as into forming a Kongou.

When the lightning died away, Naruto was left standing, covered in blood, burns, and the red chakra slowly began to fade.

He slumped slightly, unable to hold himself up, gasping for break. His eyes were half-lidded, and he fought to stay conscious, but the force of attack had proved far too much. He fell completely just as the Ventursaurus began to move again.

Golbarn, managing to stand after being struck earlier, watched the beast advance towards Naruto, a laughing Cyrussian atop it. Somehow the Trade Prince had managed to circle around and fuse himself with the Ventursaurus again, healing the damage from the Rasengan.

Golbarn attempted to go to the blonde's aid, but found that he could barely move. His chakra was almost gone, and the beast's last attack and done an enormous amount of damage to him.

Kaine, too, saw what was going to take place, but both the Ventursaurus' final attack and his own killing blow had completely sapped him of chakra. He could only watch in horror at what was going to take place.

He was going to let a friend die.

The beast stopped a few yards away from Naruto, who struggled to get to his feet. Cyrussian was laughing the entire time.

"I'll admit, human that you did well. You and the pesky cow, and that orc managed to cause a lot of damage to my pet. You also managed to destroy part of this camp, and have so far shown yourselves to be worthy opponents. However, I don't particularly like fighting, so all you have done is tax my patience to its limit. So die, won't you? I hope you have a gold coin to pay the ferryman!"

The Ventursaurus lowered its head, and opened its gaping maw, before advancing. It wasn't going to blast Naruto again.

It was going to eat him.

Naruto grit his teeth, and continued to struggle. Never once did his eyes close in resignation. He would not stop fighting.

Not until he died.

"You are truly an interesting boy, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto stopped struggling, blinking in astonishment as a figure stepped in front of him.

Veroden Grimtotem, bereft of his black armor and covered in a mixture of blood and mud, stood between the boy and the Ventursaurus, his purple eyes fixed on Cyrussian. The goblin blinked in surprise and motioned with his hand, stopping the Ventursaurus in its tracks.

"You…" he said, frowning, "why are you here? I was under the impression that that cow had defeated you."

"He did," responded Veroden, advancing, "So I have come to do what I must. I have betrayed two friends in the past, and only with this can I make up for it."

The huge tauren flashed through a seal and bellowed, "**Binds of the Earthmother!"**

Huge tree roots erupted from the ground, spearing the Ventursaurus' legs and then wrapping tightly around them. The beast let out a roar of pain at the attack, struggled to pull itself free. Cyrussian let out a cry on anger at this.

"What are you doing? You fool! You work for me! I pay you! Now I command you to stop!"

Veroden ignored the goblin, and walked forwards, making more seals as he did.

"Why…?" asked Naruto, from behind him, causing the tauren to stop his progress.

"As I told Kaine…my reasons are my own…and I will take them to the grave with me."

Naruto' eyes widened at the strange look on the tauren's face. It was not the same, grim stoic look that he had seen in Veroden's eyes since he had met him, but a look of almost crushing sadness, one that made him think of his own when Sasuke had left. He froze in shock, and could only watch as Veroden continued forwards, stopping just beneath the Ventursaurus, holding his hands up in the air.

To the pain addled beast, recognizing that this one was the source of its pain, decided that he would take his revenge.

Veroden gave a final look, directing it at Kaine, who was captured by the stare. Veroden was not glaring at him, nor was he staring at him without emotion, as he had done for so many years, but he was looking at him with a look that he had never seen on the tauren's face.

It was one of apology.

His feeling conveyed, Veroden turned back to the Ventursaurus.

And was devoured whole.

Cyrussian stopped his angry screaming and began to laugh. The idiot had just gotten himself eaten!

Naruto gaped in astonishment, feeling a sudden sinking feeling his stomach. Was that it? Was he now going to join the traitorous tauren inside the Ventursaurus' mouth?

No.

Without any warning, huge, gnarled black roots erupted from the beast's sides, curling upwards and downwards to encircle the Ventursaurus' torso. It howled in agony and continued to as the roots grew.

More black roots began to erupt from its chest, legs, and finally its head, curling and twisting around the behemoth, turning it into a veritable thicket. Cyrussian screamed in horror as the black roots engulfed him, and soon the beast was unable to support itself, as the black roots grew larger and began to coil upwards.

They slowly blended together, forming a crude trunk, before they began to grow outwards again, like branches. The branches were as gnarled and twisted as the trunk, and soon in the place of the terrible Ventursaurus Rex, stood a titanic, leafless tree.

Naruto fell over in shock, his eyes wide beyond belief.

Golbarn, though the experience was as new to him as it was to Naruto, didn't waste any of his remaining energy on astonishment.

Kaine stumbled, staring at the newly formed tree with wide eyes.

_That technique…the Seed of the Earthmother…a spell that turns ones own body into the seed of a tree, using the person's remaining chakra to make it grow. He did that… for us?_

Naruto finally got to his feet, brushing himself off and wiping his mouth.

It was over.

He looked up into the gnarled tree, his mind still in slight turmoil. He didn't know why Veroden had done that, especially since he had killed so many tauren for apparently no reason at all. But he decided that it probably wasn't for him to know.

Much like what Kakashi's face looked like.

His thoughts were interrupted one final time by the voice of Cyrussian T. Venture, who, having managed to rip himself free of the roots and phase through his dying pet onto the ground, emerged from the base of the tree.

"I'll prove to you…that money is absolute power!"

Grabbing a deep, black dagger from his robes, the Trade Prince launched it at Naruto. The blade, tainted with enough poison to kill an elephant, streaked through the air and struck Naruto in the chest.

**Poof!**

The blonde vanished in a puff of smoke.

Cyrussian's eyes widened in disbelief.

It was a sudden gust of wind next to him that alerted him to Naruto's presence.

He turned, just in time to be struck in the chest with a Rasengan.

In a blue-white flash, Cyrussian's insides were torn apart, and he was ejected away from Naruto. The Trade Prince's lungs were immediately minced by the cutting power of the Rasengan, so he was unable to even gasp a final curse.

Cyrussian T. Venture died on impact with the tree that had become his pet, and all in an instant, the tauren were free.

* * *

GEEZUS B. CHRIST!

I cannot believe that I just wrote a 39 page chapter…holy hell.

This is unprecedented.

Well, now that that's settled, I want to thank you guys for putting up with the lateness of this chapter. The next one will be a lot shorter, I believe, and will wrap up the Tauren Arc. After that, there will be a short (one chapter) transition between the next arcs, before we head to the south of the Eastern Kingdoms, Stranglethorn Vale! This arc will be one big battle, with very little downtime.

After that, there will be the conclusion of the Orc Arc, which will be somewhat short, before we head to finish up the two remaining Race Arcs.

I know you guys were getting a little frustrated with me dragging this arc out so long, but I felt it was necessary. And cool.

Hehe… I also noticed that you guys seemed to enjoy the little Thrall x Tsunade omake last chapter. I had fun writing it, and if you guys liked it that much, I may write more!

I may even introduce other interracial couplings. Like Kaine x Hinata! Oo

Kidding…

Or am I?

Here's some reviewer answers!

**The Forgotten Lord- **Hmm…Illidan is super powerful, way stronger than any Kage, while Malfurion is as well. Tyrande is about Tsuande's level, perhaps a bit higher, due to her age. Maeve Shadowsong and Kal'thalas…I have no idea. I assume that Maeve is about Illidan's, but Kael'thalas would be a little less, seeing as how he works for Illidan and everything.

Orochimaru is strong, but not as powerful in raw terms as Illidan or Malfurion. He is stronger than Tsunade, and Jiraiya, most likely, but not as strong as Sylvanas.

Hope that helps!

**Legacyzero- **Heheh thanks, I enjoy your stories as well. The next race that Naruto's going to meet will be the Rastafarian trolls! There is only one (more like half) of a chapter left in the Tauren arc.

**Tokyo no Ecchi- **Just be patient…and he won't be alone, mind you.

**Really Bad Fanfiction- **You are quite right. I had meant to put in a little scene where Kaine praises Veroden and explains his past in a better light, but I somehow forgot…whoops. Thanks for the input, though, its definitely appreciated.

**Seeker-** He's a fad at my school…I have friends who make t-shirts with his name on them!

**X3RO2- **Thanks for the kind words! Don't worry about the review thing…you're not alone…(glances at all those who have yet to review…) As for the answer of your question, World of Warcraft is essentially ruled by adventurers, but there are also big armies that players can form. These generally are made to raid capital cities, and there has been a recent event that Blizzard has implemented – The An'Qiraj War, where both the Alliance and the Horde have to work together to fight some new threat. So, there are still big armies, but not that often, and no where near the scale of a real army. I agree with your theory on summoning, and that isn't how Naruto is going to get home. The Dark Portal…maybe.

**Needmore- **chakra and mana are the same thing, essentially. Only the alliance makes a difference between them. There is only one word for magic/chakra in Orcish, so I have all of them just use chakra, instead of magic, because it makes it feel more Narutoesque. As for the comparisons- see above, I answered what the Elven Races were like up there. Save one, of course. Azshara, the Queen of the Naga, is wicked strong, as is Lady Vashj, but neither are as strong as Illidan, and both are probably Kage level.

A little correction in your classes for the Race leaders- Sylvanas is actually a Ranger, which is like a hunter and uses a bow and arrow as her main weapon. Varimathras is not her pet, and only works for her because she is so powerful. Also Magni doesn't know Engineering, that's Mekkatorque. Magni knows blacksmithing.

Ner'zul, or the Lich King, is a boss and immensely powerful. Way stronger than any Kage, and truly cruel to the core. The Five Dragonflights…they are like Gods to shinobi. They are beyond the power of any shinobi.

**Gundam Chief- **Believe me, I hear your words. I hate fics where the people alter Naruto's personality (or the personalities of other characters) to fit their own needs so abruptly. They turn Naruto into some wicked powerful, arrogant genius that angsts as much as Sasuke, starts noticing Hinata, and starts insulting Sakura. "Encyclopedia Ninja" was a perfect example of this, and though I admit I enjoyed the first few chapters, I was turned off after he turned Naruto into and asshole and made Itachi into a good guy.

I do have an idea for a Star Wars/ Naruto crossover, actually. It was produced after seeing the third prequel. It involves Mace Windu getting a huge reading of midoclorians on a planet in the far reaches of the galaxy, and when he stops there to investigate, he discovers a whole civilization that, though are quite developed, have yet to devise way to head into space. He then meets Naruto, and insists that he take the boy and train him, so that he could become a Jedi and help out in the beginning war of the Clones. He meets Anakin, Padme, Yoda, and everyone else, and the events follow the events of the second two movies, as well as after. I hope to write this someday…or I give another the right to use this idea, and write their own fic!

Thanks for the input Gundam Chief-san!

Well that's it…Hope you enjoy the chapter!

General Grievous.

**Spellbook-**

**Grim Embrace- **A technique devised by the Grimtotem clan, drains chakra and eliminates a person's connection with the earth. This thereby eliminates their ability to use totems.

**Kaine Bloodhoof Combo-** Just think of Naruto's Uzumaki Naruto Rendan, and replace it with Kaine!

**Mighty Cleave- **Slices the air, causing a Kamaitachi that slices through anything in its path.

**Heroic Strike-** A powerful, quick strike.

**Mortal Strike- **Delivers huge damage to larger creatures by dragging the blade along its side. Only works on things that don't have increased regeneration.

**Binds of the Earthmother- **Spawns hundreds of roots that bind a person, no matter how large, in place.

**Seed of the Earthmother- **Transforms a person into a seed, which then uses the person's remaining chakra to create a tree, killing anything that is caught in its path.

**Bestiary-**

**Veroden Grimtotem (**Humanoid) **(Boss)- **An immensely powerful shaman and one time friend of the High Chieftain, Cairn Bloodhoof, and his son, Baine. When he was younger, he was raised by the infamous Grimtotem clan, and led to believe that those who relied on the spirits were weak. However, after witnessing the power of Cairn Bloodhoof, and power that he could wield with the spirits, Veroden left the Grimtotem clan, and offered himself to Cairn as a warrior. Though distrusted at first, he soon began to garner an immense amount of respect. He forged a sibling relationship with Baine Bloodhoof, Cairn's son, and became a an invaluable advisor and friend to the ancient High Chieftain. However, when Baine was kidnapped by centaurs, and Cairn fell into a deep depression as a result, Veroden's past beliefs began to rise to the surface. He watched as Cairn deteriorated, before Rexxar rescued Baine and brought Cairn back to his old self. Later, when the Venture Co. arrived, he saw Cairn's health beginning to deteriorate again, and when Baine mentioned that it was because Mulgore was hurting, and his father was channeling the spirits and their pain, and growing weaker because of it, Veroden lost faith. He reverted to his old belief of those who rely on the spirits being weak, and in order to prove to himself that he was right, he fought and defeated Baine, stealing his soul, and handing it over to Cyrussian T. Venture. He saw Cairn slip further into depression, and so he weaved a life-draining spell over Cairn, stealing a portion of his energy and keeping him weak. He did this to see if Cairn could pull through, and if he was truly not as weak as Veroden had begun to see him. Cairn was unable to, but Veroden didn't want to leave it at that. He began to train Cairn's grandson, Kaine, in the arts of the shaman, so that one day the boy might rise up and show him whether he was wrong or not. Veroden truly wanted to be wrong, and when he was defeated by Kaine, years later, he was defeated not by the power of the spirits of the earth, but by Kaine's own power. Because he still believed that Cairn and Baine were dear friends to him, and though he had been proved correct by Kaine's actions, he decided that Cairn and Baine were too dear to him to let his past beliefs influence him any more. So he destroyed himself, killing the Ventursaurus, to redeem himself in the only watching eyes of the clam whom he had betrayed.

**Cyrussian T. Venture (**Humanoid) (**Boss)- ** Though he possesses little power himself, Cyrussian is quick on his feet (almost impossibly so) and very dexterous. He has little fighting capability, other than his ability to hurtle knives at his opponents. However, his true power comes from the pet he controls, the Ventursaurus Rex. Using a small rod, he can control the beast in almost every way possible. He can use the rod to replace himself with the Ventursaurus, avoiding damage, and also can use it to initiate any of the beast's powers. Later it is revealed that he can fuse with his monstrous pet, and heal any damage, fatal or otherwise, from the inside. He wields the rod to such effect that he is considered extremely dangerous regardless of his personal fighting ability. He also has a somewhat naïve philosophy, believing that money and gold is the answer to all things and that he can command more power than anyone with it. He also inadvertently quotes popular movies. His favorite saying is, "There is nothing in this world than money cannot acquire."

**Ventursaurus Rex- **(Beast) (**Boss)**- Possessing the head and body of an Ironhide Devilsaur, the front legs and wings of a bronze dragon, the back legs of a kodo, the tail of a scorpid, and the tusks of a troll, The Ventursaurus Rex is the best weapon that money can buy. It is utterly obedient to Cyrussian, and possesses very little intelligence, despite being a combination of a bronze dragon, which all possess incredible intelligence, and a troll. It not only looks like the creature's that it is created from, but it possesses all of their properties. Though it only appears that its exoskeleton covers the tail, it in fact covers the entirety of its body. Similarly, every part is enhanced by the strength of a kodo, and can regenerate thanks to the troll. It is imbued with powerful magic so that it can fly, despite none of its bones being hollow, like a dragon, and the leathery skin beneath the exoskeleton, that of a Ironhide Devilsaur, makes it even more resistant to damage. Its jaws can also tear apart nearly anything. It can molt, just like a scorpid, and the regeneration re-grows the exoskeleton quite quickly. It can fire blasts of lightning from its mouth, thanks to the bronze dragon, and can poison people with its tail. It is, as Cyrussian continually believes it to be, the perfect weapon.


	25. The High Chieftain Returns

**Disclaimer: A/S/L?**

**I don't/ Own/ Naruto or World of Warcraft!**

**Wanna cyber?**

Here's the next installment of, _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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* * *

_

For the first time in years, Cairn Bloodhoof opened his green eyes, and heard the sounds of birds chirping, and the soft rustling of the leather curtains against the wall. He felt a cool breeze coming from his left, from the window, and he could feel the sun's rays upon his fur, warm and bright. It was all, to him, a reassurance.

A reassurance that he still lived.

The ancient tauren tried to sit up, but found it incredibly hard to do so. His joints were stiff, and when he tried to sit up, there was a loud series of cracks as they loosened, and several sharp bursts of pain. He grunted, flexing his arm, then curling his fingers. Once he had made a fist, he found it difficult to uncurl them, so he simply sat there for a few moments, clenching and unclenching his fists as he tried to loosen them.

He then turned to the right, grunting again from the sharp crack emanating from his neck. A few moments of this, and his neck was sufficiently loosened, before he turned his attention to his legs and hooves. Both were almost numb, and he realized that he must have been unconscious a great deal longer than he had expected. He made no move to get up, simply sitting in his bed, staring at the legs underneath the fur blankets.

He was remembering.

Remembering what had happened before he had been lost to the blackness of unconsciousness.

He remembered Veroden, standing above him, his violet eyes gleaming with disappointment, a greenish stone clutched in his hands.

"_Stop me, Cairn."_ He had said, almost commanded, but Cairn had been unable to. He hadn't been able to believe what the other tauren had just told him.

About his son.

Another powerful, surge of depression ran through the ancient tauren's chest. His son…

The door suddenly opened.

Blinking, Cairn turned to meet the newcomer, whom he recognized instantly.

"Hamuul…" he whispered. His voice was raspy and deep, but still held an edge of power and wisdom.

The Archdruid smiled widely, his gray eyes filled with life and hope and relief. Hamuul walked up and wrapped his arms around Cairn, making no sound.

"Good," he said, releasing the elder tauren, and stepping back, "you have finally awakened."

"What has happened…?" he croaked.

"Much, my chief, much. It is best that is saved for later, however. You must rest, your body is weak, therefore you must-"

"My body is not weak, Hamuul. I am as strong as a kodo, and always will be."

To prove his point, Cairn turned and swung his massive legs over the edge of the bed, and pushed himself to his feet. Hamuul stepped back, ready to catch the High Chieftain should his legs give out, but Cairn stood firm.

The old tauren chieftain smiled triumphantly at his old friend, who smiled and gave a laugh.

"You are the same as always, Cairn. Even years in a coma have not stunted your stubbornness and pride."

Cairn's eyes changed at the mention of the coma, and he sat once more, looking troubled, and depressed.

"Yes…how many years has it been?" he rasped.

"Nearly eight, my chief."

Cairn sighed, looking as ancient as his years suggested. His stroked the braided, grey beard, and said nothing more.

"What has become of my village in that time?" Cairn finally asked looking steadily at Hamuul.

Hamuul sighed slightly, "It…has not prospered. It has not stagnated to the point of which it can not return, however, but it will be some time before it can truly regain its former glory."

Cairn nodded, his heart aching.

"What's more…" continued Hamuul, gazing out the window into the sunny sky, "Veroden betrayed us, and was responsible for Baine's current condition. He has governed Thunder Bluff, acting as regent, for the past eight years, but cut all ties to the Horde. We have, by our own actions, and what we thought you would wish, isolated our people in Mulgore. We watched, unable to do anything for fear of you and your son's safety, as the Venture Co. continued to blight and destroy our lands."

Hamuul watched as Cairn's eyes flickered from a burning rage, perhaps at their own incompetence, perhaps at Veroden's actions, before it dissipated into a resigned, sad look, that made Hamuul's own heart ache.

"I…" began Cairn, his ancient eyes staring into Hamuul's, "have been a fool. My actions…have endangered all of you, my people, those most precious to me in my life. Before Veroden struck me down with that infernal ability of his, cared not for my people as a whole, but only for my bloodline and family. I realize, now, that I was too concerned for them, I believed that it was I who should protect them, and that they had no will of their own to decide their fate. When Baine was lost…I thought of nothing but getting him back. I did not think about my people first, I thought only of myself, and my happiness. For that, I ask of you, Hamuul, my oldest friend, that you forgive an old fool for his mistakes."

Hamuul smiled sadly, "You are forgiven a hundred times over, Cairn, for we played a part in this situation as well. We stumbled around as one would in the deepest darkness, with no candle to light our way. We relied too much on your decisions, and it was our incompetence in that area that led us to nearly eight years of inactivity, rotting away atop this bluff, as Mulgore died around us. It is not the leader that makes the people, I realize now, but rather the people's heart and soul that makes the leader. Without your brilliance, we could do nothing, until a fire was lit for us…lit in our hearts and minds, by a mere human boy…"

Cairn's eyebrows shot up, and he blinked rapidly, staring unbelieving at the Archdruid.

"Human boy…?"

"Grandfather!"

Cairn swiveled his ancient head towards the door, which shot open, and a heavily bandaged, worried looking Kaine erupted into the room, looking around wildly. It made for a very amusing sight for the two older tauren.

Upon catching sight of Cairn, the young tauren gave a joyous laugh, and without hesitation, ran forwards and hugged the ancient tauren.

"You're awake! I can't believe it! This is great! Hamuul, isn't this great? My grandfather's awake!"

Hamuul chuckled at Kaine's excited babbling, saying, "It is indeed, great, young one."

Cairn, let out a rumbling laugh, and hugged Kaine back tightly, his green eyes shining with the first joy and happiness that he had felt since awakening.

"Ah, Kaine, it is good to see you, after so long…" he said, releasing his grandson before stumbling slightly, and sitting back down on the bed.

"I did it, grandfather! We did it! We stopped Veroden, and the Venture Co. is gone from our lands! We're free grandfather, free!"

Cairn stiffened, his eyes wide with disbelief. He had known that something must have happened to Veroden for him to be awake at this point, but he had not expected his grandson to be the one responsible! He looked at Hamuul, who, to both their surprise, scratched his head sheepishly.

"I forgot to mention that bit, it would seem. I thought it best for the bad news to be delivered first."

Cairn, breaking out of his shock, gave a deep, raspy, rumbling laugh. "My old heart may not have been able to take it…perhaps the good news would have been better first." He looked back at Kaine, and asked, "How did this come to be? You must have played a large part in this endeavor, so please enlighten me with the details of your no doubt glorious victory."

So Kaine did. He wasted no time in explaining his first meeting with Naruto, to the training sessions, to Naruto's words and then to the attack on the Northern Mulgore camp of the Venture Co., finally to Veroden's rampage, the fight against Veroden himself, and his part in the fight against Cyrussian and the monstrous Ventursaurus Rex. By the end, Cairn's heart was nearly aching, but his time, from an overwhelming pride in his grandson, and gratitude to the human boy whom had motivated his people and the orc whom had planned the successful attack.

"You have done so well, Kaine. You are now a true warrior…perhaps even greater than I…"

Kaine blinked in shock, his eyes wide at the compliment. He hastened to deny that fact, but was interrupted by Cairn.

"And what of…your father?"

Kaine deflated instantly, and he looked down, bowing his head slightly.

"We…were not able to save him…"

**Flashback**

"_You okay?" asked Kaine, putting a hand on Naruto's shoulder. The blonde blinked, and flashed a grin at him._

"_Don't think I'm gonna be able to move for a while after this…but yeah…fine."_

_Kaine smirked, and turned away from the blonde shinobi, his eyes fixated upon the limp form of the president of the Venture Company. _

_Cyrussian T. Venture lay near the foot of the great tree that was once his pet, the Ventursaurus Rex. There was rather large indentation in the trunk, from where Cyrussian had been ejected by Naruto's Rasengan, and the goblin himself lay in a small pool of his own blood, and was still twitching slightly, his arms grasping at the dirt in front of him._

_It was apparent that he had not died on impact with the tree, as Kaine had originally thought._

_But it did give him a chance, to ask what he needed to._

_Kaine walked forwards, his eyes cold, and stopped a few feet in front of the person who had caused his people so much pain. He gritted his teeth._

"_I'll ask you once…where is my father?"_

_The goblin gave a cruel, gurgling laugh, but didn't respond._

_Growling in anger, Kaine kicked the goblin in the chest, turning him over. He nearly vomited upon seeing the damage done by Naruto's attack on Cyrussian's chest._

_It was a twisted mess of green flesh and deep, red blood. A number of ribs stuck out from the mess strange angles, and the rest of the goblin's front was cut away and burned. His purple cloak was in shreds, as were the fine clothes that he had always worn. But he was smiling, something the dying goblin should not have been doing._

"_WHERE IS MY FATHER?" roared Kaine, slamming his hoof into the ground near the Trade Prince's head._

_Cyrussian gave another laugh, blood flying from his mouth. He was terribly amused by the young tauren's shouting, and Kaine could not figure out why._

"_Ha! Y…ou…want t…o…know?" he asked, spitting up more blood and bile._

"_I…sold…t…hat stupid…soul! I…got…a great…price…from a s…tupid…warlock…visiting…the Undermine! I…told you! T…here….isn't anything…in…this world…that cannot…be…acquired…for the right…price!"_

_Cyrussian gave another cruel laugh at the look on Cairn's face, and continued to laugh, even as his heart, shredded by the chakra from Naruto's attack, finally stopped beating. Kaine raised his hoof, suddenly, his eyes full of rage, his mouth twisted into a snarl, uttering a guttural sound entirely out of character for him. Seconds before he brought in crashing down on the already unmoving, still smiling head of the Trade Prince, he felt a hand on his shoulder._

"_It wouldn't do, brat, to get that filth all over your hoof. He is gone…there is nothing we can do," Golbarn mumbled, his eyes uncharacteristically soft._

_Kaine lowered his leg, all the anger evaporating from him. _

_He hadn't done it…_

_His father was gone._

**End Flashback**

"I…see," whispered Cairn, his eyes downcast as well.

"I'm sorry…grandfather…I was unable to—"

"There is nothing to be sorry about, Kaine," said Cairn, looking up at the young tauren, his eyes sad, yet proud. "There was nothing that could have been done…and I play just as big a part in this…I was unable to stop Veroden, and thus unable to right this wrong, before it even began."

Kaine said nothing for a moment, his eyes remaining fixated on the floor. Then, he looked up at his grandfather, and spoke calmly.

"Why did he do it? I think…that in the end…I knew…but I need to know for sure."

Cairn looked lost for a second, his mind drifting back to the first time he had met the Grimtotem outcast.

"Veroden was raised to be a Grimtotem. He was raised to believe that it was the shaman's own talent and power that made them strong, and that the spirits were nothing more than a crutch for those who were weak. They, for that reason, shunned the use of totems, and instead focused on enhancing their bodies, in a power not unlike Thrall's style. But unlike Thrall, they were fiercely intolerant of those who used totems, and believed in the spirits. This prejudice led them to create the ability that defeated me, and likely my son. Veroden grew up, this belief ingrained into him by his training. However, when he saw me, likely in battle against the Burning Legion, and saw both the power that I possessed, and the respected that I had garnered from my people, he grew doubtful of what was truly correct. So he came to me, most likely to learn about my power, and I found myself with an ally, and eventually an indispensable friend. I think that through both the actions of my son and I, we were able to bury those beliefs that his clan had taught him. But, I think, that somehow, that was not enough…perhaps it was in my weakness, when the centaurs captured Baine that his beliefs began to resurface. Perhaps when he saw my lapse in power, and then, when I felt the strain of Mulgore's blight from the Venture Company, perhaps they were uncovered completely. He saw my pain as a weakness, and I think he set out to discover for himself, which was truly the greater belief. He used his ability to defeat my son, and then me. When you utilized the abilities that you had learned by watching the human boy fight, you showed him that his earlier beliefs were correct."

Kaine blinked in confusion.

"But, then why would he…?"

Cairn sighed softly, and said, "Perhaps…we were too dear to him…perhaps he didn't want to be right, and when that occurred, he decided that even if his clan's beliefs were correct, that he would rather die than truly betray us again. So he sought redemption, in destroying the force that was about to kill my grandson and his friends."

Kaine was silent for a while, his mind brimming with the information. It made sense…in his opinion.

"I…do not regret it, however," said Cairn, his eyes once more fixated on Kaine, "I do not regret bringing Veroden into Thunder Bluff, nor do I regret forging a friendship with him. But I do regret not seeing the doubt begin to form. While the results of all of this…are bleak, they are not without a small grain of hope. Baine is not dead…and his soul remains in this world. I would have felt if it had crossed over, as would you. Therefore, he is still alive, somewhere. Some day, perhaps, we may be able to locate his soul…until then," he looked out the window, a small smile on his face, " we preserve his body, and keep him alive in our spirits…there is never no hope…"

At this, Kaine actually gave a small laugh. At his grandfather's questioning eyebrow, he said,

"That moron Naruto…said the same thing, earlier."

Cairn smiled grew, and he tried to pull himself to his feet.

"Yes, this Naruto…perhaps I should meet him…for all he has done, I think I must give him something."

Hamuul, who had remained in the background for the entire discussion, stepped forwards.

"He is currently in the medicine tent on Spirit Rise…and I'm told making quite a fuss over the diet arrangements that have been made…"

Kaine grinned, " I know I would!"

Cairn gave a rumbling chuckle and stood, "Then there is where we shall go…Hamuul, could you fetch me that –"

* * *

"I'm not eating this!"

"It is healthy, and from your stature, little human, it would seem that you are anything but! If you eat this, you may reach half my height in only a few years!"

"WHY YOU…!"

"Shut up, brat," snapped Golbarn, massaging his temples as he listened to the young blonde verbally spar with the druid that was taking care of them. He had managed to recover mostly from his wounds, but Naruto had been damaged enough so that he needed to remain about a day longer, and he was not happy.

Interestingly, aside from the enormous damage that Naruto had suffered from the Ventursaurus itself, he had somehow garnered an enormous amount of extra damage, which neither Kaine nor Golbarn could identify. Golbarn was under the belief that the blonde had received damage from the beast's lightening breath, after being struck with it, but the glowing red chakra had appeared to protect him, or else he would have been reduced to mere cinders.

Naruto wasn't any help, either, because he barely remembered what had occurred during that brief period when he had been engulfed by the reddish chakra. Kaine had been told of Naruto's during his stay in the tent, and had been surprisingly accepting of the demon's presence. He had just found it annoying that Naruto hadn't yet used it in one of their spars.

Golbarn was finally able to enjoy some silence when the druid departed, leaving the small bowl of crushed roots, herbs and other tauren delicacies in Naruto's lap. The blonde stared at it with disgust, but, in realizing that it wasn't going to go away, began to sniff it.

Golbarn settled down to get some rest, but that was interrupted when Naruto asked,

"So what's gonna happen to the Venture Co., anyways? They have no leader, so are they just gonna disappear or something?"

Golbarn raised an eyebrow at the boy's curiosity, but didn't comment on it. Instead, he said, as Naruto began poking the gooey mass of various forms of flora, " Not likely, brat. Companies like that are filled with people who are the same as that goblin, so it won't take long for him to be replaced. However, there is no doubt that it will lose power and influence. Perhaps, if we're lucky, it will break into several sections, and no longer remain a monopoly. That megalomaniacal fool's ways will no doubt have bred several power seeking members, who will jump at the chance to amass the power and wealth that he possessed. We certainly haven't seen the last of the Venture Co., not by a long shot, however, I doubt it will return here anytime soon."

Naruto nodded in agreement, and put a small dollop of the greenish paste into his mouth. He made a face, and leaned into his bowl, obscuring his actions. However, Golbarn made a disgusted face and said, "And people think I'm barbaric? Don't spit that back in there, brat!"

Naruto, having finished regurgitating his food, stuck his tongue (now slightly green) at the similarly colored orc.

"You can't tell me what to do, bastard!"

"But I can make you, brat!" the orc thundered, ready to get up and pounce on the bedridden blonde. He would have done so, but the tent flap suddenly opened, and Kaine strode in, grinning brightly. Behind him, a massive, incredibly old looking tauren followed. He wobbled slightly with each step, leaning on his grandson for support, yet he still managed to hold an air of wisdom, and power.

Golbarn's eyes widened in recognition, and Naruto blinked several times, trying to connect the powerful old tauren to the weak looking one he had seen lying unconscious on the bed several days prior.

"Yo! Golbarn, Naruto, I want you to meet my grandfather, Cairn!"

Golbarn lowered his head slightly, acknowledging the tauren's presence. He knew that it was an honor to be treated so well, having the High Chieftain of all the tauren come and visit them in the medicine tent, especially after years of being unconscious.

Naruto, however, was not so wise, instead choosing to whisper, almost in awe, "He's really old…"

WHAP!

"Ow! What the heck was that for?" Naruto snapped, glaring at Kaine, who had crossed the room and smacked him heard on the head.

"Don't say that to my grandfather, you pinkskinned bastard! Show some respect!"

"But it's true! He's older than Tsunade-baba! He must be like, a hundred! That's old! Should he really be standing?"

Kaine raised his fist to hit the blonde again, but was interrupted by Cairn's powerful, reverberating laughter. The old tauren, leaning against a small, wooden table, nearly fell to his knees from the laughter. Naruto grinned, while Kaine flushed a little.

"Ahh, youth! I do remember the time when I could flippantly insult my elders! Quite a time, it was…should you do it again, however," his eyes, once dull and old looking, were suddenly filled with a white-hot fire that made Naruto stiffen, "I'll show you what it is like to wake up from eight years of sleep…you got that, boy?"

Naruto gulped slightly, nodding his head.

_This guy's scary…_

Having proved to the blonde that he still possessed the fire of youth (as great as Gai's, perhaps!) Cairn walked forwards to the edge of Naruto's bed.

"Thank you," he said, his green eyes verifying and multiplying the sincerity of his words a thousand fold.

Naruto nodded his head, grinning slightly, and feeling warmth spreading throughout his chest. It was not unlike what had happened with Mekkatorque, yet Cairn's feelings were so much more powerful, and so easily conveyed, that Naruto felt touched that he was being praised by the wise tauren.

"You have done so much for my people…a people that has done nothing for you in the past, and yet you still risked your life for them. There is truly nothing that I can do to repay you for what you have done."

Naruto, by now blushing, blinked in surprise, and remembered something.

"You could listen to something," he said, looking up at the tauren.

Cairn cocked his head to the side, and nodded.

"Then speak, young one…and I will listen."

"That is an interesting proposal," said Cairn, now sitting upon a wooden stool that Kaine had brought him. Naruto had just finished what he had set out from Stormwind to do, and throughout the entire time, Cairn had remained silent.

"Normally, I would judge that it is but a fool's dream, that given the history between the people's that you intend to unite…it would be impossible. However, hearing you success with the gnomes and the dwarves, and experiencing your success with my own people…I think that you may be able to accomplish it. But for now, I will not join."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Cairn interrupted him calmly.

"Do not misunderstand, child, I do not intend to completely disregard your proposal. However, there is first the duty that I have to Thrall, and the Horde. He is an old friend, and I will not commit to this until he has done so. The Horde must be complete, and should all the members of its folds, even Sylvanas the Banshee Queen, agree to become apart of it, then I will as well. We are united, and though Thrall is recognized as Warchief, we all play our own parts under the banner of the Horde.

"It is good, too, that you have not spoken of this to Thrall. I know, that until you have gained his absolute trust, which I doubt you have, he will not agree. Therefore, you must work hard, and prove yourself to him, and perhaps, then he will listen. It should not be a problem for you, however. That ability that you possess…the ability to ignite the fire that lies within everyone, their spirits, and make friends with even those whom have despised your kind for years. With that ability, you will, I think, accomplish what you have set out to do. It will be difficult, no doubt, but I think that you will do it."

Naruto was smiling as brightly as the sun by the end, and both his determination to keep his promise, and the hope that this had not been vain, swelled to new levels. He would do what he had set out to do.

Nothing was going to stop him.

Cairn gave the blonde a warm smile, before he spoke again.

"Now, young one, I think that for all that you have done for my people, you deserve a reward."

"A reward?" Naruto parroted, looking shocked for a second, before it quickly turned to a giddy glee. No one had ever given him a reward before!

"Indeed," said Cairn, and reached within the folds of his leather tunic. He withdrew a small silver whistle, which was slightly beat up, and was attached to a leather thong, which hung around his neck. He lifted the whistle up and over his head, and held it out in front of him, smiling.

"This, is your reward, child."

Naruto blinked, staring at the whistle with slight disbelief.

"A whistle?" he muttered, sweat dropping.

"Ah, it is more than just that…this is a Spirit whistle, child."

"Spirit whistle?" the blonde repeated, frowning slightly.

"Yes, we once forged these whistles in great abundance. However, the metal used to create it is very scarce, now, and there are few now who know how to place the seals and runes upon it that give it the power that it possesses. So, let me explain. It is our belief that there exists a connection in every person, a connection from their very soul, to another in this world. This other is an animal, a creature born from the earth that shares a link with your soul, and thusly binds you together. Every being in this world, from the lowest thief to the greatest king, possesses this connection, or so we believe. Indeed, this connection is very much like that of the connection a totem forges. Instead of a connection between you and the earth and the elements themselves, it is between you and your spirit counterpart. But those who are not open to the spirits and voices of the world, as we are, cannot find their spirit counterparts, and thusly both go through their lives without ever meeting. Since we joined with Thrall, we began to forge these whistles so that those who were not like us could discover their spirit counterparts, and would gain a powerful ally. This is one of the few that we have remaining, and I think that it would suit you well, child."

Naruto gazed at the small object with a new excitement, the prospects of having an animal becoming his ally more than pleasing.

"So it's kinda like what that stupid goblin had with the Ventursaurus Rex," he muttered.

Cairn nodded, though his face was disgusted at the thought. "It is indeed much like that, but with one difference. Cyrussian's relationship with his "pet" was that of a master and slave. He was the master, who owned every part of the beast that he had created through his greed, and the monster his slave, created for that sole purpose. The bond the spirit whistle forges is one of mutuality, and your spirit counterpart is an ally, not a pet, not a slave."

Naruto reached out a plucked the whistle from Cairn's hand, gazing at it with a growing giddiness.

"How do I get my spirit counterpart?" he asked excitedly, glancing at Cairn, waiting for an answer.

The tauren chuckled, and said calmly, "It is simple, but may be quite time consuming. You must blow it in the presence of the animal that will become your spirit counterpart. Not the exact animal, merely the type, and your spirit counterpart will come, having heard from his brothers. This is how Thrall gained his white wolf, Snowsong, though she is now dead, and Rexxar his bear, Misha. I cannot be sure what your animal may be, child, but I can guess that it will be something great."

By now, Naruto was near bursting with animation, almost bouncing up and down in his seat. So many possibilities! Maybe it would be a dinosaur, or maybe a griffon, or a wyvern? Maybe a dragon! There were so many different creatures, and many that he had not yet seen or heard of. He realized, however, that whatever he got, it was going to be awesome.

_I hope it isn't a toad…or a fox._

**SO DO I.**

Cairn smiled at the enthusiasm of the blonde shinobi, before he lifted himself to his feet, smiling.

"I'd best leave you to your rest…I have no doubt that you are going to want to return to Orgrimmar in the morning. I will be sure to- ah! Is this what I think it is?"

The ancient tauren lifted Naruto's long forgotten bowl of mush, and inhaled the scent sharply, smiling in remembrance.

"This brings back memories…I always did love this dish!" The High Chieftain lifted some out of the bowl on his fingers and brought it towards his mouth.

Naruto, breaking out of his daydreams of having a giant dragon for a spirit counterpart, blinked when he realized what was about to happen.

_Isn't that… uh oh._

Golbarn, at the same time, remembered the reason why he had been so angry with Naruto before Cairn had arrived.

"Ahh, old man, don't eat that!"

"High Chieftain Cairn, don't eat that!"

* * *

The day, as clear and bright as the previous, filled Naruto with a renewed sense of hope and cheer. He and Golbarn stood at the end of the wooden elevator platform, their backs to the elevator, as they said goodbye to the group of tauren that had gathered to see them off.

Cairn, who now leaned on a large staff, smiled at the two.

"I will not bore you with long goodbyes…so know that you are always welcome in Thunder Bluff. I hope next time, child," he said, gazing at Naruto, who flushed sheepishly, "that you will be a little more accepting of our food…a repeat of yesterday will get you thrown off the Bluff, literally."

Naruto sweat dropped, but nodded. The old tauren was no doubt dead serious, and he didn't want to piss him off any more than he already had.

Kaine stood a little ways in front of the crowd, and stared hard at Naruto. Naruto stared back, and for a while they remained silent.

The young Bloodhoof smiled at the first person he could truly call his friend, someone who saw him as an equal, and someone who showed him a lot, despite his apparent stupidity.

Naruto grinned back, knowing that he had made a valuable, and special friend, and a new precious person in his life. He stuck out his hand, and pointed his thumb skywards, grinning wider at Kaine, his eyes squinted in the same fox-like way that he always had.

"Oi, cow-face! Next time I see you, you'd better be stronger, so you'll actually have a chance against me! That a promise?"

Kaine stuck out his hand as well, a similar smile on his face.

"Oi, pinkskin! You got yourself a promise! But it's gonna be you whose gonna need to train to stand a chance against me!"

Cairn gave a warm smile, Hamuul chuckled, and Golbarn snorted.

_They are alike in many ways…_ thought Cairn, smiling at the two. He watched then, as Naruto turned and stepped onto the elevator, Golbarn following slowly. The elevator started again, and soon they had vanished beneath the ledge, leaving the crowd alone.

Kaine still had his hand stuck out, and was still smiling, though it was slightly more sad.

_I'm going to get strong, you moron…and I promise that I will help you do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal!_

Cairn turned away from his grandson, and followed Hamuul back towards the central village.

"He is very much like his father," said Hamuul, watching Cairn idly.

Cairn nodded, smiling, "Indeed he is…so much so that I think…I may have found the one who will take over in my stead…"

They both stopped when they heard a distant shout from below, calling, "Hey, one of those giant bird things! Maybe that's my spirit counterpart!"

PHWEEEEET!

"Guess not! Ah! Look, there's a mountain lion, maybe that's it!"

PHWEEEEET!

Cairn and Hamuul sweat dropped, both picturing the look on Golbarn's face.

"It's too bad that the wyverns all contracted a flu from their trip to Stonetalon…" said Hamuul, smiling slightly.

Cairn nodded in tandem, laughing.

* * *

Done! But don't waste time reading this part! There is another chapter waiting for you right now! GO GO GO! All the review responses will be on that page!

I will also convey my deepest apologies in the form of…uhm….not ritualistic suicide!


	26. Le Roi est Mort

**Disclaimer: "Why hast thou forsaken me?"**

" **I don't speak Japanese!"**

"**But you don't own Naruto and World of Warcraft, right?"**

"**Non parlo giapponese!"**

Here's the next installment of,_ The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Kira sighed a little, picking at her food, sitting right next to her father, who sat at the head of the long table. The room was almost deserted save for them, with Kylia standing by the door, ready to attend to both of their needs if necessary.

Kira knew that she should enjoy this small reprieve from her training, which had gone into overdrive recently. Benedictus had been frighteningly motivated to teach her whatever he possibly could; most likely in appreciation with his earlier words, that something was going to happen.

She should especially have enjoyed it, for one other reason: High Inquisitor Whitemane had left that morning, likely to return to her monastery in the north. Without her hanging around Kira's father every moment of the day, Kira would think that mealtimes would have been less stressful.

No such luck.

The girl found the atmosphere almost suffocating, and completely silent. Her father would periodically glance in her direction, but would not speak, and she found that she couldn't speak either. She had several burning questions, ones that she had been waiting for a chance to ask, but trying to speak them was difficult. So they simply sat there, neither speaking, both simply picking at their food, as the distant sounds of the city, and the muffled sounds of the castle played as almost like music in the background.

Kira glanced at her father again, and once again noticed the slight changes about him. His hair, while still the same golden color as hers, had lost a little of its sheen. It was also ruffled and out of place, something unusual for a king. He had deep bags under his eyes, indicating that he had lost a lot of sleep, and his entire countenance was one of gloomy exhaustion.

It ached for her to see her father like this, a man whom she had once held in the highest esteem; now an exhausted, moody man who snapped at almost everyone who addressed him.

What terrified her the most was that Benedictus had remarked one day, after training, of how similar he was to someone else the old priest had known.

A certain man…named Arthas Menethil.

The change had been more dramatic over the past few weeks, and she saw her father getting worse and worse. During dinners or lunches, he had done nothing but sing praises of the Scarlet Crusade and their "beautiful" leader, Whitemane, who would always give an extremely fake blush and a bashful response. It sickened her more and more everyday.

But the fact that the people of Stormwind were becoming so tolerant, even accepting, of the Scarlet Crusade was no less sickening. There was not a day that went by that she didn't pass someone in the castle, or on her way to the Church of Stormwind, that she didn't hear someone speaking words of praise about the fanatical faction. She even saw people, normal, everyday men and women speaking and walking alongside the members of the Crusade.

Granted, she acknowledged that maybe her mentor's words were giving her a dehumanized view of the members, as she had not yet seen them do anything so terrible, but she decided that that was the reason why everyone was so accepting of them.

They had never seen, or experienced the horrors that Benedictus had spoken about the Crusaders, how they tortured innocent people whom they believed had contracted the Plague of Undeath, and how they annihilated anything that crossed their paths, be it gnome, dwarf, or any other. After hearing these tales from her master, she found that it was almost impossible not to dehumanize them.

They seemed to have sprung right from one of her own nightmares.

And it was her father that had accepted them, the wise, kind man whom Kira had idolized her entire life.

"Is something the matter, daughter?" asked Anduin, seeing a strange look cross his daughter's face. The girl looked almost as if she was about to cry.

The question, seemingly so innocent, was just enough to break the dam on Kira's emotions.

"Yes," she said quietly, staring at her plate as she felt the barrier that had been keeping her feelings locked up break, and the torrent of emotions pour out into being.

"Yes, father! Everything is the matter! You aren't yourself! You've changed into someone I can't even recognize anymore!" she wailed, feeling hot tears stream down her face.

Anduin looked stunned by the outburst, and responded, "What are you talking about, Kira? I have done nothing that wasn't in the best interests of our-"

"Yes you have! You broke the Alliance apart! You spurned Magni Bronzebeard, and have offered no aid to either the High Tinker or the Night Elves! Then you made an alliance with those…those…monsters! Everything you've done so far hasn't been in the best interests of this city!"

"You are mistaken, daughter," he said coldly, his eyes beginning to fill with a maddening rage that was not his own.

"I'm not!" she cried, "You aren't my father! The man I knew, the man that I looked up to when I was little, is gone! I want him back! I don't want a wrathful, gullible fool!"

Anduin, by all rights, should have been offended by the girl's words. But as a father, he should have been patient, and listened to her words. Instead, what he felt was a surge of hate so strong that his nails began to dig into his hands from clenching his fists so hard. He noticed detachedly that he had risen to his feet.

"You…!" he rumbled, raising a fist in preparation to hit the girl.

Kira flinched, recoiling from her father as she had done when he had shouted at her during the Council meeting.

His hate immediately evaporated, seeing his daughter's reaction. This time, however, instead of a sudden surge of guilt, and a stammering apology, he was struck with something else.

Realization.

He had just been about to slap his daughter, the one person in his life that he had left, and truly loved. He had been about to cause harm to the only truly precious person in his life.

That terrified him.

With the realization, guilt came, as well, filling his thoughts with nothing but what he had just been about to do. But with those thoughts, came others, unbidden, of his actions over the past few years.

He remembered his fight with Magni, and the harsh words he had spoken to the dwarf king. He remembered speaking of Mekkatorque's foolish ways, and Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage's disgusting pride and arrogance. He remembered flushing the dwarves from the Dwarven sector, and the furious sense of satisfaction at seeing so many people's homes and businesses be destroyed.

He remembered meeting with Whitemane for the first time, and the feeling of power that he got when she spoke of him so highly, and then the surge of importance he felt, when she proposed the idea of the alliance between them. Then came the feeling of pride in seeing his plan come into fruition as the people of Stormwind, almost at his behest, began to accept the Scarlet Crusade as friends and allies.

It was almost as if a fog had been lifted, and he remembered everything his father and Lord Bolvar had taught him about the Crusaders, how monstrous they were in their actions, and how many of his own people they had murdered.

It was overwhelming, everything striking him at once. He found himself on the ground, on his knees, tears pouring from his eyes.

He didn't know who he was anymore.

He then felt a pair of soft arms encircling him, and he noticed that his daughter was kneeling as well, and hugging him. She pulled his head onto her shoulder, so it rested there, and she made soothing sounds and gestures. In a way, it what much like what he had done to her, when in her childhood she had rushed to his room, in tears saying that she had had a bad dream.

The role-reversal was surprising, to him, but he gratefully accepted his daughter's attempts to console him.

"Forgive…me…" he whispered.

That was all he needed. He didn't care if his people didn't forgive him, if the other members of the Council of Stormwind didn't forgive him; he just needed her forgiveness. The forgiveness of his only daughter, the only person that still lived in this world that he loved with all his heart and soul.

"I already have…father," she said, "just promise me…that you will stay this time…I want my father here, not the man before."

Anduin felt a tremendous burden lift from his heart, and he found himself smiling at his daughter through his tears.

"I will not leave you again…that I can promise," he whispered, hugging her fiercely.

Kira smiled back, and hugged him tighter.

From her position near the door, Kylia wiped a few tears from her own eyes, as she watched her best friend and mistress bring her father back. She was startled by a soft chuckle to her left, where she saw the Archbishop standing in front of the door.

"So much like her mother," he said, looking upon the scene with a kind smile. "Perhaps everything will turn out alright in reality."

He was then gone, disappearing through the doors as quickly and silently as he had come.

Kylia shook herself, a little confused by the words, but still elated that perhaps Kira would not have to deal with all this alone.

* * *

It was much later, after Kira had gone to bed, and the servants had all retired to their quarters as well, that King Anduin Wrynn found himself sitting in the very chair he had sat in earlier, at the head of the long dinner table. He had his head propped up by his hands, his elbows on the table in a blatant disregard for manners. 

He looked even more haggard than usual, but he didn't care at the moment. He had a lot to think about, and even more to do.

He had to rectify what he had done, first. That meant ridding Stormwind of the Scarlet Crusade, and then recreating the alliance between his city and the dwarves and the gnomes.

The Crusaders would be difficult to oust, mostly because they had become so ingrained in the people's hearts. He didn't think that he could do it without losing a sizeable amount of his own people to the folds of the Scarlet Crusade.

But, it was better than nothing.

But he also needed something else, something that had been troubling him since his talk with his daughter. He realized now that there was something different about him, and that something must have caused him to do what he had done. There was no reason for why he had done it, other than that he had been manipulated. He knew that he could not have forgotten everything he had been taught by his mentors in his youth about the Crusade, nor could he ever picture himself being angry enough with his daughter to consider hitting her.

Perhaps he was going insane? He didn't know, but at that moment, he felt saner than he had in years.

But manipulation, that was a possibility as well. He was confident in his ability to stop mental attack, as he had been subjected to it many times when he had been married to Diana. That was what bothered him, how powerful did the manipulator have to be, in order to break through the shields that he had created through experience?

He rubbed his eyes, feeling more tired than he had ever in his life. Perhaps it wasn't the power of the manipulator, but his own weakness? He felt a slight, unconnected surge of arrogance, but immediately squashed that, a slight anger in himself that he would even think that he was strong enough to resist anything. The fact that he had done so much wrong already, certainly proved the exact opposite of that.

"_Those whose hearts are filled with the Light, will have the strength to resist all."_

Anduin's head snapped up at the unfamiliar voice from behind him. He whirled, and was met with a strange sight.

There stood a man, dressed from head to toe in red, including a red hood and a mask that covered his mouth and nose, with a red cloth tunic with black trimming and sleeves that completely enveloped his hands, red leather gauntlets, red boots, and a red sash tied around his waist.

The man stared at him through clear blue eyes, filled with such serenity that it was only by looking at the man's outfit could one tell he was an assassin of some sort. He wore no tabard, or any sort of identifying marks.

Anduin narrowed his eyes, and spoke calmly, and slowly.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, clenching his fists.

The man responded without hesitation, in a soft, tempered voice.

"_Since the young one spoke to thee. It was truly surprising for such a youthful girl to possess such strength of mind, wouldst thou agree_?"

Anduin frowned, "I would…but that doesn't explain your presence…who has sent you? Do you intend to kill me?"

The man in red gave a slight nod.

"_Indeed I do. I have been sent by the daughter of the Light, to fulfill what must be done to destroy the Darkness…the Scourge_."

Anduin frowned, _the daughter of the Light? Could it truly be…yes…I see it now…Benedictus was right…it seems that I am, and always have been…a pawn to the Scarlet Crusade._

He clenched his fist in anger both his stupidity, and the betrayal that he had suffered.

The man in red noticed this and said calmly, "_Thou hast recognized my mistress…you must not blame her, for she has done only what is needed for the Light. You need not die in agony, or in vain, for your death will serve a purpose. It will bring forth the faith and power needed to destroy the Darkness._ _Thou hast a choice in the way that thou will die. Thou are a king, one of great power and influence. Thou hast served the Light for many years. If thou choose to, then thou can go in peace. I will send thee back to the Light, and thou will be treated as thou hast been on earth- as a king- in Eternity. Dost thou accept?"_

Anduin's eyes flashed, "I…cannot. My duty is to my people…I have only just rediscovered that."

"_Thine kingdom will be taken care of," the man in red whispered, "thine daughter will be raised as a just and powerful queen. Thine people will be the means that is used to destroy the Darkness, and the Light will reward them all. Thou must not worry, for all these will be attended to. Does that allay your fears?_"

For a moment, Anduin said nothing. He could do nothing, for in his mind, he was contemplating the man's words. To be able to leave his duties, to be set free, and to be with his wife in Eternity…what better offer could there be? The part of his mind, the part that had previously harbored the wrath that had been guiding him for so long urged him to do this, to simply give up, and die.

But then, he saw Kira.

In his mind, he saw his daughter's tears, he saw Kira's sadness, sadness for him, and then he saw her terror, on two occasions, directed at him.

He then heard her words:

"_Promise me…that you will stay this time…I want my father here…not the man before."_

Promise.

He had promised.

His daughter, his beautiful, wonderful daughter, had asked him to remain. He was needed, by her, by his kingdom, by the world.

He then saw his wife's smile, and the surge of confidence that had always accompanied that smile.

The Light would have to wait…for he could not rejoin it now.

He suddenly blurred, and with the built up emotions surging through him, he slammed his fist as hard as he could into the man in red's face.

The punch, enhanced by chakra, lifted the man in red off his feet, and he slammed into the wall behind him, creating a large indent in the stone.

Anduin then formed three seals, and upon biting his thumb, slammed his fist into the ground.

"**Summon: The Hammer of Stormwind!" **he roared.

In a crackling flash of light, a massive hammer burst into being, and fell into Anduin's outstretched hand. It was nearly four feet long, from handle to head. The hilt was the color of his daughter's hair, and a head the color of his kingdom's tabard.

He held it out in front of him, and said coldly, "This is my kingdom…and I would give my life for it…but not to you!"

The man in red stood, apparently unharmed. Two long daggers slid from his long sleeves, one a gleaming silver, the other a shining gold.

"_That is unfortunate…then I must send thee to the Light through force," _he crossed the blades in front of him, and said in the same soft voice, "_May the Light take thee!"_

He was suddenly gone.

Anduin brought up his newly formed hammer to block the lightning fast strike of the assassin's gold dagger. He shifted the hilt to the side in an instant, and just barely took another strike from the silver dagger. He pivoted to the right and the two began a dance of blocking and striking. Anduin was forced to take a step back or to the side after each powerful pair of slashes from the red assassin's blades.

He was almost to the wall when he countered; upon blocking another strike, he drove his foot hard into the ground and drove his hammer upwards, the action taking merely a few short seconds, and managed to catch the assassin mid-strike, knocking him back.

He twirled the hammer by its hilt, gathering up a small burst of chakra, and pouring it into the summoned weapon. He released his grip, and the hammer shot like a bullet from his hand, straight towards the now recovered man in red. The man brought his twin blades up at the last second, crossing them in front of his body, which caused the hammer to strike them.

The sheer force, however, blasted him backwards, his feet skidding along the ground. He smashed through the table, but before he reached the opposite wall, he leaned backwards so that his torso was parallel to the ground, and released his grip on the blades. Having forced chakra into his legs, he was able to stop himself, and the hammer shot over him, carrying his blades along with it.

It slammed into the wall, and the hammer obliterated both weapons as well as the wall.

Righting himself, the man in red produced a pair of smaller knives from his sleeves, and threw them at the now weaponless king. Rather than avoiding them, the king flashed a quick set of hand seals, and held his hands out in front of him, palms forward. A bright sheen of gold engulfed them, and spread out in front of him in a transparent, shapeless wall. The knives ricocheted harmlessly off them, spinning away to the side.

"**Divine Protection"** Anduin said clearly in the silence.

But it wasn't silent for long.

Footsteps suddenly arose from outside the door, and Anduin guessed that the guards had heard the noise.

"What do you intend to do now? Take on myself as well as the guards of my castle?" the King intoned, not lifting his eyes from the assassin in crimson.

"_Certainly not,"_ the man retorted, producing something from his tunic. He then shot towards the door, raising the object, which was a small piece of circular paper as he did. Anduin moved towards the door as well, intending to cut him off, but he was nowhere near as fast as the assassin, and watched as he slapped the paper on the crack between the two doors that made up the entrance. Immediately, inky black lines seeped out from the paper, completely covering the door and much of the surrounding wall. Upon finishing, there was no recognizable shape to the markings, but he could see that some were runes.

"A seal…" he said, frowning.

The assassin nodded, "_It will keep them occupied for now."_

The assassin in red blurred again, and moved directly towards Anduin. He launched a series of lightning-quick punches at the man, who raised his bare fists up in front of his face, blocking the strikes aimed there. He wore no armor, but his chest was well protected by muscle from years of experience and training.

Under the hail of blows, the kind could apparently do nothing, a fact that the assassin took advantage of.

He then felt a sudden rush of air, and the slight crackling of chakra from behind him. His eyes widened beneath his red hood, and he swiveled to the side, managing to miss the incoming hammer that had flown across the room, returning to the hand of its master. As soon as the hammer was in his hands, The King of Stormwind swung around, and using the force that the hammer had gathered in its flight to him as well as the force from his spin, he slammed the Hammer of Stormwind as hard as he could into the red assassin's chest.

The hit easily smashed his ribs, and caused him to release a gurgling sound, and then threw him across the room, where he met the wall. He spat blood into his mask, and slid to the ground.

Anduin twirled the hammer, and moved in as quickly as he could for the kill. Before he reached his target, however, the man in red leapt to his feet in a startling display of agility, especially after receiving such a powerful blow, and flashed through a few seals. He then vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Anduin alone.

The king stopped, only then hearing the shouting of the guards outside the door. He ignored them, however, and looked around, frowning.

He would not leave so quickly…if he possesses half the fervor of the Crusaders, then he will see this through to the end. But this poses a problem…this ability he has, the ability to completely douse the fire of his spirit, prevents me from sensing him.

There was a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye, and he turned, only to see a group of red knives streaking towards him. Instead of hitting him, however, they struck the ground all around him. Instantly on alert, as an assassin of this caliber would miss, especially after throwing so many. An acrid smell reached his nose, and his eyes widened a fraction in recognition of the scent.

The knives exploded simultaneously, promptly engulfing the king in a massive ball of fire.

From his position on the ceiling at the very end of the room, the red assassin watched the weapons do their work splendidly. He clutched one glowing hand to his chest, and felt the damage begin to heal.

As the smoke cleared, however, the man in red glimpsed a flash of gold. When the smoke was completely gone, he saw the king unharmed, his hammer driven into the floor, and both hands raised to the side, a golden glow emanating from them.

"**Divine Shield,**" the king muttered. He was staring straight at the assassin, his eyes filled with a smoldering rage.

The man in red dropped to the floor, landing without a sound.

"_Thou art stronger than my mistress had spoken of, both in mind and in body. Perhaps the words that thine daughter spoke to you, are driving your power to new levels? The Light is strong, then, within thee. It is shameful that I must do this, for you are truly worthy of being called King. But I must, for all humanity, and the greater good, destroy you."_

Anduin didn't respond.

The man in red formed several seals, and announced, in the same, wispy, soft tone that he always had, "**_Swords of God!"_**

All around him, the air shimmered, and long, golden spears of light began to appear. The red assassin formed a seal, and seconds later; they shot towards the king, moving as fast as his hammer had earlier.

The king raised his hammer and smashed the incoming spears apart with ease, before he rushed towards the assassin. A sudden surge of chakra from behind him, however, alerted him to the fact that the spears had not dissipated. Instead, they had reformed and were shooting towards him again.

"_A technique my mistress taught to me…they cannot be destroyed so easily."_

Anduin cursed and whirled, blocking the spears again, and found that more had appeared between him and the assassin. They swirled around him, and stopped when they had formed a vaguely cross-shaped formation around him, with two on each side of him.

"**_Cross of God!"_**

The blades blurred and shot at him, all moving simultaneously. The king summoned the Diving Shield once more, causing the spears to ricochet off, and smash into the ceiling, floor and walls.

Anduin rushed forwards again, closing the distance between him and the assassin. The assassin formed another seal, summoning more spears, but Anduin was moving far too fast and already too close for them to be of any use.

Raising his hammer to smash the assassin's head as one would a watermelon, the King almost smiled in victory.

Then, something happened.

Something flashed through his mind, something he couldn't quite make out. There was a flash of black, then the sight of a monstrous form, materializing in the darkness of his mind. The form had glowing purple eyes, which seemed to bore into Anduin's mind's eye. The sight filled his heart with a terrible fear, causing him to falter.

He then heard a whisper into the night, so soft that only he could hear, but so terrible that it blotted out the fire and courage that had motivated him just earlier.

"**_YOU WILL PAY, HUMAN._**"

Then, six, long, shafts of light speared him through the chest, and threw him across the room, pinning him to the opposite wall.

With his spine severed, his lungs pierced, his stomach ruptured and his aorta cut in half, the king could not speak, and his body was completely numb. As blackness close around him, he pictured his daughter, his wonderful daughter.

Kira.

Forgive me… 

The Sixth King of Stormwind, Anduin Wrynn, son of Varian, died, unable to fulfill his promise to the one he loved more than life itself.

In the darkness of the night, a figure, with deep, fiery purple eyes watched the scene with amusement.

"This is only the beginning, king, of your city's suffering. But, my brother will be pleased, I think."

* * *

Benedictus sighed, his eyes glazing over as he saw the body of his king crumpled a bloody heap upon the ground. 

_I was wrong once again…things did not turn out all right._

The guards looked furious, and for good reason. They had been right there, and had been unable to do anything to help.

The King was dead.

Benedictus had once again predicted true.

He had wished so badly that it would be him, not Kira's father, especially after the change that the king had gone through. Stormwind needed a leader now, and there was no one but Benedictus to take that position.

One of the guards walked up to him, his eyes awash with sorrow and regret, yet still doing his best to appear straight-faced.

"Your Holiness, we were unable to find any traces of the assassin. Not even a single drop of blood."

Benedictus nodded, he hadn't expected them to find anything. But he took heart in knowing that the King had at least fought back, after witnessing the state of the room.

"I see. Has anyone roused the princess yet?"

The guard shook his head. "No, but we sent someone to check on her, and she appears to be alright."

"Good…I will inform her of this news. Stay here until I return."

"We will, Your Holiness."

Benedictus nodded and exited the room, making his way up the long stairs to the hallway where Kira's room was. He entered silently, and gazed upon the girl that he had come to love as a granddaughter. She looked so peaceful, lying there in bed.

It was terrible, he thought, that that peace would soon be shattered, and her world would be plunged into chaos.

And that chaos, he reasoned, would be transferred to the rest of the kingdom.

He could only pray that she had the strength to weather it, for if she didn't the world would be lost.

* * *

Ha! Done! 

Sorry for the horrible shortness of both these chapters (both of them together form a pretty long one,) and also the lateness. I had exams in the past week, so those took precedence over this (sorry!).

Once again, I would offer to commit seppuku, but it wouldn't benefit anyone but me…

I hope you enjoyed the conclusion to the Tauren Arc, and I hope you guys aren't confused by the happenings of this chapter. Yes, Naruto wasn't in it, but it was necessary, and soon, when Kira and Naruto join up…things will get a lot for fast-paced and awesome!

Also, FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET REVIEWED, REVIEW NOW! (sorry, caps lock). I know you are out there… am receiving many thousands of hits…yet only like twenty reviews…shame on you! I live off reviews! They are my sustenance! Like Naruto's ramen!

Now that that's settled…

Let's go to some reviewer mail!

**A-Man-** I have to ask…do you remember the reason Naruto set out from Stormwind in the first place? Therefore, you must remember that his purpose is to unite the races of Azeroth. Therefore, I don't understand how you could think that the Tauren Arc, is a "side-story". I don't think it is at all similar to the retarded filler arc in the Naruto anime. Those stories have no impact on the plot, this does, because it _is_ the plot. I also thank you for the compliment about it being like One Piece, which I consider one of the greatest anime/mangas in the entire world. Of course, seeing as how it is a Naruto fic, that may be a little annoying, but I realize that it is in fact, a lot like that. I will try to make it less like that, so thank you for your concerns. Also, I don't remember downplaying the strengths of Tsunade, Orochimaru, Itachi or anybody really. I may have, but keep in mind that they are all from Naruto's perspective, and that he has been known to hyperbolize. I don't plan to downplay any of their strengths, most certainly Itachi, whom I consider the greatest villain in Naruto, currently, save for Sasori (who kicks ass). Thanks for the reviews!

**Needmore- **That may be true…but she is still a Ranger, I think. I think her ability to raise the dead is sort of a banshee racial trait, that she received in getting her physical body back. I don't know, however. I said that to the shinobi, the Dragonflight leaders would seem as gods, or maybe even demons. They are way beyond the power of any ninja, or orc, or undead, or anything, really. So they won't be making an appearance. I think they are all trying to track down Deathwing, anyways. The Titans are gods as well, but they are all practically gone anyways, so they won't be appearing either. The control rod during the Venture fight…I guess I should have said that it was almost indestructible, so destroying it would be pretty hard.

**X3RO2-** Thanks! Yes, Naruto will eventually garner more and more of the fox's power, and in the newest chapters of the manga, you see the real power that this holds. He will definitely reach that level, I think. And no, he won't be meeting Deathwing…but his offspring…that may be happening.

**Tatsu-** Cool! I'd definitely post it if you wrote a little omake for Kaine and Hinata! That'd be a great help, actually! And yes you can submit regular omakes, and I'd post them whenever they arrive. The problems in Stranglethorn were created by me, actually. They will be revealed soon. Nope, two Forsaken sounds pretty good, but you have to send me a sort of profile on what he looks like, what his personality is, any character quirks he may have that make him unique…stuff like that. I think the little explanation between Golbarn and Naruto may clear up your next question, but I will say that the Undermine's trading networks are not just run by the Venture Co., and that they only own the monopoly for raw materials. It will be split up, and will likely form many new factions, which break up the monopoly. I hope that helps. Thanks for the review!

Well, that's everything. I will try to have the next chapter out sooner, like in a week or something. I once again apologize for making you wait! I feel so ashamed!

Spellbook- 

**Divine Protection-** Throws a shield in front of the person, blocking all attacks.

**Divine Shield-** Surrounds the person in a shield, blocking all attacks from all sides.

**Swords of God-** Produces long spears that are completely made of chakra. Need incredible control to use, and very powerful.

**Cross of God- **Uses the Swords of God to create a cross-formation, and then skewer the opponent from all sides.

Armory- 

**Hammer of Stormwind-** A massive, summoned hammer that all the Kings of Stormwind are bequeathed with. It is immensely strong, and can by controlled by the users thoughts, returning to him whenever it is thrown, much like Kisame's Samehada.

**Spirit Whistle-** Enhances the bond that the tauren believes connects a person with a creature of the earth. Is only used by those who aren't tauren. Rexxar and Thrall have both used this whistle.

Bestiary- 

**The Scarlet Ghost **(Humanoid)(**Elite)**(Original)- A powerful assassin that is loyal to the Scarlet Crusade, the Scarlet Ghost can conceal his chakra and make him impossible to sense. He is also an incredible master of weapons, including daggers and throwing knives. He possesses some minor priestly abilities as well, including the ability to heal himself, and read minds. He possesses also, a powerful technique called the Swords of God, which are controlled by his own power, and is a devastating technique. He speaks in a soft, ghost-like voice, and uses a more ancient form of speech to boot. His fervor burns just as brightly as the other Crusaders', but because he knows what he believes is true (or he thinks he does), he can express it in a far more passive way. It makes him an incredible assassin, to say the least.


	27. The Two Travelers

**Disclaimer: I don't own- (Sound of static)- _We interrupt this disclaimer to bring you a special report. THE INTERTRON IS ASSIMILATING YOU! ARGGH!_** **–(Sound of static)- Naruto or World of Warcraft.**

Here's the next installment of_The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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"Awake, Kira."

The soft command punctured the black veil of sleep that had enveloped Kira Wrynn. Slowly she opened her eyes, and met the ones of her master and friend, the Archbishop Benedictus. The ancient man stood above her, looking down at her with a perfectly composed, emotionless face. Even his eyes, which were normally filled with a powerful, passionate fire, were strangely hard and cold.

That meant that something was wrong.

Very wrong.

She sat up in bed a little straighter, and looked at him calmly, trying to brush the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes.

"What is it, master?" she asked, softly in the darkness.

The man's answer was swift, and perfectly direct. Benedictus, despite all his kindliness, was not one to beat around the bush.

"Your father is dead."

There were only four words in that sentence, so directly spoken, and none of the emotion that should have accompanied such a declaration. No tears, no sympathy, no anger, nothing. This frightening apathy made the situation all the more unreal.

"W-what?" she said, her eyes widening slightly. _He can't be,_ she thought, hoping desperately that she had stumbled into a dream, and she would awake at any second; perhaps Benedictus would transform into something else, a demon, a ghoul, anything to reassure her that it was just a dream, and that nothing she had just heard uttered from her master was true.

But there was nothing.

Benedictus just stood there, gazing at her with a perfectly calm expression, saying nothing. He seemed to play a scientist, watching the affects of a trivial, already proven experiment. He watched her, already knowing the outcome of the experiment, but watching it anyways, perhaps to see if something had gone wrong with it.

All of Benedictus' actions screamed at her the truth that she did not want to acknowledge, that Benedictus was telling the truth, and that her father was dead.

"No!" she expelled, lurching forwards in bed, trying to scramble out. Surely, she thought, if she just got out of the room, and ran to her father's, he would be there, asleep, unharmed. Or perhaps if he was not there, he would be in the dining room, where they had spoken just hours before, slumped over in his chair, asleep from exhaustion, most likely having fallen asleep contemplating what she had told him, and what he was going to do.

But before she could get fully to her feet, she felt a strong, weathered hand upon her shoulder, forcing her down once more, and keeping her their.

"Let me go!" she screamed, grabbing the old man's arm and trying to pry it off. Benedictus held fast, however, and so she dug her nails into his flesh, drawing blood.

He did not let go; he didn't even wince at the pain that was shooting up his arm.

"LET ME GO!" she bellowed a second time, fighting with all of her strength at this point, "I HAVE TO SEE HIM! HE'S ALIVE! I KNOW IT!"

By this time, tears were streaming down her face, her subconscious already registering the truth in her master's words. But the rest of her mind did not want to acknowledge that, so she briefly wondered why she was crying, when it wasn't true.

"LET ME SEE HIM!" she screamed again, fighting with all the frenzy of a wild animal. It couldn't be true, she decided. She had just gotten him back; she had just brought him back from the darkness that he had been plunged into for the past few years.

No god, no Titan, no higher force could be so cruel.

So she fought, and screamed.

"Be quiet."

The short, quiet command, said in a voice soft enough that only someone next to Kira could have heard it, had enough power driven into it to freeze the girl in her attempts to escape the bed. Benedictus' face was no longer composed, and his eyes now burned so frightfully that Kira couldn't help but stop, falling limp and staring wide eyed at the man. His grip on her arm had not tightened in the slightest, but it was impossible to function coherently when faced with eyes like his.

"Emotions are something that have aided the human race since our birth, millions of years ago. They are a necessary part in our lives, and they have benefited us in almost ever endeavor we have undertaken in our history."

His grip tightened ever so slightly, but it was enough to send a shock through the wide-eyed girl, alerting her to his feelings.

"But they have also been the downfall of every human civilization that has ever arisen. They are the reason that Prince Arthas has no become what he is. Unless you can control yourself, you foolish girl, I may do something that I will no doubt regret in the future."

Benedictus' words had their desired effect, and Kira clamped her mouth shut, and fell limp. Even her tears stopped flowing, and she huddled herself up, bringing her legs up and clutching them to her body.

Benedictus' grip softened suddenly, and his voice, once filled with anger, had changed to a kindly, still slightly commanding tone.

"But…that does not mean you must bottle yourself up…" he slid an arm around her, and pulled until she rested her head against his stomach.

"Let it all go, little one. Cry until you can do it no more."

So she did.

Like hours previous, a dam burst. But unlike hours previous, she did not speak, nor was there any sense of coherency. She had not wanted this, as she had wanted to say those things.

So she cried, and cried and cried. Tears spilled out like torrents of rain, soaking the old man's robes, though they were as hot as streams of lava. She clutched with all her might to Benedictus, bunching up bits of his robes in her fists, and cried some more.

The ancient priest placed a hand on her head, and stood there solemnly, unmoving as though a statue. But unlike a statue, he remained warm and soft and receptive, and remained in that position for as long as the girl who had just lost the one remaining person that she loved more than life itself wanted him to.

It was almost dawn, many hours later, when Kira released her grip on the man's robes, and pulled away from him. Her sobbing had stopped a long time ago, though her tears had not. Her eyes were puffy and red, and her face blotched and still wet as a testament to this.

She reached up and wiped her eyes, not saying anything. She hiccupped a few times, before looking up at her master, her eyes full of confusion, uncertainty, and a plethora of other emotions, all bubbling dangerously to the surface.

"W-who…who did it?" she asked. She did not need to ask how he had died.

The man answered simply, but nonetheless mysteriously, "I have my theories, but I think you are well aware of the perpetrators in most of them."

Her fists tightened slightly, and her fringe covered her eyes, casting them in shadow.

_The Scarlet Crusade_.

They were the source of everything that had happened up to then, they were responsible, she knew, for what had become of her father.

She felt a hate so powerful that it startled her build up in her chest, all of it directed upon the people dressed in the red tabard. The hate was something that she had never felt before, and as soon as that hate grew, and she began to grit her teeth, clench her fists hard enough to make them bleed, she remembered something.

Her father's face, twisted in rage, arm in preparation to slap her.

Her anger vanished, and she sunk down again, fresh tears dripping down her face. She didn't sob or cry, merely let the tears flow again, ashamed that she had felt such anger. It also tore into her that she could remember her father like that, in his weakest moments.

"W-what…d-do I do now?"

The old man gave a soft sigh, and bent down, until he was level with her for the first time since he had arrived.

"Do you recall my earlier words, Kira?" he asked calmly. "Do you recall what I told you to do?"

She gave a feeble nod.

"Then you must do it. I want you to prepare the necessary things for your journey, and when you have done so, I want you to come to the chapel. Bring your handmaid, and tell her to pack essentials as well. She will be joining you."

For the first time in many hours, Kira suddenly found the small pool of courage and determination that had almost gone dry from the terrible news.

"I cannot leave…" she said, speaking in what she hoped was a confident voice. "I have a duty to my people, since my father is now dead…they will need me."

She had never expected to be thrust with the burden of all her people so soon. While she had always attempted to shoulder some of that burden; starting with her training, and then again with her mission for Naruto. It was the burden that her father had weathered since his youth, and she didn't think that she would be subjected to its full weight now of all times. But even with the death of her father so soon, and the wound so raw, she felt that she couldn't abandon her people.

It was her duty.

"No."

The Archbishop's stern, commanding voice had returned. He gave her one of his piercing stares.

"They do not need you, Kira. They need someone whom they can trust, someone whom they can depend on. Forgive me if I sound harsh, but you are most certainly not either of those. They were subjected to the rule of a child leader before, with your father, and with everything that has happened, I do not believe they will tolerate another. They need someone whose strength assures them that they will come to no harm. In addition to this, I cannot place upon you this terrible burden, not now. Therefore, I ask of you, maybe even beg of you, to leave and not to return until this is over."

Kira, cowed once more, looked up at him helplessly.

"Where do I go, then?" she asked.

"I have something that will take you far away from this place, to a place that you may be able to actively pursue your dream. But I will give that to you later. Now you must act, and quickly. There are many things for me to do, in order to minimize the damage that this terrible act has brought."

He stood up to his full height once more, and removed his hand from her shoulder. He watched as she sat there for a few seconds, her mind in turmoil, before she crept from her bed, and began to dress. Steadily, her actions got quicker, and the lost and confused look that had once been on her face vanished. As he left the room, he saw a complete change come over the girl, as she feverishly worked to gather her things.

He gave her a soft smile, proud that even in her grief, she had not lost sight of the role that she would play.

_It is only the beginning, though_, he thought. _There will be much for her to overcome, in the future, if she intends to see her dream come into reality._

_

* * *

_

It took a while for Kira to pack and then rouse Kylia to get her ready as well. The sun was peeking over the horizon, painting the city red with its light. Kira, a backpack with all she would need in her trip (with the inside expanded by a few seals, to hold a little more). She had tied her hair back, and now wore a pair of dark leather pants, a white top, leather boots, and a blue travelers cloak over everything. Kylia wore much the same, with a different color cloak, green. The quiet girl was trembling, her whole body nervous and jittery. Having your best friend and mistress wake you up and telling you to get dressed in traveling clothes, and pack the essentials for a long journey, then mention that her father was dead, was not a good thing to experience so early in the morning.

But she had done so, unable to refuse the look on Kira's face as she said those words, the words that she knew hurt the girl more than she let on.

"_My father is dead…"_

Kylia had never loved her father, so she truly couldn't feel the pain that Kira was now feeling. But she would do her best in order to help the other girl bear it.

They arrived in the chapel a little later, where Benedictus was already waiting for them.

"Were you seen, child?" he asked, gazing sternly at Kira.

The girl quickly shook her head, and the man relaxed slightly. He then drew two objects from inside his robes, and walked forwards, and held them out in front of the girls.

"Kira, do you know what these are?" he asked.

Kira shook her head, staring at the strange objects in slight curiosity. They were both about the size of a duck's egg, and about the same shape, though a little more flat, with defined sides. They were white, with bluish markings upon them, twisting around in every direction across the surface. On top, the markings converged into a vaguely spiral-shaped mark, which was directly in the center.

"These are Hearthstones," said Benedictus, as the girls lifted them from his hands. "They are very useful objects that can be linked to certain place on earth, and then by using a specific spell, you can traverse time and space to reach that place in seconds. These two in particular are bound to Ironforge."

Kira turned the stone over in wonder, having a new appreciation for the strange looking object.

Benedictus continued. "These will save you much time, and they are exceedingly simple to use. Simply smear some of your blood upon the surface, over the blue marking on top, and then perform the seal of the moon, still clutching the stone. You will be transported quickly, but do not let go, or something bad may happen. Do you understand what to do?"

They both nodded, and he smiled slightly.

"I am sorry that this had to happen, Kira. I am sorry that you will not get to enjoy the youth that you have left. From this point on…you are an adult, and your fate is in no one's hands but yours. I wish you good luck…and goodbye."

Kira stood still for a moment, just gazing up at the man. She held back her tears, because she was now an adult.

She would not cry anymore.

Instead, she walked forwards, and hugged the old man, who returned it with vigor. She then stepped back, and gave a solemn nod to him.

Benedictus returned it, and watched silently as the two bit their thumbs, and smeared blood across the surface of their Hearthstones. Kira and Kylia then formed the seal of the moon, causing glowing blue symbols to sprout from beneath their feet, twisting and turning to form a replica of the symbol upon the stone.

And then, in a large puff of smoke, they vanished.

Benedictus turned without a second's hesitation, and walked towards the entrance.

He had a kingdom to warn…and he only prayed that they would listen.

* * *

Undrig blinked in abject curiosity at the sight of two, young, human girls appearing from nothing but a puff of smoke. The dwarf was standing just inside the main cavern, in front of the door that led into the entrance hall and then outside. Guard duty was not his favorite thing, but now that things had begun to pick up again, it was more than necessary.

In the time since Naruto had left, things had changed a great deal in Ironforge. Not only had the gnomes returned (in spades), but the dwarfs had now begun working on building up their army, and there was not a day that went by that the Military Quarter was not packed with young recruits, all hoping to become full-fledged warriors one day. Berlyiro had come out of retirement, and was now working full-time to train the young hopefuls. He seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit.

Furnizzle, the youngest of the Rizzle brothers and another friend of the strange blonde shinobi, had been overjoyed when his brothers had arrived, accompanying High Tinker Mekkatorque to oversee the repopulation of Tinker Town. Undrig had seen less and less of the young gnome since then, however, as he and his brothers had locked themselves away in the deepest corner of Tinker Town, working on something that not even Magni was said to know of.

All in all, there was not a day that went by that Undrig didn't have something to do, whether it be guard duty, helping Berlyiro train the younger ones, or heading out into the wilds of Dun Morogh to seek out fresh ore deposits.

But it had become a sort of rhythm to him, and while he was always busy, there was rarely anything that happened out of the ordinary.

Until today, that is.

He watched the two girls look wildly about, seemingly shocked at their location, before one of them, who had dark blonde, almost gold, hair, and was wearing a blue cloak looked at him.

"Excuse me!" she cried, rushing forwards. "You have to help us!"

Undrig stood up a bit straighter, and scratched his head.

"Help ye'? With what? I dinna know you, and I fin' it highly suspicious that a coupla' young lasses like yerselves just be appearin' outta nowhere!" he retorted, settling one hand on his sword.

The girl backed up a little, but the blinked and leaned forwards, affixing him with a stern, and powerful glare.

"I am Kira Wrynn, Princess of Stormwind! I need to see Magni Bronzebeard, who is, and has been, a friend and ally of my father for years!"

Undrig took a step back at the girl's proximity to him, and blinked a few times.

"Kira Wrynn, yeh say? Why didn' ya say so!" he blurted, feeling slightly embarrassed that he had just threatened the daughter of the king of Stormwind.

But embarrassment was overridden by shock, and he realized that standing in front of him was the girl who had sent Naruto to Ironforge, as well as the person behind his scheme to unite the races of Azeroth.

"Righ' this way, lasses!" he said, and quickly walked past her, prompting Kira and Kylia to follow quickly.

The king definitely would be pleased to see her, he thought to himself.

* * *

Magni slumped forwards, in his chair, raising a hand to his forehead. The renewed energy that had been running through him for the past few weeks seemed like a distant memory, and he found that he was just tired.

So very tired.

His ally and friend, Anduin Wrynn, was dead.

He was dead, and Magni would never get to make up with the man.

He looked at the girl in front of him, who seemed to be doing her very best to fight back fresh tears. He had died so recently, he realized, and the girl had not had a chance to finish her grieving, no doubt.

He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he realized that that would be an insult to her. She was an adult, now, and coddling and comforting her as one would a child would not be proper.

And he had to admire her strength of will. Not many would be able to speak of such a tragic event, so early after it had occurred. She was obviously doing as best she could to keep herself under control.

_So much like her mother…_he thought.

"So what do you intend to do?" he asked calmly.

The girl looked up at him, her eyes shining, but this time, with determination rather than unshed tears.

"I intend to follow Naruto, Your Grace, and help him achieve my dream, as I should have done in the first place."

She spoke with such clarity, passion and power that Magni had no choice but to smile at her, pleased that Anduin had raised such a strong-willed girl.

"A noble thought. But do not rush into it. Take as much time as you need to grieve for yourself, Kira. You will need to be as strong as possible in order to undertake the journey. What's more-"

"No," she stated, gritting her teeth, and looking away from him. " I have do go now. I can't grieve for him, not yet. Not when there is so much else to be done. I really want to take your advice…but I'm sorry, Your Grace, I can't."

Magni sighed, cursing whatever higher force had created such a terrible situation for the girl.

"If that is the case, then," he said, capturing her eyes once again, "then I must ask you to spend the day and night here, if only to recuperate and rest. Besides, if I am not mistaken, the zeppelin will not arrive until tomorrow. That is the fastest way you can traverse the sea, so you'd best take what time you have to rest."

Kira realized that protesting further would be both impractical and useless, so she nodded, and turned away. Kylia came forwards; ready to accompany Kira away from the sweltering heat of the Forge, when Magni's voice stopped them both.

"Kira, may I ask you something?"

She turned and blinked at him. "Yes?"

"Do you happen to have your mother's necklace with you?"

Kira blinked fished the green stone from her top. "Yes, I do. But why-"

Magni smiled brightly and said, "I might ask you to visit Tinker Town for a few moments. There is a trio of gnomes there that might have need of that. Would it trouble you to pay them a visit?"

Kira shook her head slightly, her own curiosity beginning to arise.

_What could they use it for?_

_

* * *

_

"Too slow, brat."

Naruto slumped to the ground, utterly exhausted. His body was covered in bruises, gashes and all sorts of wounds from his training with Thrall. In addition to that, his body seemed to ache from the inside as well. He hurt in places that, to his knowledge, Thrall had never even tried to hit.

Thrall was making due on his word to teach Naruto the second part of Tetra Elemental style, _Kazaashi_. The technique was, in theory, quite simple. All it did was enhance a person's speed, whether it was movement, or attack, to superhuman levels.

But in reality, it was far more difficult that anything Naruto had tried to learn before. Because it not only required a healthy amount of chakra control, but it took an immensely strong body in order to use. The speed of the technique was so incredible that a person's body wore out attempting to use it. It took tremendous stamina, but also a very durable body in order to use effectively.

According to Thrall, that was why it was intentionally designed for orcs, and orcs only. They naturally had stronger, more durable bodies, and hence they were able to master it with more ease. But even then, it took them years to fully master it, so Thrall didn't expect the blonde to get it as quick as he had gotten the _Kongou_.

He had begun teaching the boy shortly after he had returned from his mission, and was immensely surprised by the results. The blonde had somehow managed to garner the respect of the tauren, make an invaluable ally in the chieftain's grandson, gain a spirit whistle, and cause the breakdown of one of the largest companies that the Undermine had ever spit out.

It made him curious. The blonde had managed to gain Cairn's respect, and even got the ancient tauren back into the folds of the Horde. It made him wonder if he should use the same tactic to gain back Vol'jin's allegiance, but he dismissed that idea quickly.

Vol'jin was his responsibility, and he would deal with that himself, when the time came.

But he had to admit, the blonde was amazing.

"Stop, brat, we are finished for today."

Naruto fell backwards almost immediately, hitting the ground and expelling a slight "oomph" sound.

Thrall ignored him, and left the room, heading for the bath, so that he could wash himself.

Minutes later, Naruto managed to pull himself to his feet, and stumbled from the room, heading down the small passageway into the entrance hall, past a pair of guards, and out into the evening air of the city. It was cooler now, and the darkening sky was calming and relieving. This was generally his favorite time of day, as it was not boiling hot, but neither was it too dark.

He left Grommash Hold, and made his way through the streets of Orgrimmar, heading towards his favorite noodles stand. Walking from the Hold all the way to the Valley of Strength, after being pummeled around for an hour, was not something Naruto would normally do.

But it was for loon'des. And loon'des was a lot like ramen, and in Naruto's opinion, ramen was worth more than any gold or silver or special technique in the world.

Save for a technique that made ramen appear instantly.

But that was just a dream, at this point, at least.

As he walked, he idly fingered the small whistle that now lay around his neck, as he had done for the past few days.

He wanted to know his spirit counterpart!

He had blown it more than a hundred times during the trip back to Orgrimmar, which, for Golbarn, turned out to be a hundred times too many. When the guards saw them approaching the gates of Orgrimmar, they saw Golbarn dragging and severely beaten, and unconscious Naruto, who, by sheer force of will, stubbornly kept the whistle clamped between his teeth. Every exhale caused the whistle to give an airy sound that made Golbarn twitch.

Suffice to say, the guards had opened the gates long before the two had actually arrived, and preferred to hide in the guard posts on either side of the gate.

With the look that Golbarn had been sporting, it wasn't surprising.

Since that time, Naruto had been blowing at anything that remotely resembled an animal (which had gotten him into trouble a few times) but he had yet to find his spirit counterpart, and he was growing frustrated.

When he reached Sarjak's, he climbed up and ordered a bowl of kodo loon'des, before resting his head on the counter.

He was tired.

As he awaited his food, he couldn't help but wonder if his friends back in Konoha had gotten his message.

And he hoped that the stupid little toad didn't say anything that would piss Sakura off further than she already must be at him, having heard of what Gamakichi had said to her after the last message.

* * *

"Another message from Naruto?" asked Tsunade, sitting up straighter in her chair.

Jiraiya nodded, smirking, pointing to the small orange toad atop his head. Gamakichi leapt from his perch on to the table.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the little toad, remembering its attitude from before. She then shifted her attention, and called out to one of the guards.

The shinobi walked in, "You need something, Hokage-sama?" he asked, calmly.

She nodded, "Get Sakura and Kakashi. Tell them to come to my office as soon as they can, and that its another message from Naruto."

The man nodded, and vanished through the door seconds later.

She turned her attention back to Gamakichi, who was admiring her bust, and clearing her throat.

"So what's the little brat gotten himself into this time?" she asked.

Gamakichi grinned, "That would ruin the surprise! You should wait until those two get here, I don' wanna have to tell you twice." He turned to Jiraiya, "So how's the book comin' Jiraiya? Boss wants to know, he's getting kind of impatient."

Tsunade twitched as Jiraiya preened at the attention, and set about explaining to the little toad how far along he was, and the great research he was doing.

_He's even got his summons reading them…_she thought, a vein throbbing in her forehead.

Minutes later, the door opened, and she looked up, ready to greet her student and the copy-ninja, but instead found someone she didn't expect at the door.

"I AM TOLD YOU HAVE NEWS OF YOUNG NARUTO-KUN, HOKAGE-SAMA! I, MAITO GAI, GREEN BEAST OF KONOHA, WISH TO HEAR HOW MY RIVAL'S YOUNG STUDENT IS FAIRING ALONE IN A WORLD NOT HIS OWN! THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH BURNS BRIGHTLY IN HIM!"

The vein in Tsunade's head grew larger, and she stared in annoyance as Gai ran in, flashing a pose, his bright white teeth glittering in the non-existent sunlight.

"I, ROCK LEE, AM ALSO INTERESTED IN HEARING OF HOW NARUTO-KUN IS DOING! MY HEART IS RELEIVED THAT NARUTO-KUN STILL LIVES! I MUST LEARN HOW MY RIVAL IS FAIRING!"

"LEE! YOU PASSION MAKES MY HEART BURN!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"Hey, could you two keep it down? Its too troublesome listening to you guys yell at this time of night. I wanna go home." Shikamaru muttered, yawning and walking in behind the two taijutsu using, green-spandex garbed shinobi. The perpetually lazy chuunin didn't look much different, save for he had the beginnings of some peach-fuzz on his lower jaw, and he was slightly taller.

"Ah, come on Shikamaru, isn't it interesting that we're gonna learn what Naruto's been up to?" said Chouji, clutching a bag of chips and walking in a little behind his best friend. His hair was longer, and he too, was taller.

"It is, isn't it? Even a lazy bum like you should be at least somewhat interested in hearing where that guy has been. I've spoken all of three words to him, and I'm interested!" said Ino, stalking in after Chouji. Ino didn't look much different, save for she had filled out slightly, and was on her way to becoming one of the most physically desirable kunoichi of her age.

"Who cares what that idiot's up to?" declared Kiba, walking in, Shino by his side. The bug-using shinobi said nothing, and it was impossible to tell if he was interested, or whether he was bored, or even if he was alive, really. The dog-like shinobi had lowered his hood, and Akamaru, who had grown in the past few months, and was now walking next to him, rather than riding on his head. Shino looked much the same, save for he had grown slightly taller.

"N-Naruto-kun…I h-hope he's o-okay," whispered Hinata, coming in after them. She looked almost the same as before; save for the fact that her hair was longer, almost shoulder length now.

"I'm sure he's fine," stated Neji stiffly. The other Hyuuga was now wearing a simple white gi, with white pants and sandals. His hair was the same, as was his stern visage.

"I don't even know why I'm here…I barely know this guy," said Tenten, walking alongside Neji.

By this time, Tsunade's vein was so large that Jiraiya was worried it would explode, kill her, and destroy half the room in the process. It was after Tenten that Sakura and Kakashi walked, the former looking chastened, and the latter with his face buried in a familiar orange book. Behind them Asuma and Kurenai walked in, both looking passive.

Upon sighting Sakura, Tsunade rounded on her, and asked heatedly, "Why are all of them here?"

Sakura slumped, blushing slightly, and said, "It isn't my fault…Ino called all of them. She was with me when I heard you wanted to see me. Sorry master."

"I don't see anything wrong with having all of them here," said Kakashi, turning the page of his book. "Seems like they should know as well."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him this time. "Yes, but it's the principle of the thing-"

"Oi! Old lady, shut your yap, and let me speak, okay?" interrupted Gamakichi, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

While Tsunade fumed at the toad's audacity, Gamakichi cleared his throat.

"Okay! Naruto has a lot to say, so you guys gotta stay quiet while I'm speaking. I think I got it pretty much down, what he wanted to say, so here goes!"

Gamakichi immediately launched into the story, explaining how Naruto, upon arriving to his destination from the zeppelin, had been defeated and put in the service of the leader of a place called Orgrimmar. He now, apparently, served the city's leader, Thrall, and was being taught a plethora of new tricks by him.

He then went on to explain the events that took place in Mulgore, much to the shock of the group. They stared in wonder as the toad explained Gamabunta's role in the fight against a monstrous beast called a Ventursaurus Rex, then the events after, as well.

By the time he had finished, Gai suddenly burst into a long-winded praise of the young shinobi, shouting out many of his typical catch phrases. Lee joined him almost immediately, while the others just shook their heads in wonder.

"Geez," muttered Shikamaru, "that guy doesn't do things by halves does he?"

"Amazing," said Chouji, happily chomping on more chips; "I guess I gotta step up my training a bit, if I wanna keep up with Naruto!"

"Wow, he really took on something that size, and won? I'm kinda sorry that I didn't chase after him, instead!" laughed Ino, shaking her head in amazement.

"I'm not gonna let that stupid guy get stronger than me!" roared Kiba, "Come on, Akamaru, let's go perfect that new technique we've been developing!"

"…Interesting," said Shino, turning to follow Kiba out.

"N-Naruto-kun…He's so amazing…but I must get strong as w-well. I won't fall behind!" Hinata promised to herself, nodding slightly.

"Hmph…I don't plan to fall behind, Naruto. The next time we meet, I'll show you that my eyes have improved…" said Neji, smirking calmly.

"So cool! When he gets back, I'm definitely going to have a look at the sword of his!" said Tenten, smiling.

"I WILL NOT FALL BEHIND NARUTO-KUN! I WILL TRAIN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY, NON-STOP, UNTIL I AM AS GREAT AS HE!" roared Lee, his eyes burning with hidden flames.

Sakura stood, still in slight awe of her teammate.

_He really did all that? Amazing…I am definitely going to have to train harder, as well. I'm not going to be a burden anymore…_

She smiled to herself, and wondered briefly what Naruto would have looked like; fighting the beast that Gamakichi had gone to great lengths to describe.

_Pretty cool, I imagine,_ she thought.

"Well, that's about it," said Gamakichi, yawning. "I'm headin' back, so you all just sit tight, Naruto's gonna come back, sooner or later, so you guys should just wait and see what's gonna happen!"

With a pop, the toad vanished, and the occupants of the room began to disperse.

Tsunade watched the others leave with a slight wistful look on her face.

I wonder if that guy, Thrall, who's training Naruto… 

She blushed at the memory of the strange dream that she had several nights ago.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya was having frighteningly similar thoughts.

_When that brat gets back…I'm gonna make him show me every one of those Sexy no jutsu forms!_

He cackled silently to himself, disappearing into the warm night air.

* * *

Naruto blinked slightly when his bowl was set down, and he sat up straight, ready to dig in.

"A bowl of the same for me," rumbled a familiar voice next to him. He blinked and turned to see Golbarn sitting there. The large orc looked down at Naruto his eyebrows raised.

"Lord Thrall has been working you quite a bit, I see," he said.

Naruto nodded, beginning to eat. "Yeah, he doesn't hold back. He hardly even tells me what to do, either, so I have to figure out the purpose of the technique by myself. It's a wicked hard technique, too."

"Hmph...that didn't stop you from learning my Bladestorm after seeing it once, brat."

The blonde grinned at him, and raised brought his whistle into view. Almost immediately Golbarn turned away, flinching horribly in seeing the dreaded silver noise-maker. He still heard the sound, even now, in his dreams. Shaking the fear off, he asked the boy a question that had been bothering him for awhile.

"Brat, what you said back in Thunder Bluff, to Cairn...do you really intend to do that? Why?"

Naruto was silent for a moment, mostly because he had a large batch of loon'des in his mouth, making it difficult for him to speak. After swallowing, he said slowly, stirring the noodles idly, "'Cause its the right thing to do. I know I'm not really from this world, and don't have any idea of the histories that you have with the other races, but you have to admit, that its stupid fighting over something like that. This Lich King guy, from what I hear, isn't going to go down so lightly. If you guys can't learn to work together, how the heck are you ever going to beat him?"

Golbarn sighed a moment, reflecting the blonde's words. It was true that the Lich King and his forces were strong, but would he have to ally with other humans? With dwarves? Gnomes? Elves? He frowned at the blonde, who had returned to eating his food, and wondered whether the blonde truly had an idea of the hatred that some races had for another. Did he actually believe that just by fighting for them as he had for the tauren, that he would be able to overcome years of hatred?

Naruto wasn't the smartest person that he had met, but the blonde possessed a good heart, he knew, and one that was unburdened by an sort of preconceived notions.

Perhaps that was what it would take, in order overcome the barriers that had been built up?

_Who knows,_ he wondered, _maybe this brat will really be able to do it._

After seeing what he had done for the tauren, Golbarn had an inkling that he would.

* * *

Almost a day later, Naruto was once again embroiled in a training session with the Warchief, and much like his previous training sessions, he was exhausted and beaten to almost a near pulp.

Though he healed quickly, and his stamina was almost unending, the blonde could not keep up with the orc's powerful attacks. But each time he was knocked down, the thought of learning such a powerful technique helped him get back up and try again.

It was halfway through the session when news arrived, something that stopped Thrall and Naruto.

"Lord Thrall!"

One of the guards that stood outside Grommash Hold (officially titled a Kor'kron Elite), rushed in, and bowed to the Warchief, who stood over an injured Naruto, who was struggling to rise.

"What is it?" asked Thrall, turning to meet him.

"There are two humans at the gate. Females," the Kor'kron Elite responded, his head bowed.

Thrall frowned, and cast a suspicious eye at Naruto, who looked just as confused as he. What on earth were more humans doing here?

"One of them speaks crude Orcish, as well. She asks to see you, and also if there is another human here." He pointed at Naruto, "She described him."

Thrall turned and lifted Naruto with ease, holding the blonde in front of his eyes by the back of his jacket.

"Do you know these girls, brat?"

Naruto looked confused, "What do they look like?"

The Kor'kron Elite responded, "One is short, and possesses dark hair, and is very pale. The other has golden hair, and is slightly darker. From what I understood, she called herself Keeraa."

"Kira!" the boy blurted, looking shocked. What the heck was she doing here?

"So you do know her," observed Thrall, gazing at Naruto calmly.

"'Course I do, she sent me here!" the blonde said, staring back at Thrall.

At this, Thrall frowned. While he had never questioned why Naruto was here, he had a plan to, of course, but only after the blonde had earned his ear. But if the person who had sent Naruto was here herself, then he felt he needed to speak with her.

"Let them in, and escort them here. Go."

The guard nodded, and disappeared through the door. Thrall then bent down and made a string of seals, causing his hands to glow green. He placed the glowing hands on Naruto's wounded flesh, causing them to disappear and repair.

He then stood, and moved towards his throne, taking a seat and putting on his best display of power.

Naruto stood, revitalized, but didn't move from his position. He simply began to watch the door, his mind churning with questions as to why the girl whom had given him this quest was here.

* * *

Kira walked steadily along with Kylia through the streets of Orgrimmar, her eyes wide with disbelief and wonder at the sights. Kylia was amazed as well, though she had to contain it, and focused everything she had on navigating the bumpy and dusty path that they were walking. Being naturally somewhat clumsy, the girl had no wish to fall and accidentally be crushed by one of the massive orcs that were escorting them.

The past few days had been hard for both of them, mostly because they had both discovered a dislike of goblins. The greedy little beasts had managed to remove a large portion of the gold that they had been carrying, and they hadn't needed to pickpocket any of it. The thrill for both of them of being on their first zeppelin was tempered by this newfound dislike of the diminutive beasts.

There was also the fact that Kylia was still grieving, and though she wouldn't show it, she was still deeply wounded by her father's death.

And, of course, this was not surprising. But Kylia had done as much as she could in order to keep the girl occupied, and accompanied her wherever she went. That hadn't been hard on the zeppelin, as there wasn't much to see other than the view. She knew that Kira would pull through, but until then she had to do her best to keep the girl's attention away from her grief, and on their goal.

With four, massive, brutish green men surrounding them, that wasn't hard either. At first sight, Kylia had been terrified of the large creatures, but now the terror had dulled down a bit, and it was replaced with a mixture of nervousness and slight disgust. She wrinkled her nose slightly at the smell of the orcs, and fought the urge to make a face.

_Do they ever bathe?_ She wondered.

She was lucky that Kira spoke some Orcish, or they would have no doubt been in a lot of trouble.

They finally reached a massive, circular building, with huge tusks driving out of the front, and the guards led them inside.

The entrance hall was circular, with several torches burning, and there were many other guards inside watching them as they walked in. Despite the torches, it was still slightly dark, giving it a dark, tribal atmosphere. The guards led them through a door on the opposite of the room, and down a long hallway, with several door along it.

They then stepped into another, larger circular room. Unlike the previous, this one was brightly lit, and at the far end was a large throne.

Upon the throne, a large orc sat, dressed in all black and gazing at Kira with electric blue eyes.

She knew without a doubt that this was Thrall.

But almost as soon as she locked eyes with the huge orc, she heard a voice call out to her in Common.

"Kira-chan!"

The girl blinked and looked away from Thrall, to a little ways in front of him. Standing there, dressed in black and orange, was none other than Uzumaki Naruto.

"Naruto!" she said, stunned. He was here! She felt her heart lift a little. He was still alive!

Kylia blinked and looked at the boy that she had never met, but Kira seemed to hold in high esteem. He was certainly a rough-looking sort, with unruly blonde hair, a slightly scarred face, and outlandish clothing. But, the boy was helping Kira, and that in itself was something that she found admiring of the blonde.

"What the heck are you doing here!" the boy cried, stopping a little in front of her.

"It's…a long story, I suppose." She responded, looking down.

"Then by all means," said Thrall, also in Common, startling the two, "tell us. We have the time."

Kira was startled slightly by the orc's words, but recovered. Taking a deep breath, she began the story, beginning from when Naruto had left.

She said everything, from her father's changing, to the Scarlet Crusade, finally to the news of her father's death, and her flight from Stormwind to Ironforge.

She did not cry once, to her credit, though by the end she was actively fighting her tears back.

Naruto had lowered his head as well, realizing that it was hard for the girl to speak of something like that. He had no idea what it must have felt like, to lose a father, because he had never had one. The closest thing to a father he had ever had was the Third, but even then, he had not been as attached to the old man as Kira had been to her father.

Thrall had remained silent, and was still staring at the girl, his face composed.

He spoke.

"I cannot say that I am sorry that that man is dead. However, I can say that I am sorry for your loss, for losing a loved one is never easy. But your presence here is still a mystery to me. Why have you come?"

"I have come to-" she began, but stopped when Naruto interrupted.

"She here for the same reason I am. You said that until I had earned it, then you wouldn't listen. The same applies to her, I think," he said, glaring at Thrall.

Kira looked at him in surprise.

_He hasn't told him yet?_ She thought, blinking. This complicated things a bit, she realized, but desperately hoped that Naruto knew what he was doing.

Thrall didn't seem shocked by the blonde's words, and said calmly, "Fine. Then if it is the same, the girl will also serve me, now, until I am ready to hear what you have to say."

Kira blinked at those words, and shot Naruto an annoyed look. The blonde grinned sheepishly, as Thrall spoke again.

"If that is everything, then you will-"

"LORD THRALL!"

The shout stopped Thrall from speaking any further, and he stood in alarm as a Kor'kron Elite rushed in, breathing heavily.

"What is it? What is wrong?" Thrall asked, frowning at the orc.

"There is another visitor at the gates! It's a troll, from the Darkspears! He is hurt, quite badly, too!"

At this, Thrall's eyes widened, breaking his composed visage. Without a word to Kira or Naruto, he followed the Kor'kron Elite out.

Baffled, Naruto followed, with Kira and Kylia behind him.

It didn't take long for them to reach the gates, where a small crowd of orcs, mainly guards, had gathered. They parted as Thrall walked up, and a troll, with light blue skin, was revealed.

The guard's earlier words of him being injured didn't do the heavily wounded troll justice. His body was covered in deep gashes and cuts none of which were bleeding, but didn't look like they were healing, either. They were black, and looked as if they had been burned at one point. One of his tusks had been removed, and his hair had been partially burned away. He was missing one eye, and looked almost dead from starvation, his ribcage visible beneath the saggy skin on his bare chest.

Thrall lowered himself to his knees, and lifted the troll's head up, a look of sorrow upon his face.

The troll reached out and grasped his hand, gasping, and saying in a raspy, unused voice, "Fa'give me, boss man…I-I not b-be in de best of shapes. I didn' tend…. ta' arrive… so late…"

"Easy," whispered Thrall, "your journey is over, you must rest."

The troll gave a raspy laugh.

"I…gonna…rest de big rest…soon, boss man. But…I…need ta'…say somethin'. We…be needin' your help." He coughed several times, drying racking ones that made Naruto wince.

"With what?" the Warchief whispered.

"Blood…" the troll answered, his eyes beginning to cloud. Thrall gritted his teeth and formed a few seals, placing his hand over the troll's chest. The healing chakra began to work its magic, but the troll didn't recover. Instead, he just repeated, his voice growing fainter.

"Blood…Blood…Cap'n…Blood."

* * *

Done!

Urgh, this chapter was hard, no fighting :(

But its over, and the next few chapters, thus begins the Troll Arc! YAY!

I think it will be my favorite arc!

Also, sorry about the so little Kira and Naruto time at the end. You can bet there will be more in the future, so just hold on, k?

By the end of this chapter, I realize that I was rushing things…but I don't think I could have done much else, otherwise. Writing more down time before introducing the arc would just make you guys mad, and it would make me mad too!

The next few chapters will get a lot better, I think, with more action, explosions, and, most importantly, my favorite original villain in the story!

I look forwards to introducing you guys to him!

Also, before I forget, here is a good treat for all of you guys! This is an omake written by a good buddy of mine, Tatsu, whose been a great help to me in the writing of this fic!

It's hilarious, and meant to be taken as a funny omake. I won't include it in the main story.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Omake by Tatsu: How big is too big? **

As morning dawned in the Hidden Village of the Leaf, one could see that Hyuuga Hinata was outside the door of Hokage-sama herself, looking even more nervous than usual, if possible.

Tapping gently on the door, Hinata expected that no one would answer, and was quite surprised when she heard a somewhat tired sounding "Come in."

Tsunade certainly looked odd to the young Hyuuga heiress. It was one of the worst kept secrets of the village that Tsunade usually spent most of her early morning "work" hours sleeping on her desk; it was therefore unusual that she should be not only awake, but appearing satisfied for some reason.

"Ah Hinata-chan. What brings you here today?" Tsunade asked pleasantly.

"A-ano, Hokage-sama, I-I've been having rather o-odd dreams lately, and was wondering if you knew what to make of them." Hinata let out shyly.

"Eh? Why come to me then? Couldn't you have gone to one of the other medic-nins who specialize in that sort of thing?"

"I did Hokage-sama, but they thought it was due to eating some sort of chemical laden foods. That couldn't have been the cause though, because I haven't had any such foods lately. You're the only one I thought of who would take this seriously."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow curiously. "And what exactly do these dreams entail?"

At this, Hinata broke into a large blush, and started to twist her fingers together in a nervous gesture. "W-well Hokage-sama, in these dreams I meet someone who seems familiar somehow. He's confident and kind, and willing to protect me. He's very strong and not ever willing to give up, and he can make me smile. The dreams usually involve us just being close to each other, though there was one dream in particular…" at this, Hinata seemed to nearly swoon.

Tsunade let out a cross between a sigh of relief and exasperation. "Hinata, I know you miss Naruto, I do too, but he won't be back for-"

"But Tsunade-sama, that's the thing! It isn't Naruto-kun in my dreams!" Hinata said, somewhat embarrassed.

"If it isn't Naruto, than who is it?" Tsuande asked, even more curious than before, if it were possible.

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but it's a big walking, talking bull."

"A…bull?"

(If this were an Anime, imagine one of those big gusts of wind that happens at an awkward moment.)

Tsunade brightened up, apparently thinking of something that might help.

"Well Hinata-chan, I don't think you're necessarily crazy, but they do sound like strange dreams. Tell me though, are there any green-skinned men with tusks in these dreams as well?"

"….Excuse me?"

"Well, I've been having some…unusual dreams as well Hinata-chan. I thought the two might be connected. And I'm beginning to think that Naruto has something to do with it."

"Naruto-kun? Why would you say that Hokage-sama? Isn't he training with Jiraiya-sama?"

"Not exactly. Hinata, I'm going to let you in on a bit of a secret. Naruto… somehow found himself in another world. He hasn't explained much of what has been going on with him, but if he is in fact in another world, it's possible that he's affecting us to a certain extent." Tsunade explained "The next time Jiraiya comes in, I'm going to have him summon a toad with a message asking for a more detailed explanation, preferably in a letter. Then maybe we'll get some answers."

Hinata let out a sigh of relief. "That is good news Hokage-sama. I was worried that I might be going crazy. Still, I wonder who he is…"

"Hinata?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama?"

"In this 'particular' dream of yours, how big was this bull man?"

"I'd say about seven to eight feet tall."

"I wasn't talking about his height."

It took a few moments for Hinata to register what Tsunade was talking about. When she did, she promptly fainted with her whole body as red as a fire truck. Tsunade sighed with a bit of a smile on her face.

"That good huh?"

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed that!

Oh, and by the way, I'm opening up a vote for what Naruto's spirit counterpart is going to be. That is to say, you can suggest anything from the Warcraft universe, that wouldn't be impossible to do, and wouldn't be super powerful. You can also, if you want, suggest a fox or a toad, but in my opinion, you guys should be able to do better than that. Having a fox is so…cliché. He already has one inside him, and as for a toad, he can summon them. You guys have an entire world of creatures to choose from- wolves, bats, snakes, dinosaurs, kodos, cats, anything! There are so many better things than just a fox!

I will keep the polls open until the chapter after the next one, then I will decide.

So **vote** and **review** and be merry!

Now, reviewer mail!

**Grengosaurus-**Thanks for the great review! Though I am a bit disappointed that the Tauren arc is so unloved (you're not the only one), I hope to make the next few arcs enjoyable. And yes, he will meet Sylvanas, (the arc after the Trolls).

**Kyrtythren-** Thanks, the stuff from Scarlet Stratholme will come in later in the story, but the Crusaders in the monastery will come soon. As for the AQ stuff, I may do a sort of side-story/movie thing that is completely out of canon, much like I might do with Ragnaros, or Thunderaan, or Zul'Gurub or something. Really, trying to include everything the game does in this fic would be too troublesome.

**Needmore-** Rezz spells will be revealed later, I think, but they aren't as common as they are in the game. Burning Crusade will come later, but until it actually comes out, and I know the story behind it, I won't include it. That Si Ling is a pretty cool idea. And I do know that Malfurion is stuck in the emerald dream…but in this one he wasn't for so long.

**Gundam Chief- **Thanks for the review, they really are my sustenance! I guess you are right about Golbarn's feelings, but I will be sure to expound upon them later. This chapter should fill that craving that you have for the knowledge of what his friend's reactions would be. I don't think they were very good, but I hope you enjoyed them anyways.

Well, that's everything!

Only one entry in the logbook today.

**Armory- **

**Hearthstone- **Transports a person to the sight of the place that they bound the stone to. Very useful for quick teleporting.


	28. Booty Bay, Pirates!

**Disclaimer: _Hmm…I see that you don't own World of Warcraft…better be…_HUFFLEPUFF!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_-------------------------------------------------- _

Thrall watched as the troll's body was taken away, his final rites and wishes to be sung by the shamans of the Valley of Spirits. He would have done them himself, however, he now had much more pressing matters to attend to.

He, Naruto, Kira and Kylia returned quickly to Grommash Hold after the troll was carried way, with Thrall deep in thought. He now had a whole new slew of problems to deal with. Ones that had chosen quite possibly the worst time to appear. He took a seat upon his throne, still lost in thought, when Naruto spoke up.

"What're you gonna do?" the blonde shinobi asked calmly.

Thrall shot him a look. "I don't know, brat. This is a difficult problem, and I have much to deal with already."

"Who was he?" asked Kira, frowning, looking at the orc, "Did you know him?"

Thrall gave a distracted nod, "I did, he was one of Vol'jin's most skilled warriors. The fact that he now lies dead, in such a condition, is a testament to the danger that his people are likely in now. They need my help."

"You never told me why this Vol'jin guy left," Naruto spoke up, frowning at Thrall, "what happened?"

Thrall's eyes shifted to Kylia for a second, which caused the girl to flinch slightly. Kira noticed this, and said calmly, "Anything you say to us, you can say in front of her."

He gave another distracted nod, not in the mood to contest the girl's words. "Vol'jin was my greatest ally, I think. He was devilishly clever, and fiercely loyal to our cause. I couldn't think of time that he and I ever disagreed.

"But, as the years passed, a distance grew between us. We began to argue, mostly on little things, but those quickly escalated into greater ones. Though he was one of my greatest friends, he began to wish for his people to be united. You see, the Trolls, since the fall of the Gurubashi Empire in Stranglethorn, have been divided in every way possible. Vol'jin's tribe had been exiled from their lands, because the remnants of the Gurubashi trolls had taken over the area. Vol'jin, however, did not see them as enemies. He believed that through negotiation, and reason, he could get the trolls of Stranglethorn to ally once more. At the time, I saw it as nothing more than wishful thinking. The trolls of that region were fierce and wild, and obeyed no one but their own. Vol'jin however believed that given the time and effort, he could gain their allegiance, and strengthen the Horde's forces. This was the focus of our disagreements. This was after both Sylvanas and Cairn had left the Horde, for their own reasons, and I did not want Vol'jin to do the same. I needed him more than ever.

" However, I knew that if I did not let him do this, then I would lose him nonetheless. Despite the vow that he took to be loyal to me, Vol'jin has always been a very independent person, and I knew that if he set his mind to doing this, then I would not be able to stop him.

"So, I sent him away, with specific instructions to return as quickly as possible. He and his people left Sen'jin Village, far to the south of here, past Razor Hill, and returned to Stranglethorn."

"You sent him away!" Naruto squawked, stunned.

Thrall shot him an irritated glance, and nodded, "I had little choice. He was clever, so I didn't expect him to take long. But weeks became months, then years, and though I have kept in touch with him, he has not returned. In the past year, however, I have heard nothing from him. I have begun to grow worried, and I considered launching an expedition to find him. However, I received a letter, telling me that he will not return.

"I could not believe it. Vol'jin had never broken his word to me, not once. This oath, I think was more important to him than anything else, and so I at once I sent a small dispatch to try and reason with him.

"They returned, or at least their heads did, with their mouths and eyes sewn shut."

Kira gasped, "So he betrayed you…?"

Thrall gave a bitter laugh, "If it were not for the fact that I am positive that none of Vol'jin's soothsayers practice that barbaric art, and that he would never harm someone sent by me for such a trivial reason, I would have believed that as well."

He sighed; standing to his feet, though his head was still bowed in concentration.

"I considered going myself, but things began to pile up, and I did nothing about the matter. There was nothing to suggest that Vol'jin was dead; we are both shaman, you see, and during the Third War, we needed a way to know if the other was still alive or not."

He held out his hand, and pulled the gauntlet from it, exposing the back. Upon his green skin, there was a black marking, one Naruto recognized as the one on the Horde banners all around Orgrimmar.

"This mark is one that we created, for that purpose. It does nothing but sense the presence of the other's life force. I made the same bond with Cairn, which I why I had no idea what state he was in; I only knew that he was alive, much in the same way I know that Vol'jin is alive."

He sighed again, "In hindsight, it isn't the most useful object, but I knew that Vol'jin was alive. I was confident that he'd be able to come to his senses, or escape whatever prison he had fallen into.

"And then…this happened."

Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest, "So, I ask you again, what're you gonna do?"

Thrall said nothing for a moment. Then, "I am going to go."

Naruto grinned, "Alright! You definitely need to get off your lazy ass!"

Kira glanced at Naruto, appalled that he would address the Warchief of the Horde in such a manner.

_We need to get him on our side, not insult him!_ She mentally shrieked. If it weren't for the fact that Naruto had already proven himself useful, she would have smacked him for being so disrespectful.

She then wondered if he had acted like this to the other races that he had managed to save, and made a note to ask him later.

Thrall shot him a scathing look, "My 'ass' is no lazier than yours, brat. And you seem to be forgetting who the Warchief is, here."

Naruto opened his mouth to reply, when a voice stopped him.

"My lord, what you are suggesting is highly inadvisable."

Naruto turned quickly, while Thrall merely shifted his eyes slightly to meet the eyes of a fierce looking, hunched orc with graying hair and glittered onyx eyes. He wore a large wolf skin pelt over his head, much like Rexxar.

Thrall frowned, "What do you mean, Nazgrel?"

Naruto blinked in recognition of the orc, before scowling slightly. The orc was an incredibly skilled and intelligent orc who served as Thrall's personal advisor, and chief of security for the city. While Thrall respected him quite a bit, Naruto didn't, and in fact the blonde hated the orc quite a bit. The feeling, he knew, was mutual, which was why he disliked Nazgrel so much. The orc, whom had only been in the same room as Naruto twice, had spent much the time that they had been in that room scowling at him, radiating killing intent.

Thrall had told him that Nazgrel hated humans more than any other race in the world, bar the Scourge. He hated the fact that Thrall had persistently tried to ally with them, and considered nearly all of them useless, weak scum.

He seemed to dislike Naruto even more, because the blonde had proven himself stronger than many orcs, as well as gained the attention of Thrall. The last time they had met, they had broken out into a fierce argument that the Kor'kron elite had to break up because if it had gone on any longer, one of them would have ended up either dead or maimed.

So, Naruto had just avoided the annoying orc whenever he came in to give Thrall reports, or converse with him about an issue with the city.

Nazgrel replied to Thrall's question in a steely voice, his onyx eyes flashing over to Kira and Kylia. His lip curled in disgust at the sight of them.

"I mean, is that you are needed here far more than you are needed there. There is no telling what that fool will do if you decide to leave," he rumbled, turning his attention back to Thrall.

"What fool?" Naruto blurted, unable to stop himself.

Nazgrel's lips curled again, but Thrall, seeking to avoid a confrontation, spoke for him.

"He is referring to Rend Blackhand…a foolish orc who believes himself to be the true Warchief…he has been raiding my outposts in the Eastern Kingdoms, as well as making many of the citizens here defect, with false promises of greater glory. He is the reason that I did not leave the first time, because I believed that he might make an attack upon my city in my absence…but that was then…this is now."

Nazgrel glared at Thrall, "My lord, this isn't something you should take wisely. He is weaker than yourself, by far, but Rend is still a very dangerous foe, and for now, I ask of you, nay, beg of you, to remain here. We cannot take this chance."

Thrall stood, and looked as if he was going to tell off the other orc. However, almost at once, he deflated, realizing the truth of Nazgrel's words. As great a friend Vol'jin was, Thrall's own people came first.

"You…are right."

Naruto let out a low growl and bellowed, "Don't listen to that bastard! You need to help, its what friends do! He's your ally and friend, so why don't you just go!"

Thrall's face twisted into a grimace, and he didn't meet Naruto's eyes.

"If I could, brat…I would leave here in a heartbeat. But as a leader, I must make the decision that is best of my people…I cannot leave, Nazgrel's words are the truth."

Naruto glanced hotly at Nazgrel, who glared back, though there was no triumph in his eyes. It looked as if he hadn't wanted to contest Thrall's decision, but he'd had to.

Kira knew that look well, as her eyes fell on Nazgrel as well. She'd seen the same look in Benedictus' eyes, before she had left. He hadn't wanted her to go; neither had she wanted to leave. But duty had forced them.

A leader's duty was to protect his people, first and foremost.

It was something that everyone in the room knew. Naruto had had it ingrained into him as soon as he had begun to dream of being Hokage. The Hokage was the strongest in the village, and his duty was to protect everyone in the village.

Whatever means possible.

Thrall then spoke, calmly, and determinedly.

"Boy…Naruto…I must ask of you something."

Naruto looked up at the Warchief, frowning.

"What?"

"I must ask you to take this as a final mission…and should you return, I will give you two rewards. I will first teach you the Fire component of the Tetra Elemental style that you are wielding…it is possibly the strongest, and it is in your best interests to use it rather than the Water style. The second reward is…I will listen to your words, the reason you came here, and the reason that you have stayed so long. Do we have an agreement?"

Naruto was already grinning.

"Damn right we do!" the boy said happily, his mind filled with prospects of learning a new, more powerful aspect of the style. Sure, he hadn't mastered Wind yet, but he didn't let that get to him.

"I'm going too!"

Naruto stopped daydreaming, and stared back at Kira, eyes wide.

"What?" he said for the second time in two minutes.

"I said I'm going," the girl repeated, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at the blonde.

Naruto was uncomfortably reminded of Sakura-chan at the look, but he swallowed and reasoned that a princess wouldn't hit him as hard as she would, mostly because she probably had better manners and all that.

"Why? I'm not saying you're weak or anything…I wouldn't know. But I don't want you to get hurt, and the best place for you to stay is here…" he said, scratching the back of his head.

Kira shook her head, not budging. "I came here to help, Naruto. I barely know you, and I know you've done a lot so far…but I can't ask you to do this for me alone. It's my dream, so I should be a part in making it happen…the part that I tried to play is now gone…so I have to do everything I can to make this dream come true!"

Naruto blinked a few times, taking in the girl's words.

"And besides…somehow you got Kylia and me bound to the Warchief of Orgrimmar…you've got to take responsibility for that. And I still haven't forgiven you for seeing me almost naked." She added, glaring at him forcefully after the last bit.

Naruto blushed a little in remembrance of the scene, and nodded a few times.

It was her dream after all…

"Okay…" the blonde said, sighing. She smirked triumphantly, and turned back to Thrall, who had watched the entire scene impassively. If it weren't such a serious situation, he'd have been smiling.

"What about her? And who is she anyways?" Naruto said, pointing to Kylia, who looked at the boy in surprise.

Kira sighed and said, "This is Kylia, my maidservant. And are you coming, Kylia?"

The girl looked unsure of herself for a second, when Naruto spoke.

"Is she a fighter? 'Cause if she isn't, she shouldn't come."

A millisecond later, a small, silvery flash passed a hairs-width away from Naruto's cheek, zipped by his ear, severed a golden lock, and planted itself upon the wall behind the startled blonde.

Kira smirked proudly as Kylia lowered the small knife she was carrying in her other hand.

"You have to be tough to be my maidservant," the Princess said.

While Naruto tried to gather his wits, Thrall spoke again.

"I would suggest leaving immediately, brat. Golbarn is already on another mission, most likely; so don't bother trying to find him. Head to Ratchet, there should be a boat that is going to Booty Bay there. Booty Bay is a small town run by goblins in the Cape of Stranglethorn. There is a small outpost that I set up just north of there, where Vol'jin arrived at, called Grom'gol. Vol'jin has been using it as his base of operations, or so I am told. The zeppelin that usually goes there is not going to return for several days, and the goblin boats are faster than any currently in existence. You will do well to go now, for the longer you wait, the worse the situation may get."

Naruto nodded, feeling slightly annoyed that he'd have to cross the sea again.

And with goblins, to boot.

"Good…There is nothing left to say…go."

Naruto turned, and walked from the room, Kira and Kylia in tow.

Nazgrel watched them keenly for a second; his onyx eyes a little warmer than they once were.

-------------------------------------------

Archbishop Benedictus stood at the head of the table, the one of the few that were completely silent among the rabblerousing nobles that had gathered for the Council of Stormwind. The other was, of course, Lady Katrana Prestor, who sat watching the arguing nobles with an impassive countenance. They were as mountains in a typhoon, unmoving and silent.

Finally, Benedictus had had enough.

"SILENCE!" he bellowed, golden eyes flashing dangerously.

At once, the nobles fell silent, though their eyes suggested that, given the chance, they'd renew their arguing as quickly as possibly.

Benedictus took a deep breath, and began to speak.

"You know why I have called you here…the king is dead. Princess Kira has fled the castle, and the city is now leaderless. I have called you here for many reasons other than that, but I believe we should address the greatest concerns first.

"I, Archbishop Benedictus, shall take the position as regent of the city and kingdom of Stormwind."

The nobles broke out into a clamor once more upon hearing this, each denying and claiming that another would be more suitable. As before, Benedictus weathered the storm for a few seconds, before calling for silence again.

"This will not be contested. Right now, there wouldn't be anything more detrimental to our kingdom than petty fighting over who shall take Anduin's place. You all care for the kingdom, so I ask that you accept this, for now, at least." He scanned the room with his golden eyes, watching for any who would further contest him, but none did.

He continued, "There are many things that need to be done in order to keep our country stable. The first and foremost idea is for us to cut our ties with the Scarlet Crusade."

At this, one noble stood and snapped, "Cut our ties? That's foolish! We need allies, especially now! And furthermore, the people have accepted them as their own, and if we get rid of them, then we will lose the faith and trust of the people!"

Benedictus snapped his razor-sharp eyes back to him, and said calmly, "If we continue to uphold this…alliance, there will be far greater consequences. If we get rid of them now, then we may lose many, but we won't lose all. That is better than nothing. Furthermore, there is nothing to suggest that they are not responsible for King Anduin's death."

Another noble stood and said icily, "Nor is there anything to say that they did, Archbishop. It could have very well been a member of the former Horde, or perhaps one of Sylvanas' Defilers, or even a member of the Defias Brotherhood."

Benedictus nodded his head in assent, and retorted, "Yes, it could very well be them, but I would consider that an insult, if I were Stormwind's chief of security," he glanced at Reinhardt Shaun, Captain of the Stormwind Guards and Chief of Security for the city.

The large, bullish man frowned, though it was hard to tell with his large beard.

"My guardsmen are not fools, sir," he rumbled, glancing at the offending noble, "they are trained to deal with many different types of foes. They are especially trained to detect the scent of Undeath, and while the Banshee Queen is clever, I doubt a single assassin would be able to enter, unseen, unheard and unscented. And many would agree that an orc, a troll, or a tauren would never be able to enter this castle undetected, much less destroy a man as strong as our king."

The noble sat down, scowling, but said nothing more.

Benedictus spoke up again.

"The second thing that must be done is for us to renew our alliances with the gnomes and dwarves."

Several looked at him as if he were insane, but most seemed to catch on to the idea.

The mage and philosopher, Lord Coutrend, spoke up.

"That is a good idea, Archbishop, but how do we know they will agree to it? The late king was not quite on the best terms with them for the past few years."

Benedictus smiled wide inwardly, but only let a small smile appear on his face.

"Call it a hunch, Lord Coutrend. I highly doubt that a few years of poor communication can spoil many years of untainted alliance."

The lord seemed satisfied with the old man's answer, so Benedictus continued.

"With this in mind, I suggest we also look for other alliances. I suggest we call back the men of Stromgarde, to the north, in the Arathi Highlands. At this point, we need all the men we can get. Furthermore, we must send a message to Southshore, in Hillsbrad, and have them keep an eye upon the situation there. We need as many eyes up there as possible.

"Finally, I suggest that we send a small contingent of men, no larger than ten or twenty, to Kalimdor, to keep an eye on things there. But only a small one…we do not want another like the incident at Theramore.

Several people grimaced at the mention of the small fortress, now a pile of smoldering ruins.

"The legacy of our king…" Lord Coutrend mused, sarcastically.

Benedictus lowered his eyes briefly, his own heart aching, but he gritted his teeth, and spoke calmly. Theramore was quite possibly Anduin Wrynn's greatest shame, and he knew that even after his death that it would live on.

It had occurred at the very beginning of his rule, just after he had turned eighteen. He had, like most eighteen year olds, been impulsive, brash and cocky. Though he had had a great trainer in the form of High Lord Bolvar Fordragon, the arrogance of youth had affected him as it had everyone his age.

One of his first acts as king had been to make peace with one of last remaining ties to the kingdom of Lordaeron- Jaina Proudmoore. The woman, an incredibly powerful mage who had formerly been a lover of the once great and proud Arthas Menethil, had set up a small community just outside of Dustwallow Marsh, known as Theramore.

Theramore had served as a base of operations for her and her men. Many in Stormwind had believed her a traitor, as she was said to have aided the young Warchief, Thrall, in battle against her own father, Admiral Proudmoore. She had distanced herself from the politics of Stormwind during the time of Varian's rule as well as Anduin's early childhood. However, seeing this as a chance to gain more allies, perhaps at the behest of Fordragon, he had extended a hand to Jaina, who accepted it tentatively.

The alliance lasted for nearly a year, before Anduin received news of the small flight of black dragons that had made their home in the mountains in the south of the marsh. Jaina had known of them for some time, but had not bothered to mention them, as they had not yet posed her or her men a threat.

But Anduin saw the potential for disaster in the proximity that the dragons had to Theramore. He also saw the chance to prove to his kingdom that he was a true king. So, for several weeks, he had sent messages to all of the other kingdoms, calling adventurers, warriors and fighters to Stormwind, to serve and fight against a truly powerful menace. There was a definite response, and adventurers had flooded to Stormwind, not only humans, but dwarves, gnomes, and even elves. He gathered a large group of whom he considered the best of the best, around 150 of the strongest mages, warriors, priests, and assassins, even some paladins from his own guards.

One of them had been Benedictus' nephew.

With such a large force, in addition to the hundred or so that Theramore promised to send, Anduin was confident that he'd have enough to purge Dustwallow Marsh of all black dragons, and their supposed leader, the monstrous Onyxia.

They received no news for several weeks, and then, out of the blue, a lone ship sailed into Stormwind's port, its masts broken, its sails burnt and charred, and around fifty people, most of them women and children, all wounded, dying, or grieving. It had taken many skilled healers and several days before they could get a straight answer from the shocked occupants of the ship, and it couldn't have been more horrible.

Theramore had been destroyed. Utterly, without warning, and without mercy. They had swooped from the night, like huge black storms, and had razed the prospering town to the ground. The black dragons, led by their terrible queen, Onyxia, had laid into them without mercy, and when they had finally managed to organize themselves, their town was completely aflame, and now their biggest concern was preserving as many lives as possible.

Onyxia was the daughter of Deathwing, the Dragon Aspect of Earth, the corrupted dragon of legend. She was as cruel as merciless as her father, and it was no surprise that she led the attack, intending to annihilate all humans that existed in the haunted, forsaken place.

Jaina, along with several other men and women, had remained behind, and battled the onslaught of black dragons. Nothing had been heard of them since, and when they had deployed a small group of guards to investigate, they had returned with simply the news that Theramore was nothing but ruins now, and they scent of burnt flesh had remained in the air, even after many days. They hadn't approached it, too afraid that the beasts would linger.

It was said that Onyxia herself had battled Jaina Proudmoore, in the last moments of the battle. No one knew what had become of them. It was guessed that Onyxia remained alive, hidden deep beneath the marshes, simply because it was not believed that any one person could harm such a powerful monster alone. No human had ever set foot in the marshes since, terrified of Onyxia and her wrath.

Benedictus had lost the last remaining member of his family, in that incident. He knew that because of it, Anduin had grown up. All of the arrogance, and cockiness had been driven from the young man's body, and he had faced his people with a courage that not many possessed.

He had devoted almost the entirety of his kingship since to make it up to his people. Perhaps, the Archbishop mused, that was why he allied with the Scarlet Crusade to readily.

Benedictus sighed, and spoke calmly.

"The incident at Theramore was terrible indeed…but we cannot dwell on the past. We should avoid Dustwallow Marsh, however, for the spawn of Onyxia have likely overrun it."

He prepared to speak again, when he saw something to his right. He didn't turn his head, merely watched out of the corner of his eye.

The unshakeable Lady Katrana no longer had an impassive face. It was now a mask of stony anger, her lips curled slightly and her eyes filled with a cold fire.

But it was gone, so quickly that if Benedictus had been any younger, he would have dismissed it as his imagination. But he was not any younger, so he calmly filed it away for later, and continued to speak.

"I suggest a land near the elves, for if we are to renew our ties with them, and reform the Alliance, then that would be the most advantageous."

There seemed to be a round of agreement, but many still did not look happy.

But for Benedictus, that didn't matter. What mattered only was keeping Stormwind together.

But, as he watched the faces of the nobles of the council, he realized that it was already falling apart, and he could only do so much, put so many things back together, before it broke completely, and then nothing would be able to save them.

-------------------------------------------------

The trek to Ratchet had gone smoothly, and, as Naruto had tried just about all of the beasts that they saw along the way, he hadn't blown his spirit whistle. They had made it to Ratchet a few hours before sundown, and had managed, through some clever haggling on Kylia's part, been able to buy passage on a ship that was going there. They would leave the next day.

The ship, called the _Pride of Undermine_, was immense, with pure white sails, a single mast, and a smooth, sleek design. It was like a sword in the water, slicing through the waves. Because it had been both built, and was managed by goblins, the inside was filled with different types of machinery, most of it to enhance the vessel's speed, which, according to the captain, Shep'rick, could reach speeds as fast a zeppelin, even faster, in the right wind.

He explained a lot more about it, but Naruto had lost him quickly, and his interest had disappeared just as quickly. Surprisingly, Kylia had become fascinated with it, and much to the amusement of Kira, badgered the captain with tons of questions about the ship, the machines, and, more to her interest, the place they were going.

"Aye," the goblin said, grinning into the cool air as he watched his crew load the ship, "Booty Bay is one of the finest ports in the world! It's busy, filled with all types of people, and has the best grog in the world! It has its shady parts, but other than that, it's a great vacation spot. I haven't seen it for ages, though. We've been making trips mostly to Steamwheedle Port in Tanaris, and a few to Stormwind and Southshore, by special request. We have to head down to Undermine every so often, too, since more than half my crew hails from there. But Booty Bay, ahh, that's a treat, and I can't wait to head out!"

After some more haggling, they had managed to purchase two rooms to spend the night near the docks, and each of them fell asleep, their minds full what was to come.

When morning arrived, the three humans boarded the ship, and about two hours before noon, they set off. It would take them, if the weather was favorable, about three days to get there. It was astonishingly fast for a boat, considering the distance, but as soon as they had started, all three could believe it. The boat flashed across the water, moving so fast and so calm is was like they were flying.

Because of this sensation, Naruto spent most of the time on the deck, grinning as he watched the scenery.

Kira spent her time exploring the rest of the ship, or training in the sick bay. The only person, however, she had to heal was Kylia, who was constantly sea-sick, and needed Kira's healing abilities to constantly settle her tossing and turning stomach.

The first day passed uneventfully, and it was almost dark when Kira walked up on deck, and spotted Naruto standing near the railing of the boat. The boy had been there for almost the entire time, watching the sea and everything that was inside. She walked up and stood next to him, watching the water as it sped past, with sprays of white foam every so often as the ship hit a wave.

She was silent for a moment, simply watching what he was, before she spoke.

"You haven't told me what happened that made you Thrall's ward," the girl said, glancing sideways at him.

The boy blinked, as if awaking from a nap, and turned to her, grinning sheepishly.

"Guess I owe you an explanation…eh?" he said.

She nodded.

So Naruto told her, and when he had finished, she was amazed.

"That's amazing! You fought Rexxar, Champion of the Horde, and survived!"

Naruto looked sour for a second, crossing his hands over his chest. "Guess so…I plan to have a rematch with that guy though…"

She shook her head, smiling slightly, before she turned her head and looked once again into the distance. The sun was almost completely down, and the sky was clear, with a few stars visible already.

Kira smiled as the stars began to appear. She had always enjoyed the stars. They were eternal, her father had always told her, and he had also said that her mother was up there, among the stars in the sky.

It was silly and childish, she knew, but it had made her feel better, and even now, it gave her some comfort to know that her mother was safe, and warm and happy, shining in the sky.

_You're with her now…_ she thought, tears welling up in her eyes. She immediately blinked them away, not wanting to cry in front of Naruto.

But the stars also made her think of something else.

"Do you miss your home?" she asked, not looking at Naruto, as her eyes were still slightly teary.

Naruto smiled a little, and nodded. "Yep, everyday."

She finally did look at him, curiously. She remembered what he said his early life was like, and it made her wonder why he still missed a place that didn't seem to want him.

"Why? Weren't you hated there?" she asked.

He nodded, but did not loose the slight smile. "Yep, for a long time, at least. But those days are over now…I have friends back there, friends that accept me for who I am, and I think its 'cause of them that the rest of the village began to come around. I still have a long way to go, but I plan to definitely get their support. I need to, of course, if I'm gonna be Hokage."

She remembered this term, as well. The Hokage was the leader of his village. Sort of like a king, she realized.

So Naruto wanted to be a king…

"Tell me about it," she said, smiling at him. "Your village, I mean."

The boy blinked, "I thought I did…"

She nodded, "You did a little, but you mostly described what your life was like, not what the village itself was like. I also want to know more about the world you come from. Have you many wars in the past?"

The nodded, "Yeah…but I'm not so good at that history stuff, so I can't tell you a lot about them. We are so of in a war right now…" he muttered, his eyes going slightly distant.

He grit his teeth as Orochimaru's smirking face appeared once again, followed by the manic grin that Sasuke had worn during their fight. Two smiles, on totally different people, that had looked exactly the same.

He told her about Orochimaru, and then about Sasuke. He had neglected to mention them when they have previously talked, having been pressed for time. He then told her everything that Jiraiya had told him about Akatsuki, the rogue ninja organization that was after the Kyuubi inside of him.

From there, however, they moved on to lighter topics, and Naruto began telling about all the little details that he had neglected in his past tale. He told her about Ichiraku, his favorite ramen stand, about the Third, and his guiding hand over Naruto's life. He told her more about Iruka, and then about his friends, as he made them. He told her more about the Sasuke that Naruto had respected, rather than the one that had left Konoha, with Orochimaru's twisted grin on his face.

She listened with rapt attention, giggling and laughing where appropriate, and looking sad at points where that was necessary as well. She badgered him with questions, of course, making him explain to the best of his knowledge the world that he had come from.

She then talked about her life, as well. She talked about what she had felt like when her mother had been reported dead, and the respect that she had had for her father in the years after. She told him about the city of Stormwind, giving him a slight history as well, and then about the other nations. She had told him a little at their previous meeting, but she had never gone into detail about anything.

She told him about the Third War, and he, in turn, told her about the only war that he remembered, the War of the Stone, in which his idol, the Fourth Hokage, had been a part of. He had made it a point to remember that war, as the Fourth had earned the attentions of the Third in that war, and it had been the deciding factor of him getting the position of Hokage.

They moved on to even lighter topics, each talking about their favorite things, and what they liked to do for fun. She found it highly interesting that Naruto liked to garden, but hated vegetables. Naruto found it interesting that Kira had never once tried a bowl of ramen until just a few months ago, when she and Kylia had snuck out of the castle and went into the very same shop that Naruto had gone into in his stay in Stormwind. They had gone back several times, apparently, and had gotten to know Eliza and her father pretty well.

The entire experience was almost surreal for Naruto. In all his life, even after he had made friends, he had never just talked. He had never just sat next to someone, and talked with them about anything and everything. True, he hadn't had the time, but neither had anyone been willing, he reasoned. Naruto wasn't exactly the most patient person, and he guessed that might have been a reason for why his friends had talked to him like he was now.

He made a note to do it with every one of his friends, when he returned. He wanted to get to know them as well as he had Kira.

For Kira, the experience wasn't so new, as she had just talked with Kylia quite a bit, as well as done the same, in her earlier years, with some of the children when she snuck out into the city. But talking to Naruto was an experience in itself. He was so animated about everything, always making gestures with his hands to get the meaning across, always laughing with his whole body, always looking sad with his entire soul. He was someone who, she realized, when you got to know, was incapable of not feeling emotion. She realized that this probably wasn't the best thing, especially for a shinobi, as Naruto called, it, but she found it to her liking, and it made her feel entirely at ease with Naruto.

He had a good heart, and an outgoing personality, making him entirely different from conversing with Kylia, who was shy and demure. She realized that the Fourth Hokage couldn't have chosen a better person to place that demon inside.

"You talk a lot about this Sakura girl," said Kira, interrupting Naruto as he was talking about how incredibly lazy Kakashi had to be, to be three hours later every day. He had mentioned that Sakura had suggested that he wasn't lazy, and did it on purpose.

The boy blinked, before flushing a little, "Hehe…do I?"

She nodded absently, "Do you like her?"

He blushed a little deeper. Why was he so embarrassed now? He had never really talked to anyone about his feelings for Sakura, even though he had declared them to said girl almost every day for a while.

He nodded, and said, "Yeah…I guess I do."

Kira smirked a little, "So she's your girlfriend, right? I can't see you keeping your feelings for anyone hidden."

He blushed a little, but shook his head. "Nah, she's not my girlfriend…she likes someone else." He looked a little sad about that, but covered it quickly.

Meanwhile, Kira was wondering why the hell she felt a little relief at that.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

She then looked around her, noticing how it was almost light again.

"We've been talking a long time," she said, whistling. She was just beginning to feel the pull of sleep, so she stood and brushed herself off.

He stood up too, and grinned.

" 'Night then!"

She gave him a sleepy smile and nodded, before both of them went to their cabins, each feeling as though they had gained a true friend.

-----------------------------------------------------

The next day and night passed uneventfully, Naruto and Kira sleeping most of it away. One the third day, Naruto noticed that the color of the water was changing, becoming more green and less blue. The air also began to change, becoming warmer, and thicker with moisture.

It was around midday that they sighted land.

"Land ho!" cried a goblin, peering over the edge of the Crow's nest and pointing off into the distance. Many goblins quickly rushed over to the starboard side of the ship, and gazed at the small, distant mass on the horizon. Captain Shep'rick grinned as he stood next to Kira and Naruto.

"Aye, there it is, then. The tip of the Stranglethorn Vale, where Booty Bay is. We should arrive in around a half an hour, or so, so get yer stuff ready, eh?"

They both nodded, and returned to their respective cabins to retrieve their things, and then Kira went to the sick bay get Kylia, who was feeling much better, while Naruto returned to the deck.

Naruto watched as the small dark mass began to grow larger as they neared it, and he began to make identifiable shapes in it. He saw small trees, large mountains, and just off the corner of a mountain, a long, sleek and dark cannon protruded. Naruto pointed at it and questioned the captain as to what it was.

"One of Booty Bay's primary defenses! Pirates have besieged them for quite a time, yeh see, so they need someway to hold them off. The other o' course, are the Bruisers, like they have in Ratchet. They help keep things attacking from the land under control."

Naruto nodded, remembering the small goblins dressed in black mail, clutching large clubs and looking menacingly at him as he walked by, back in Ratchet.

Captain Shep'rick then pointed out several smaller cannons, sticking out of small holes in the mountain, just below the large cannon.

"Those're chain cannons" he explained, "if an enemy ship gets too close, it shoots a chain at it, and then Bruisers run along it and attack them directly on the ship. Damn useful, I think!"

The ship began to slow down as they got closer and closer to the cannon. Naruto could smell food cooking and fire burning, and grinned in anticipation.

Booty Bay was just around the bend, the captain said, and as he had with almost every other place he had visited, a raw excitement, the thrill of adventure began to course through him.

The excitement, however, vanished when a loud boom to his right sounded, and suddenly the ship was rocked by a powerful blast, throwing both Naruto and the captain to the floor. Following this there was the sound of splintering wood, and the cries of many more goblins.

Captain Shep'rick clambered to his feet, staring in shock at the chain that now protruded from the hull of his ship.

"What the blazes! We aren't pirates, what are they doing!" he bellowed.

"Cap'n…I think they are…" a nearby goblin muttered, drawing a long, curved sword from his belt and brandishing it in front of him.

Goblins suddenly flooded from the small hole, dressed in mostly red and white colors. Seconds later, two more chains erupted from the cannons, and creatures other than goblins, including gnolls, a few gnomes, some trolls and even a human or two. They boarded the ship, some carrying swords and daggers, other small pistols in both hands.

Captain Shep'rick gave a roar, and drew a pistol of his own from his coat, firing it twice into the crowd of attackers. Other members of the crew also began to fight, drawing daggers or swords and launching themselves at the group.

Naruto summoned several clones, startling a few of the attackers, and began to attack. Two of them shot forwards, driving powerful kicks into two attacking goblins. They flew back, and off the boat, knocking off several others as they arrived. Another clone slammed his fist into the jaw of a human attacker, knocking him hard into the deck, causing it splinter beneath the force.

The original hung back, having spotted Kira and Kylia as they emerged from below deck, looking startled.

"What's going on?" cried Kira, rushing up next to him.

"We're being attacked," the blonde said, gritting his teeth.

Kira held herself back from snapping at him for stating the very obvious. She wanted respond, but was unable to, as a large troll appeared next to her, leering at her. He raised his cutlass, but was unable to bring it down, as Naruto had appeared in front, smashing a fist into his stomach and then launching another series of blows into his chest.

Kira took a few steps backwards, and found herself dodging, just barely, the dagger of a gnoll who had appeared behind her. She slid her foot out, and tripped the clumsy beast, before delivering as strong kick to its groin area. The beast let out a pitiful squeal, before Naruto crushed its windpipe with his boot. He flashed her a grin, then charged into the mass, summoning several clones as he did.

Kylia took her place in front of Kira, her daggers out and her eyes gleaming protectively. She was normally clumsy, but when it came to protecting her mistress, she had to be as strong as possible. She flicked them at any gnoll, troll, goblin, or human that got within five feet of her, and considering the number of them, that happened often.

The entire ship was almost completely overrun at this point, and the crew of Shep'rick was dwindling. Shep'rick himself had already gone through five guns, having a multitude of them in his coat for just such an occasion.

Naruto took cuts and slashes by the bushel, but his _Kongou_ technique kept them from doing any real damage. The Kyuubi healed any minor damage instantly, so the blonde was like a whirlwind, kicking, punching and slashing at anything that he considered foe.

The Kyuubi's chakra began to flow into him, and he unconsciously drew upon it, making him stronger and faster. He made a few seals, molding his chakra into one of the most difficult techniques that Thrall had taught him so far.

"**Raiton: Kusari Raikurai! (Lightning Element: Chain Lightning!" **The blonde bellowed, slamming his palm into the stomach of a troll.

Thousands of volts of electricity suddenly shot into the troll, and enhanced by magic, passed right through. It arced through the air, blasting a gnoll behind him, followed by another troll, and finally two goblins. The blonde's control wasn't good enough for more, even though he had the chakra.

The five who were struck crumpled to the ground, smoke rising from their now charred bodies.

Naruto had already moved on, his eyes glowing slightly as the demon's chakra welled into him.

Kira dodged another strike, and quick as a whip, Kylia killed the attacker with one of her daggers. The two girls were near the door that led below deck, Kylia standing in front of Kira, who was quickly healing any damage the other girl had sustained. The Princess then made several quick seals, and bellowed, "**Psychic Scream!"**

The pirates near her were suddenly stricken with the most terrible fear that they had ever experienced. It blotted out every other thought in their mind at the moment, overriding their senses, making them terrified beyond all imagination of the young girl. Without a second's hesitation, almost a dozen pirates leapt overboard in their attempts to get away from the priestess.

Kira smirked in triumph at the effective use of her attack, while Kylia gave a small smile, pleased by her mistress' success, and the chance for a rest.

Unfortunately, fate had other such plans.

From atop the mountain, where the massive cannon rested on a small plateau, three figures watched. One of the figures made a motion with his hand, and spoke in low tones to the other two, who nodded, and moved to the edge of the plateau. They then leapt from it, and fell almost fifty feet, onto the deck of the ship.

Naruto whipped his head just in time as the two figures dropped, smashing into the hard wooden deck, nearly breaking through. The pirates pulled back, leaving the two figures, now obscured by smoke and dust that they had kicked up from their landing, a sizeable amount of space.

They were both human, Naruto was surprised to see, but both so outlandish looking that they must have felt right at home among so many non-humans.

One was very tall, and brutish looking. He wore a short red jacket, and a white shirt, with flaring sleeves and black leather pants. He wore long pirate boots, and a red sash hung around his waist. On his head he wore a red bandanna, but most strange about his appearance was the huge, golden hook that hung had replaced his right arm. He had red hair, no beard, but many scars across his face. On his shoulder sat a strange looking bird, with green and red feathers.

The other was very short, and very plump. He wore a red and white striped shirt, with brown pants and large, black leather gloves. On one foot he wore a boot similar to his companion's, but his other leg was not a leg at all, but merely a shaft of wood, about as thick as Naruto's arm. His hair was dirty brown, and his face was covered in dirt and black smudges.

The larger of the two walked forwards, brandishing his hook.

"Hehehe…look at this! A little boy be kickin' yer arses! You dare ta' call yerselves Bloodsail Buccaneers!"

Naruto scowled at the comment, and prepared to fight the annoying man. The man grinned in his direction.

"Ye lookin' for a fight, boy! Then ye've come ta' the righ' place!"

Naruto growled a little, "I dunno who you are…but you're annoying, so I'm gonna kick your ass."

The man laughed, "Try it, boy! Ye won't win!"

Naruto launched himself at the man, forming a seal; his lips ready to speak the words that had become almost second nature to him now.

Unfortunately, he was unable to get them out, as seconds before he reached the man, he heard a burst of gunfire, and suddenly his stomach exploded in pain.

He was blasted to the side, away from the hooked man, and smashed hard into the wall of the ship, causing it to crack slightly. His mind was a bleary haze of pain, and he felt a warm liquid pour out onto his pants and shirt. He clutched his stomach, and would have yelled if he weren't out of breath. He managed to look down, and saw that blood was streaming from his stomach, out onto the deck.

The Kyuubi was already healing the damage, but the pain wouldn't stop.

THERE IS A FOREIGN OBJECT INSIDE YOUR BODY, BRAT, AND IT WILL TAKE ME SOME TIME TO BREAK IT DOWN. I CAN STAUNCH THE FLOW OF BLOOD, BUT THE PAIN WILL REMAIN UNTIL I HAVE DESTROYED THE OBJECT.

Naruto nodded, gritted his teeth, and looked up.

The shorter, fatter pirate lowered his wooden leg, the end of which was smoking. He was grinning insanely, obviously pleased with his efforts.

The larger one moved forwards, walking up right next to the blonde.

"Cap'n's orders, boy, ye'll understand."

He then grabbed Naruto's head, and without warning, slammed it into the deck. It broke under the strain, and the boy was instantly knocked out, his entire body going still.

The man stood, and observed the rest of the ship. Almost all of Captain Shep'rick's crew had been killed, and the ones that had survived had surrendered. He grinned, however, when he saw the two girls, both standing in front of the door to the lower parts of the ship, glaring at an pirates who got within range of them.

Kylia had run out of daggers, and Kira was low on chakra from healing the girl, and didn't think she could use another spell.

The man walked forwards, followed quickly by the peg-legged, chubby pirate. He stopped a few feet in front of Kylia, who raised her hands to prepare for a fight.

He laughed at the futile gesture, already moving to knock the girl out of the way.

A voice behind him startled him.

"He has not appeared, has he, Mr. Shanker?"

The man, Shanker, turned immediately, saluted and nodded. He then frowned, and cast a look behind him, past both Kira and Kylia, into the open door.

"Aye, Cap'n. The Warchief isn't here, or he'd have been on deck by now, fighting all of us, I suspect."

Kira blinked at the "cap'n" title, and looked at the man who had come up behind him. He was tall, and though it disturbed her, she had to say he was strikingly handsome. He had jet-black hair, which hung down past his shoulders. It was beautifully groomed, and shined in the air. He had a strong, solid looking face, with a trim beard and mustache, and a single green eye. His left was covered by a patch of leather, and only seemed to add to his handsomeness.

He wore a long, blood red coat, with a red shirt and a white, silk cravat. He wore black pants, and long, black boots in the style of the other pirates. Beneath his coat, one could see several sheathed blades, and he had two pistols stuck in his belt.

The man had clasped his hands behind his back, and was looking diplomatically at Shanker.

The Cap'n frowned slightly, and said, "That is annoying…it seems I wasn't lucky this time. I was sure that he would come this time, after he received our message. How bothersome."

He then blinked, and looked at Kira and Kylia, just noticing them.

"Oh! I hadn't realized we were in the company of two ladies!" He kicked Shanker in the shin and snapped, "Where are your manners, Mr. Shanker!"

"Rawrk! He lost them at cards, like he always does! Rawrk!" the green bird on his shoulder suddenly blurted, startling the two girls.

Shanker glared at the bird, "Shut it, you!"

The Cap'n shook his head, and walked in front of the two. "Worry not, young ladies. You shall not be harmed, we are not barbarians, you see." He then frowned, and leaned forwards, looking at Kira closely, there was something in his eye that frightened her, and she took a step away from him.

"Girl," he said, slowly, "what is your name?"

Her mind screamed at her to not say anything, to keep her mouth shut, and to just act dumb. But her mouth was already moving, as if it had a mind of its own.

"K-Kira," she said.

He stepped forwards, leaning in even closer, causing Kylia to push Kira back a little. Even so, the young Princess could feel the man's hot breath on her face.

"That is an uncommon name…you wouldn't happen to be Kira Wrynn…would you?"

Her eyes widened, and though she said nothing, her reaction said it all.

He smiled, and stood up straight.

"Fate is a kind mistress, it would seem," he said, grinning. He pointed to a pair of trolls.

"Take this girl to the ship, and make sure she is well attended. Do not manhandle her, or I shall have your heads."

The trolls moved towards her, but Kylia blocked them.

"I won't let you hurt mistress!" She snapped.

With almost inhuman speed, the Cap'n was in front of her, and with a single backhand to her face, she was unconscious. Kira shouted the girl's name, but the two trolls prevented her from rushing to the girl's aid. She continued to shout as she was dragged away, towards the chains that were still stuck in the ship.

The Cap'n looked sick as he stared at the fallen Kylia. "I'm sorry I had to do that, child, but I cannot have you making a scene." He turned to Shanker, then. "Mr. Shanker, take this girl to Booty Bay, and lock her in the inn. Give her as much care and attention that she needs, and make sure she stays there. I will not have anyone saying that Captain Blood mistreats women."

The pirate nodded, before pointing to the prone form of Naruto behind him.

"What about him, Cap'n? He's still alive, it looks like."

Captain Blood didn't even bother looking back at the blonde, and said calmly, "If he survives the trip, send him to Mr. Scool. He told me recently that he is running out of contestants. I don't even know why I keep him around…"

Shanker nodded, and turned to the fat pirate.

"Come on, Grubbins, let's get goin'."

The fat pirate nodded, and followed Shanker back to where Naruto lay, while Captain Blood inhaled the sea air, a slight smile on his face.

"Today is a wonderful day to become a legend!" he announced.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto was suddenly aware that he was moving. He was being dragged, he realized, across what felt like stone. His stomach ached every time he bumped off a rock, but it was slowly disappearing.

He heard a voice somewhere above him.

""Dis be interestin', eh? 'Dis child be healin' like a troll."

Another voice, harder and scratchier, came next.

"Aye, it be a bit strange. But he be needin' it, if he be fightin' that one."

"'Dat be true, very true."

Suddenly, he stopped moving, and he felt the person release his grip on Naruto's legs. He heard them leaving, and therefore though it safe to open his eyes.

His vision cleared quickly, and he found himself staring up into the clear, blue sky. He turned his head slightly, and saw the edge of a stone wall, high above him. He slowly sat up, and then looked around.

He suddenly had a huge sense of déjà vu, as he looked around him, at the massive crowd of cheering pirates, all sitting in many rows in a steadily ascending slope. They were all around him, and he saw that he was once again in a stadium.

He wondered if people in this world had a thing for them, as almost every time he was knocked out, he found himself waking up in one of them.

This one, however, was far larger, and looked far older, as well. Vines grew in between cracks in the walls, and there were various outcroppings of grass in the cracks on the ground.

He noticed, also that there were many seats that were empty, and the crowd wasn't so large. He also noticed that he wasn't the only one in the middle of the stadium.

He scooted back a little, his eyes wide.

Standing several feet away from him, dressed in ripped leather pants, a ripped leather harness, two partially broken shoulder pads, and a pair of heavy iron bracelets, was a huge troll, light blue in color. The troll stood about seven feet tall, and had deep orange hair, which stuck up in a mohawk shape. Two massive, long tusks protruded from the sides of his mouth, the largest Naruto had seen. His face was stony and hard, but his eyes, as green as the forest that surrounded them, were full of power and determination.

In his hand, he clutched a short, strange looking weapon, which appeared to be a sword with two, short, curved blades.

"Well maties!" bellowed a voice from above, startling Naruto. "I've got a real treat for you all today! In one corner, we have the strange, yet surprisingly skilled boy who fended off and defeated many of your mates earlier today! And in the other corner, we have a favorite, the strong, unconquerable leader of the trolls, VOL'JIN!"

---------------------------------------------------

Done!

Yay!

My favorite arc so far!

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, because it was fun for me to right, as I got to introduce my so-far favorite creation for this story…Captain Blood!

Being a huge fan of One Piece, I couldn't not have pirates in this story, for that would be sacrilege. And, it give me a chance to put to rest one of the greatest arguments of all time!

Who would win in a fight…a ninja or a pirate?

Keep reading, and you will find out!

Now…on to other things…I've decided what Naruto's spirit animal is going to be, and it wasn't by voting.

Let me explain:

When I first proposed the vote, I was excited, I mean, I had never done a vote before, and so I was looking forwards to getting contributions from you guys, my readers, and using them.

But I made a mistake.

The vote itself was horribly flawed. I realized that only after one day, and that was that there were so many choices to choose from…that it was impossible to decide.

Then, I received several reviews…very convincing reviews, that made me realize that the only spirit animal for Naruto can be…a fox!

They made me see how stupid I really was for trying to go against the flow, and though it is cliché, it is true. The best spirit counterpart for Naruto would be a fox. I guess it would be a crime if it wasn't.

I FEEL SO ASHAMED!

I not only got you guys' hopes up that Naruto would have a dragon (Which I didn't plan to have anyways, as they are far too strong) or a zergling (which is a cool idea, but still not really usable). The vote was flawed and stupid, and it took the clear reviews of some much smarter people to make me see that.

I am very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very SORRY!

I really hope that you guys can forgive me for my thoughtless actions…SO I WILL PUNISH MYSELF! I SHALL SIT IN THE SEIZA POSITION UNTIL YOU GUYS TELL ME TO STOP!

I once again am truly sorry for getting you guy's hopes up. Naruto's spirit animal will appear at the end of this arc, and I will make it the best fox that has ever been seen!

Okay…reviewer answers:

Really Bad Fanfiction- It was your review, I think that changed my mind. You are absolutely right, and it was wrong of me to do it. Forgive me?

TikiTDO- Thanks for the review! I have actually re-decided that, I will include Ragnaros later. However, don't expect to have all of those bosses in MC appear…that would be way too hard. There will also be no AQ, but the Necropolis…as well as Northrend, will appear.

Tokyo no Ecchi- Hmm…let me explain- this isn't a game. It's a fic. Therefore, people's power is not determined by levels, or by how many hit points that they have. Chakra level, skill, experience, intelligence, state of mind, and many other factors contribute to a person's power. I know this is a crossover with a game…but in reality people don't fight just by standing and hitting something that is level 500, and after hitting it enough it abruptly dies, and drops a bunch of things that it can't possibly carry. That's not how real life works. I don't mean to sound rude, but keep this in mind, okay? As for the Lich King being an eighty-man raid…they haven't even implemented it yet, so we don't know that. Besides, it would be stupid if it just took eighty people to fight him…big wars are fun, and the Lich King has had many years to swell his army. If you don't like the way this is going than stop reading. And finally…do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

Dairokkan- Hmm…he is in for a difficult time, isn't he? I have big plans for Sylvanas and her crew…keep reading!

Well, that's it, now REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!

General Grievous

Spellbook:

**Raiton: Kusari Raikurai! (Lightning Element: Chain Lightning: **Creates a bolt of lightning that arcs to other foes, causing damage to multiple people.

**Psychic Scream-** Causes terrible fear in those affected, so powerful that they can think of nothing but getting away from the caster.

Bestiary- 

**Bloodsail Buccaneers (Humanoids) **– From almost every race in the world, the Bloodsail Buccaneers have been the scourge of Booty Bay for many years. But it seems that they have become far more plentiful, and had taken Booty Bay from the goblins…

**Tobias "Shanker" Guthrie (Humanoid)(Elite)- **A pirate with a hook, and a sarcastic parrot. He has yet to show his true abilities.

**Master Cannoneer Grubbins (Humanoid) (Elite)- **Short, fat, and has a peg leg that can shoot pistol balls. True power yet to be revealed.

Captain Thaddeus Blood (Humanoid)(Boss)- Captain of the Bloodsail Buccaneers, and very strong. Has an eye patch, and is very respectful and cultured. His strength must be great, if he rules such an uncouth band of pirates. 


	29. Vol'jin

**Disclaimer: Life is like a blender full of fish…I don't know where I went with that. I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft. **

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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* * *

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_Vol'jin?_ Naruto thought, his eyes widening at the name. _That guy is Vol'jin?_

He began to get to his feet, never taking his eyes of the motionless troll. As he did, his arms felt curiously heavy, and upon glancing at them he saw two large, metal bracers, much like the ones that Vol'jin was wearing. Inscribed on the side were various strange markings, and Naruto recognized them as seals, or runes as they were called in this world.

Naruto jumped when the voice from before returned, booming out across the noisy stadium.

"Hyahaharrr! Let's be getting this show on the road, eh maties? I, Edward Scool, captain o' the _Crimson Tide_, and fourth in command o' the entire Bloodsail Buccaneers, bring this fantastic show to yeh for only the price o' a single silver! Best entertainment ye'll find down in these parts! Don't go seeking out that has been, Short John Mithril, cause yeh won't find him, on account'a I cut his pudgy head off and tossed him to the crocolisks!

"Now, fer all ye newcomers, (an' by newcomers, I mean those of ya' that are sober this time around) I'll tell ye what goin' to happen. Those two be real fighters, ye see, dangerous ones, specially that Vol'jin. He gave our cap'n quite a bit o' trouble, in the past, ye see. But worry not! Our gracious and wonderful captain has been nice enough to give us a horde o' magic restrictors, eh? Those fashionable bracelets o' their's keep them from throwing around stuff that could harm yeh!"

Naruto held his arm in front, examining the bracelet with wide eyes.

This definitely sucked.

He felt around inside of himself, trying his best to locate the familiar rush that came from the Kyuubi's chakra. Instead, he found himself blocked, and he realized that it felt a lot like when Orochimaru had slapped that seal on him in the Forest of Death.

That was definitely not good. It not only kept him from using the demon's chakra, but it also screwed up his chakra control, to a degree. Even so, he realized that if it restricted his chakra as well, then that didn't matter. He wouldn't be able to use any jutsu anyways. He could feel his chakra, but he couldn't force it out, as he did with the Rasengan.

Which meant that he would only be able to fight by enhancing his strength and speed. He hoped that didn't restrict his ability to use the _Kongou_, and he desperately hoped he could still use what he had mastered of the _Kazaashi_.

Vol'jin was a shaman, he realized, so unless he used a different style, like the tauren, then he'd be far more skilled than Naruto in all areas of the Tetra-Elemental style.

_'Crap, crap, crap, crap!' _He mentally raged. He hadn't come to fight this guy, only talk to him! And if he didn't make that known to the troll quickly, then he didn't think he'd be able to last long against the much stronger fighter.

Normally, he would have rushed into battle anyways, fought the troll, regardless of the sheer difference in power between them. But in his travels in this world, he realized that that wasn't going to cut it much, anymore.

Sakura-chan had always told him to think before he said something, and he guess that applied to his actions as well. If he fought Vol'jin, not only would it be impossible for him to gain the troll's trust, but also he'd likely lose, and probably die.

He opened his mouth to speak, to stop the quickly coming fight, but the announcer, Scool, drowned out what he was going to say, with his own speech.

"This be real fightin' ladies! If ye be squeamish, then ye'd best leave, since this'll get mighty bloody mighty quickly! Now," though Naruto couldn't see the pirate, he got the distinct impression that he was going to address him and Vol'jin directly, "you two, whoever wins this bout, gets a nice, cozy, cell to themselves! Sound nice, eh? If yeh don't fight, then ye die, so get to it!"

Vol'jin's face twisted into a scowl, but he began to move forwards, slowly tramping towards Naruto, raising the wicked-looking weapon that he held.

Naruto backed away a bit, and said, in Orcish, "Stop!"

Vol'jin did stop, but not in accordance with Naruto's command, but rather out of surprise.

"Eh?" he said, his voice deep, and thickly accented, "yeh be speakin' de language of de orcs…dat be strange, for a 'uman."

Naruto seized the chance, and said quickly, "Thrall taught it to me! He sent me here to find you!"

At this, Vol'jin's eyes widened briefly, before his face reverted to its previous state, one of composed ferocity. He spoke quietly, eyes blazing, "Dat so? I don' tink dat Thrall would be associatin' with 'umans, child. He may be havin' a soft spot for dem, but he not be sendin' dem to see me. Just because ye be a child, don' mean dat I be goin' easy on yeh."

The troll then hunched over, but straightened his legs, and spread his arms out to the side, in a strange, almost scarecrow-like display. Then, dark markings began to appear across his chest, arms, and along his neck and face, like ink staining unmarked paper. The designs were nothing he had ever seen before, and were a mixture of deep black and several dark blues and purples.

He then held his weapon parallel with the ground, and almost immediately, Naruto felt something strange happen.

The troll chieftain's massive source of chakra, which seemed to fill the entire stadium with his presence, vanished, as if it was never there. Then, his entire upper body seemed to go limp, and his arms dropped to his side, his chin rested on his chest, and he bent forwards slightly.

Naruto was about to protest Vol'jin's words, but suddenly found himself unable to breath.

This was due to the fact that Vol'jin had sunk his fist into the blonde's sensitive, still healing stomach. The blonde's eyes popped out, and he expelled a spray of saliva and blood into the air. He flew backwards, smashing hard into the wall of the stadium.

He slumped down a little, but managed to stay on his feet. He looked up, and saw that Vol'jin was gone. He would've believed that alone, however, if his nose wasn't screaming everything to the contrary.

The blonde was unprepared, again, when Vol'jin appeared beside him, firing off two more punches into the blonde's gut. If Naruto had eaten recently, he would have vomited, but as it was, he could only feel blood mixed with the burning sensation of his stomach acid jumping into his throat. He slammed backwards into the wall, and managed to dodge Vol'jin's incoming punch, and kicked off the wall, soaring past the troll. He twisted in mid-air, only to find that Vol'jin was gone.

He landed on his feet, coughing, and looking wildly about him. Gritting his teeth, Naruto summoned up everything he had, and prayed that his control had suffered to the point where he couldn't control the_ Kongou_.

He was in luck.

He suddenly felt a strong punch to the chest, and as if by magic (which, Naruto reasoned, wasn't the best of similes), Vol'jin appeared, his fist striking Naruto's chest.

He held his ground, however, and was only knocked back a few inches. His chest was intact, and realizing that he wasn't going to get a better chance, he hauled off and drove his fist as hard as he could into Vol'jin's jaw.

The troll was shocked by the force of the blonde's punch, and was knocked to the ground by the strength of it. Knocking a seven-foot tall creature, almost entirely muscle, was no small feat. Vol'jin quickly recovered, however, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the stance that Naruto had taken.

"_Kongou…"_ Vol'jin muttered, staring straight into Naruto's eyes. It was unbelievable that a human, no, a human _child,_ had managed to learn one of the most sacred shaman arts. It made him bristle, but also recall the boy's earlier words. Had Thrall truly called this boy here?

But soon the roaring of the crowd, gradually increasing at the lack of action, brought him back to his senses. It did not matter even if this boy was an emissary from Thrall. He could do nothing, and so he would have to fight him anyways. He slunk backwards, and let the power of his Shadow style remove him from the blonde's sight. He quickly put on a burst of speed from his Wind style, as well, fully vanishing from his opponents view.

Naruto cursed at Vol'jin's actions, and once again began to look around him. He sorely wished that he had Neji's Byakugan, which would have made locating him far easier.

Vol'jin appeared again, this time behind the blonde, but Naruto was ready again. He troll's tremendously strong punch severely taxed the blonde's ultimate defense, but it held firm, allowing him to whip around and direct a roundhouse at Vol'jin's face. The troll dodged, effortlessly, and vanished again.

"Yeh be a skilled 'uman, but yeh not be a match for me. Dat style you be usin', has one weakness. 'oever taught yeh that, musta not have said anytin'."

Naruto steeled himself for another strike, which came at him from directly in front. The massive troll appeared, and before Naruto even saw his hand begin to move, he felt a blinding pain in his chest. His _Kongou_, as powerful as it was, was broken completely by the troll's lightning fast attack, or rather attacks. A series of lightning fast punches, all delivered at the speed of the Wind style.

A style that Naruto had not yet mastered.

All of the strikes were delivered at the same spot, coupled with the troll's already immense strength; such a barrage was completely indefensible. Naruto was launched from his feet, coughing blood and landed in an undignified heap at the other end of the stadium, after skidding along the ground for several yards. He immediately got on his hands and knees, and retched horribly onto the ground. The pain was tremendous, and he found himself fighting to stay conscious once more.

He got to his feet, shakily, however, and turned to meet Vol'jin's stare, from across the stadium. He wiped a bit of drool and blood from his mouth, his breathing ragged and short. Meanwhile, Vol'jin vanished again, just as Naruto's vision finally cleared. He cursed.

It was clear that he was out of his league. While he was strong, in his own right, he was nowhere near skilled enough to take this guy on. It grated on his nerves, terribly, of course, as he hated to lose and hated even more to acknowledge that fact. In his previous fights, he had done his best not to doubt himself, but that had been due to ignorance his foe's true strength, and the desire to protect one or more of his new friends.

But anyone that Thrall considered an equal had to be as strong as they came. He was likely facing, once again, a foe that could easily be comparable to Tsunade, Orochimaru, Jiraiya or even that creepy Itachi. He knew that a foe anywhere near the levels of those four was unbeatable, at least for now.

So, he would have to try a different tactic, at least, if he was going to survive this fight. He was going to need to do something that Uzumaki Naruto was best at in battle- improvising.

He noticed, that while all of his weapons had been removed from his body, including his goggles, he still had his earring. Even if Vol'jin could fool his eyes, he hoped that whatever ability the troll was using didn't affect hearing or smell. So, planting himself firmly in place, he inhaled deeply, at the same time doing his best to blot out all of the excess sound in the background. Over the weeks, he had been able to teach himself to filter out all sorts of excess sounds, making it much easier to keep the earring on at all times.

With everything else blotted out, Naruto listened for the rough, padded sound that Vol'jin's feet would likely make on the stone. He also searched for the source of that smell, the smell that he had learned to associate with trolls.

He waited…

_'There!'_

Naruto moved just in time, vanishing in a manner not unlike Vol'jin. The troll's failed attack, a punch that would have been directed at Naruto's spinal column, had hit nothing but air, leaving Vol'jin vulnerable for a moment.

But that's all it took, with the power of the Wind style.

Naruto reappeared in a flicker of black, and drove numerous lightning fast punches into the troll's stomach, effectively reproducing the very attack he had been struck with moment's ago.

Vol'jin's eyes bulged out, and he let out a choking gurgle, spitting some blood into the air. He had managed to stay standing, but Naruto's next attack sent him to the ground. The blonde drove a Wind enhanced punch into Vol'jin's face, driving so hard into the ground that it cracked and broke from the force.

Naruto stood, triumphantly, over the fallen troll, breathing heavily. There was no customary fox grin on his face, only a pained grimace, with a slight mixture of disbelief in his eyes.

It couldn't have been that easy…

True to his thoughts, Vol'jin got to his feet, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth. On of his tusks had shattered from its impact into the stone floor, which he seemed to ignore, as he stared at Naruto with slightly more respect than before. He then reached up, and with a grimace, tore the broken tusk from his jaw, causing blood to gush out. Not a second later, however, the blood stopped, and to Naruto's wonder, a new tusk pushed its way out of the healing skin, until it had replaced the other one completely.

Vol'jin tossed the broken tusk away, and turned to face Naruto once more.

Naruto readied himself again, but found that his stance was unsteady, and his legs were weak. He shook it off as best he could, and focused on the task at hand. If he couldn't stop this fight, then the best he could do was fight until he lost, and pray that he got lucky and wasn't killed.

In the back of his mind, he marveled slightly at the change in himself. He had never doubted himself like this before, so why now? Was it because he was facing an opponent that by all intents and purposes, he couldn't beat, or was it that he had been humbled by past defeats- Orochimaru, Sasuke, Rexxar, the Ventursaurus Rex, and now those stupid pirates?

He steadied himself. He would not lose, even if it was against someone like this, he wasn't going to lose.

He then struck. Using the imperfect _Kazaashi_, he flashed forwards, only to meet the hardened flesh of Vol'jin's _Kongou_, which repelled him for a time, but did not deter him. He flickered again, dodging one of Vol'jin's lightning fast punches, marveling at how slow they now appeared. When he was moving at the speed he was, he guessed that everything would appear slower.

He avoided a kick, and then struck again, driving a countless number of blows across Vol'jin's chest. He finished off his attack with a bone-shattering blow to the troll chieftain's chin, blasting him upwards and backwards, onto the ground.

Naruto stopped once more, his breathing now so labored that his vision was beginning to blur.

"You be experiencin' de weakness of dat style, child," came the deep rumbled of Vol'jin. The troll had gotten to his feet, and was rubbing his now healed jaw staring at the tired boy, his eyes slightly taunting.

"De speed you be goin', be so great dat it wears out de body, especially a body like yours. You be 'uman, not orc, not troll, which means dat your body not be as strong or as durable. You be healin' quickly, and you be possessin' a great amount of stamina, but it not be enough, for dat style. You still be an amateur."

Naruto grunted, glaring heatedly at Vol'jin. He knew Vol'jin was right, as that was very much the same of what Thrall had told him when he had first started learning the style. Because the Tetra-Elemental style was designed to be used by orcs, the techniques were suited for Orcish needs. So while, after repeated use of the Wind style, he would be able to build up strength to the point that he'd be able to master it, it would be a long time before that actually occurred.

Unable to use any jutsu, his healing abilities cut down, and no Kyuubi to aid him, Naruto definitely not in a desirable position, especially up against a master of the style that he was still learning.

Naruto settled down into a fighting stance once again, fighting back the pain and exhaustion. He would fight until he couldn't fight anymore.

Vol'jin adopted a similar stance, his eyes placid green pools, showing nothing of what the troll might have been feeling.

Then he struck. Like a bullet, he shot from his position, appearing in front of Naruto faster than the boy could see. But Naruto was ready for him, again, with the _Kongou_. The troll's fist smashed into the chakra hardened flesh and muscle. The technique, already weak due to Naruto's fatigue, was no match for Vol'jin's tremendous strength; a tremendous amount of the original force traveled into the blonde, despite the resistance from the _Kongou_, Naruto gasped and then fell limp against the troll's fist.

Vol'jin, knowing that his opponent was defeated, began to retract his hand, letting Naruto's body slump forwards a little. However, much to his surprise, the blonde's right hand grabbed his wrist, and the blonde looked up at him his eyes wide.

It was the first time that Vol'jin noticed the color of his opponent's eyes.

Blood red.

Naruto's left arm began to crackle, as the chakra-blocking bracelet attempted to suppress the tremendous influx of power. Unfortunately, even an item that was originally created to bind demons was nothing compared to the monstrous power of the force of nature that was the Kyuubi. It began to crack and shatter, as the blonde's arm began to glow with reddish, fiery light, taking a vague, claw-like shape; the bracelet, however did as best it could, by forcing as much pain into the blonde's arm as was possible. Dark splotches began to appear along his arm, indicating the blood vessels that were breaking beneath his skin. The pain was tremendous, but it was the last thing on Naruto's mind, now.

Vol'jin's eyes were wide as he witnessed the blonde's features transform slightly, his hair growing wilder, his teeth longer, and the markings on his face growing darker, and watched as the boy, still gripping his arm tightly, pulled his left arm back, in preparation for a punch.

He delivered said punch a second later, driving all of the explosive power of the demon's chakra into one, last blow, before the searing pain that the chakra binding bracelets, as well as his wounds, overcame him. The blow ejected Vol'jin across the stadium, kicking up dust as he sped mere inches off the ground. He slammed into the opposite wall, shattering it under the force, and flinging debris in every direction. The crowd behind him roared with approval from the attack, even as they rushed out of the way.

Naruto, was unable to watch the effects of his final attack, however, as his body finally gave into the pain and weariness. He dropped Vol'jin's arm, which was bleeding profusely, before falling backwards, already in blissful oblivion, even before he touched the ground.

Vol'jin stood, oblivious to the roars from the pirate audience. His eyes were focused calmly on Naruto's prone form. His left arm was torn off at the shoulder, with veritable buckets of warm blood gushing out onto the ruined, ancient stone of the arena. As he walked slowly towards the blonde, the blood stopped flowing, and his arm began to regenerate.

"An incredible fight, wasn't it!" roared Scool's voice, from high above him, in a booth that had once been reserved specifically for the emperor of the now fallen Gurubashi Empire. "If Vol'jin doesn' kill the wee whelp, maybe we can see more o' him!"

Vol'jin turned back to the unconscious boy, a frown marring his face. Why should he not just kill him? It would spare the boy the life that he had his people were now doomed to…so what was stopping him?

_'If Thrall did send dis boy…den I want to know his story…before he die.'_

With that last thought, Vol'jin turned, and walked away, earning even more cheers from the all-pirate audience.

He didn't know if was him or Thrall that was softer…sparing this boy's life, or teaching him sacred arts only known to his people, respectively. But if Thrall had done that…then it was likely this boy was special. After that last attack, too, he decided that this boy would need to live a little bit longer…if only so Vol'jin could discover his true intentions.

* * *

Kira stared at the door of the heavily decorated, ornate room that she had been taken to.

She didn't know how long she had been stuck there, in the ship, but she was glad for the change of scenery. The small, cramped room that she had been in before, with only a bed and a tin of water and plate of what she guessed was food, but to her it looked more like something a horse would spit up after eating something that didn't agree with it. In other words, it was sorely lacking in comfort. There had been a small pail as well, likely for going to the bathroom in, but she had no desire to be stuck in a room that smelt like fecal matter.

There had been no window, and the only sound of the outside world that she could hear was the gentle sloshing of water against the hull of the absolutely massive ship that she had been taken to.

She still remembered it clearly- massive red sails, each bearing a Jolly Roger with a one-eyed skull, twin swords crossed beneath it. Twin masts, nearly fifteen cannon holes on each side, and numerous hook-cannons mounted on deck. The deck itself, along with the rest of the ship, was a dark brown wood. At the bow, there was a massive humanoid skull, eternally grinning, as it stared outwards towards the sea.

After they had departed Captain Shep'rick's ruined boat, they had taken a smaller one, around the bay and along the coast for almost half an hour, until they reached a large cove, with a large waterfall bearing down at the end. It was there that the ship had been anchored. She had boarded it, the two troll pirates flanking her every step of the way, and had been taken down to the small room. She had been left there for an indeterminable amount of time, before they had returned, explaining to her gruffly that she was to accompany them to the captain's quarters. When she had arrived they had left her there, explaining to her that the captain would be with her shortly, and that if she tried to escape, they'd know.

Quite knew to the kidnapping experience, Kira had obeyed them silently, but after they had left, had still poked around the room, looking for a way to get out. After finding none that would allow her to escape unheard, she sat in one of the ornate leather chairs, surrounding a finely crafted, square table. All of the furnishings were red.

And so there she was, waiting to meet the man whom had brought her here.

Several minutes later, there were a few grunts outside the door, and it opened a second later.

"Hello, Ms. Wrynn! I am terribly sorry to have kept you waiting…there was a slight incident involving one or more of my men in a tavern in Booty Bay, which I had to resolve." Captain Blood had entered, dressed in the blood red coat and shirt, his smile warm and inviting. He clutched within his hands a platter, upon it a set of sandwiches, as well as a pot of tea, and several cups and saucers, a small dish of cream, and another of sugar.

He set the tray upon the table that she had sat down at, and smiled at her.

"Care for a spot of tea, Ms. Wrynn? The sandwiches are also quite good, and you must be slightly hungry, I suspect?"

Kira shot him a distrustful glare, and didn't move.

He sighed slightly. "I did not poison it, Ms. Wrynn. I have no intention of killing you with such dishonorable means," he picked up a sandwich and bit into it, smiling slightly as he did, "Ahh! I must give my compliments to the cook, for making these delightful snacks!"

He continued to eat, and watching him, Kira felt her stomach rumble. He smiled triumphantly, making her scowl grow. But, she conceded, if he wanted to kill her, he would have already done so. She reached out, and took one of the sandwiches, biting into it thoughtfully. Her eyes widened.

_This is really good!_

She quickly devoured the rest, absently accepting the cup of tea that Blood had poured for her. She downed it quickly, delighting in the taste, much to Blood's amusement.

She did not eat anymore, so she spoke.

"Why are you doing this?"

Blood paused, his teacup halfway to his lips.

"Do what, my dear?"

Her scowl returned. "You know perfectly well what. Why have you taken me here? More importantly, where are Kylia, and Naruto!"

He took a sip from his tea, setting it down upon the table, and looking at her with his one good eye.

"Kylia, I assume, is the other girl that was with you. She is currently in Booty Bay, most likely in one of the inns. She is quite safe, I assure you, as I took the liberty of checking up on her on my way back. As for the boy…he is in the jungle, a ways away from here, likely fighting to the death… or resting in one of the many cells built into the arena that Mr. Scool is in charge of. As to your other question…the answer is not as simple."

She scoffed slightly, glaring at him with as much fire as she could muster.

"I suppose you're going to ransom me, or something? You seem like the type of person that would do that."

He frowned slightly, taking another sip of his tea. "You think so little of me, Ms. Wrynn? I am hurt; no, I have not captured you for ransom. If I needed money, there would be far less troublesome ways in order to acquire it. The reason I have brought you here is, if I put it in the simplest form possible…

"To kill you."

Her eyes widened, and she quickly scrambled away from the man, pushing her chair away, making it fall behind her with slight thumping sound as it hit the red carpet.

Captain Blood smiled at her benignly, sipping his tea once more.

"You need not worry, Ms. Wrynn; your death has a specific time and place, and it is neither now nor here. Now calm yourself, it is not proper for a lady like yourself to be getting all flustered."

She glared at him, her fire returning, "You just said that you were going to kill me! How am I supposed to be calm! And why are you doing this! Why me?"

He gave her a sad smile, " I am truly sorry, Ms. Wrynn, but you were not the intended target. You are an unfortunate victim of circumstance. My true target was the Warchief of the Horde…Thrall."

_Thrall?_ She thought, her eyes widening.

"So it was you," she said quietly, "it was you that sent that troll to Orgrimmar…the one who told Thrall of what was happening down here…"

Blood blinked a little. "You were in Orgrimmar? That is…interesting. I didn't think that a human had ever set foot in Orgrimmar, but it seems that I am wrong. That would explain why you were on the ship that I targeted, then. You, the other girl, and that boy came in place of Thrall…"

"What does Thrall have to do with this?" she said, heatedly. "Why was he your target?"

The captain stroked his beard, sighing again. "He was simply what I found to be the best choice for my plans. The trolls of this land were once allied with him, and after I captured their leader, a friend and ally of Thrall, I believed that I could goad him into coming here, where I would instigate my plan; the beginning of my dream."

"Your dream?" she asked, frowning a little.

He nodded, looking a little wistful, "Yes…my dream.

"To become a legend…"

Kira frowned even deeper at the man, who smiled and began to explain.

"In my youth, I was a tremendous fan of stories. All kinds of stories, about heroes and villains, both true and fictional, about mystical lands across the sea, about bloodthirsty monsters inhabiting the deepest, darkest pits of the world, everything. I was enraptured by all of it…so enraptured, that I wished to join those in the stories that I had been told.

"But, in almost all of them, I noticed a recurring theme, one that bothered me quite a bit. The hero, the gallant, powerful warrior, who achieved fame and fortune through his honorable deeds, I found lacking in substance. Even in stories that I knew to be true, I found the hero a flat, stereotypical person, one that was not, nor could not be human. They were to good, you see, and none of them were described as possessing faults, and so they all began to sound the same. Human heroes, thousands of years ago, who fought in wars that I knew to have taken place, sounded all the same, and even had very much the same reasons for doing what they did; for their country, for their people, for a loved one. The only faults they are described as having are the ones that affected their deeds, but that fault is usually righted in the end. We place statues up of them, honoring them as gods, when in reality, even in the most well described books, in the truest of stories the hero is merely an archetype, repeated throughout history. Even non-humans fell into this category, in many cases.

" But the villains…they are quite another story. Every villain of every story that I have ever read, has been fleshed out to their fullest. Their appearance, their personality, their actions- all described in the utmost detail. They are the subject of the author's opinion, no doubt, and are portrayed that way, but an author does not change the actions of the villain, as they do a hero. They describe everything that the villain ever did, because the truth is far worse, usually, than any fabrication. And what's more…they are entirely human. Their desires, their actions, their abilities, all human, and never elevated to a higher position. Take the most famous of villains in modern history- Arthas Menethil. Born a hero, supposedly, but his mind, human as it was, gradually succumbed to the darkness that it had been filled with. He gave into this desire for power, as many would, and thusly he broke away from the 'hero' category, and became a monster; whose actions were so frighteningly inhuman, that it makes the fact that he was once human so much more tragic.

"What's more, all villains had different motivations for doing what they were doing. It was never just for their country, or for a loved one. It was for power, for recognition, sometimes simple insanity, other times the result of dark experiments, corruption, but even then, there were so many more. Villains always had many layers to them, so that even if one layer was exposed, another still lay hidden beneath it. Their actions were their own, and they did it for themselves. Once again- even the villains of other races had so much more depth to them.

"I was fascinated by them, you see, and thusly I began to desire my own cornerstone in history. Villains are always remembered, and even now, many still remain in the hearts of the people, either as ghost stories, things told by mothers to their children to keep them from getting into trouble, or serving as reminders for the people now to never repeat that mistake. In that respect…they are unique.

"So you see, Ms. Wrynn, my reasons for wanting the Warchief were the reasons that I now have for you. I intended to defeat Thrall, and destroy him, which would cause the collapse of his nation, the destruction of his people's spirit, and the Horde would likely never reform. From there, I would do much the same to the other leaders of the world, and my name would soon become as feared as that of the Lich King. You will be killed in much the same fashion. I will kill you in Stormwind City, before I ransack it, defeat the armies that they send after me, and assault the costal towns of that area. I will do this to show them that they are weaker than I. I will break their spirit, with your death. Then I will possibly renew my actions against Thrall, or, if the gnomes and dwarves rush to Stormwind's aid, I will deal with them."

Kira sat opened mouthed in horror at the man's words. What's more, he had said them with such certainty and confidence that it had been almost like hearing Naruto speak of his dream…

She shook her head fiercely and then looked at him, pouring as much of her hate into her voice as she could. " You…you're sick! That's why you enslaved the trolls then, too, right? Just for this idiotic dream!"

Blood's eye suddenly became cold. He set the teacup down, and looked at her with is one, blazing green eye.

"You do not seem to understand…all of the trolls that you see on my crew, joined of their own free will. Most of them were part of the native tribes, the Bloodscalps and the Skullsplitters, but there are a few Darkspear trolls as well."

Kira was standing, however, not listening to the man's calm reply, and not taking notice of his now cold eye.

"So you'd kill so many people…you'd attack Stormwind, ransack it, and then begin killing the people of my kingdom, for nothing more than a dream! You sicken me! You're more a monster than Arthas ever was!"

He stood, towering over her, his single eye boring into her two purple ones.

"You think I enjoy it, girl?" he said coldly, "Do you think I take pleasure in killing others? I will do what I need to do…nothing more. Killing those people is merely a necessity for my dream. Now tell me, Ms. Wrynn…"

He then bent down, and faced her on eye level, his face gaunt and full of cold rage.

"If you had to choose between killing one man…and giving up your dream forever…would you do it? Would you kill two men, ten, a hundred, a thousand, a million?"

Kira opened her mouth to respond, ready to shout a definite "NO" at the man, but found herself unable to. He eyes widened, as her mind began to process just what he was asking her.

_Would_ she kill a man, if it meant allowing her to continue her dream? _Could_ she?

She didn't know.

Her lip quivered slightly, and her eyes began to tear up. Captain Blood stood up to his full height, looking down on her once again.

"Not such an easy answer, is it?"

He then turned, and strode from the room, leaving her alone once more. Shortly after, the two troll guards returned, and escorted her back to the small room.

She gave no resistance.

* * *

Naruto awoke in darkness.

The blonde groaned as consciousness returned to him. He felt a lot better than the previous time he had awoken, but still a little achy. He sat up slowly, his eyes working to adjust to the darkness that he was in.

When they had, he realized he was in a small room, probably eight feet long, and around five feet from the back to the new, gleaming metal bars over the entrance. He looked around, and spotted a small pile of straw, with a dirty piece of cloth draped over it. Next to it, there was a small pail, rusted and dirty, whose use Naruto didn't want to think about. The ground was damp and covered in various mosses, and small vines ran through cracks in the wall. There was no window, so Naruto was unable to tell whether it was night or day. The room stank of many things, most of which Naruto would have rather not smelt.

It was also then, that he noticed he was not alone in the cell.

Huddled in a back corner, farthest away from the blonde, there was a massive shape, draped in shadows. As soon as Naruto noticed it, however, it moved, allowing Naruto see part of it.

He saw two huge tusks, a flash of reddish hair and green skin. Two eyes, dull amber, stared at him in the darkness.

He gave a startled cry, and backed away quickly, against the bars. The troll didn't move any farther, and simply watched Naruto's reaction with his unwavering stare.

"You be afraid of de dark, boy?" rumbled a voice from outside the cell. It was familiar, so it didn't take Naruto long to figure out who it was.

"Ah! You're Vol'jin, right!" he cried out into the darkness.

There was a deep, almost sinister chuckle, "I be him, yes. Question is, who be you?"

"Uzumaki Naruto," the blonde said stoically, gazing wearily at the troll in his own cell as he did.

"A 'uman name, for sure. What ye doin' here, boy? Did Thrall really send yah? You be skilled in dat style, but dat doesn' convince me."

"He really did!" Naruto snapped, glaring at the darkness, "He sent me to help you out with whatever had happened down here, 'cause a troll appeared in Orgrimmar a few days ago, saying that you needed his help! He sent me 'cause he couldn't go himself, because he has a city to protect!"

There was a silence for a while, then, Vol'jin gave a dark chuckle. "I finally tink I know what dat man be tryin' to do…'cause as ya can see, I not be in da position to be sendin' anyone ta Orgrimmar. But dat be just like Thrall, I tink. Your words be sincere, but dat doesn' change much. You be trapped, and will be doomed to da fate dat me and my people be sharin' now."

Naruto's eyes returned to the troll in his own cell, who seemed to be listening to their conversation. He then looked back into the darkness.

"Are all of your people imprisoned like this?" he asked.

Vol'jin grunted, "Not all. Dere be some who joined Blood's crew, but only out o' necessity. Dere not be a one in my tribe dat would betray us. But de others… many of da ones from the Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter tribes, be joinin' him quickly. But some o' dem refuse, and stay with my tribe in capture like dis. I don' know how loyal da ones in Blood's crew be, but da ones dat are in these cells, fightin' day in and out like me, be trustworthy. Da one in your cell be a Skullsplitter, witch doctor in trainin'. He don' be speakin' much Orcish, so he be unable to understand much of our words."

Naruto once again looked back at the troll in the cell. He gave him a grin, which made the troll grunt something, and look into the darkness, muttering something in another language.

"He be sayin' dat your smile be strange."

Naruto blinked, his smile dropping, and he scratched his head awkwardly. There was silence for a time, before Naruto asked another question.

"Have you tried to escape, at all?"

Vol'jin gave a dry laugh, and Naruto could almost see him sneering into the darkness. "How, boy? Dese bracelets," Naruto heard the cling of metal on metal, and he assumed the Vol'jin had just banged the bracelet against the cell, "seal my chakra. Dey seal all de other's chakra as well, makin' it impossible to do much else den fight according to dere rules."

"But you can still use the Tetra-Elemental style!" Naruto bellowed, "can't you use that for escaping? Like that weird technique you first used on me?"

"You don' understand, boy. Dat man, Scool, da one who makes all of dese fights, be the one who control da power of dese bracelets. If he be wantin' he could cause as much pain and suffering as he wants, to us. So strong, dis pain be, dat it be impossible to resist for long."

Naruto grimaced, remembering the pain he had felt when the Kyuubi's chakra had been trying to break free. He had thought, at the time, that that was just something the bracelet would do if one tried to break free, but now that he realized it had been done intentionally, it felt a whole lot more…annoying. He gazed at the bracelet in the darkness, and was surprised to see that it still bore the cracks that had been caused by the demon's power, and that it was slightly looser than the one on his right arm.

"Now tell me, boy. Dat power you be usin' on me…what was it? It be tremendously strong…nearly broke through de bracelet. What are you?"

Naruto flinched slightly at the question, even though he was used to it by now. So he said quietly, "It's my burden…"

He explained, in brief detail, what his burden was. Vol'jin listened to it quietly, and when the blonde was finished, Vol'jin laughed.

"A interestin' story, dat be, boy. I had tought dat you must have been an interestin' boy, if Thrall be teachin' yah. You be one o' de first 'umans that I ever enjoyed talkin' to."

Naruto grinned a little. "Thanks." He then thought a moment, and said quietly, "How did you end up here, anyways? Is this Blood guy that powerful?"

Vol'jin gave another grunt, "It be only a year after we arrive dat he come. Before he did, I made much progress wit de other tribes. The Bloodscalps be a little less resistant dan the Skullsplitters, but I found out dere true reason for remaining dem here in de Vale. Dere rage and bloodlust be fueled by an evil god, da Blood God, named Hakkar de Soulflayer; he be summoned by a small group o' Skullsplitters, and dey be controllin' and magnifyin' the hate and rage o' the other tribes, so dat dey spill more blood for him. My people and I attacked deir lair, in Zul'Gurub, and after much fightin' we defeated Hakkar and destroyed da grip he have on da Skullsplitters and Bloodscalps. They then begin to join us, and I work to make them as much a part of our group as we a part of deir's. But den…he came.

"He be very skilled, but his true power be lyin' in his tactics. He always seem to know exactly what to do. He take goblin town like that, by bein' one step ahead o' dem. He den fought us, breakin' up the camps we be settin' up, and drawin' us out. Every time we try to launch an attack, he be in ready, and always turn it around on us. His strength in battle be tremendous, but he use surprises and cleverness to defeat me, which makes me believe he not as strong as I. But den, he asked many o' the Skullsplitters and Bloodscalps and even my own Darkspears if they would join him. Some of my Darkspears joined, as dey new I would want dem to, and many Skullsplitter and Bloodscalp as well. De rest, who didn't join him, remain in here, and he place powerful bracelets on dose who are skilled in wieldin' chakra. He place new, strong bars and special runes on entire prison, so we cannot escape."

"I now want nothin' more den revenge. I will destroy dat man and his crew, one day, and my people will be free once more."

Naruto found himself grinning at Vol'jin's pronouncement. This guy was his type of guy, he realized. He hadn't given up hope, and had sworn that he would free himself.

'_Finally, some people who don't need a pep-talk!_' he thought, grinning brighter.

"Oi! I'll help, then! But I gotta a few requests, before I start. I wanna know how to do that technique that you did in our fight, for one thing."

Vol'jin was silent, then he said, "What makes ye tink dat I want your help, boy?"

Naruto smirked, "'Cause you need all the help you can get at this point." He banged the cracked bracelet against he metal bars, for emphasis.

Vol'jin then laughed. "You be right… but I do not like 'umans, boy. Dey have wronged my people and I for many years, so I find most o' dem untrustworthy, racist fools. But I do know dat not all 'umans be the same, and so if ye manage to succeed, 'uman, and help me free my people, den I will teach you de Shadow style, my people's contribution to de Tetra-Elemental style. But what be de other things you want?"

He heard Naruto's laughter through the gloom, "I wanna learn that accent!"

The sound of Vol'jin face faulting- a remarkable feet while sitting, could be heard throughout the entire prison.

* * *

Kira nodded to herself. Her plan was formed, and now all she needed to do was to put it into action.

It was night, or at least she assumed it was, because the activity that she had once heard above her had ceased, and occasionally she heard one of her two guards begin to snore outside her door. Usually accompanying that sound was the sound of a slap, and a grumbling as the other guard smacked the sleeping one awake.

Ever since she had met with Captain Blood, she had been thinking of his words.

Could she really kill someone…if it meant allowing her dream to continue? She had wanted, at first, to scream, NO! But she realized that wasn't true, not in the slightest. Her dream was almost everything to her at this point. It was the result of many years of listening to her father and his advisors speak of the depleting resources of the world, the fewer people joining the army, and the weakening alliances. It was also of Benedictus' stories of her mother, a woman who would heal both members of the Alliance, and members of the Horde, if they needed it. That was one of the reasons that Benedictus had loved her mother so much- she was a being of infinite kindness, who was one of the last bastions of that feeling in this world.

So, in effect, her dream was as important to her as her parents had been, and she realized that even if faced with the prospect of killing someone…she would continue to pursue it.

Was that wrong of her? She had wondered, sitting on the small cot, staring at the floor. Was it wrong of her to put her own ideals above the life of another human?

At that moment, it didn't matter. She would pursue her dream, and if she were faced with that situation, then she would handle it as she saw fit. Right now, however, she needed to escape, and she had the perfect plan to do it.

She stood and called out to her guards. "Excuse me?"

She heard the click of multiple locks, and the door suddenly opened, revealing the green skin of one of her troll captors. "What?" he rumbled, glaring at her.

Even as he uttered the word, Kira was acting. Her hands flashed through seals, stopping on the moon seal. She whispered, **_"_Binding of the Psyche!"**

The troll, blinking rapidly at the girl's actions, suddenly went rigid, as Kira took hold of his mind. His eyes suddenly glazed over, and he made a crude bow to her, making her smile at the success. The technique was one of the most difficult to perform that she knew of, and also very difficult to maintain. It was totally ineffective against those whose wills were stronger than hers, but she had guessed correctly in thinking that the troll didn't have greater willpower than she.

She quickly directed the guard to turn around, he close the door. As soon as he did, she made him, lightning fast, ram his fist into his partner's face. Upon hearing the sound of flesh striking flesh, and then a slumping sound as the now unconscious partner slid down the wall onto the ground.

'_Phase One, complete!'_

She opened the door, and entered the hallway. The mind-controlled troll stood in the same place that she had told him to stand, staring out into space. She looked up at him, and told him through the bond that they shared, to take her up onto the deck, using the quickest way possible.

Her order struck a small part of his mind, and immediately, the information that she needed was brought to the surface of his hazy mind. He spun on his heel, and walked down the hallway, Kira quickly following.

He turned left, went down another hallway, then up a pair of stairs, which she remembered going up when she had been taken to Blood's room. Her eyes widened, and she quickly told him to avoid Blood's quarters at all costs. When they reached the top, he turned left again, making her sigh in relief.

Right led directly to Blood's quarters.

They encountered no one of their trip through that level, something that made Kira very happy. They went up another flight of stairs, more walking through hallways, then another flight, before they reached the deck.

And then her luck ran out.

As soon as they reached the deck, she and her thrall came face to face with another troll, who was looking tired.

The troll blinked, staring first at the troll she was controlling, then at Kira herself.

"What ye be doin'? Dat girl is da boss man's prisoner…she supposed to stay down below."

Working quickly, she had her servant say, calmly, "Givin' her a bit of fresh air, she be makin' a lot o' noise down dere, very annoyin'."

The troll blinked, and nodded, "Sound good, don't want her wakin' us up, den." He sneered at Kira as he walked past, and she averted her eyes, hoping she looked frightened. When he was gone, she exhaled deeply, wiping a bit of sweat from her forehead.

'_That was close'_ she thought. She then walked to the edge of the ship, and peered over, into the dark waters. The sound of the rushing and falling water from the falls met her ears, and she nodded, knowing that she was in the same place. From what she remembered, than she just had to head directly south, and Booty Bay would be there. She would grab Kylia, and then they would both head off into the jungle, and locate the arena that Blood had mentioned Naruto being in.

She prayed that he was still alive.

She readied herself to jump, but felt a sudden hand clamp on her shoulder.

"Were you be goin', missy?"

She froze. Turning her head, ever so slowly, she met the cruel, beetle black eyes of a monstrous human pirate, with a hugely scarred face, curly, mangy black hair, stubbly beard, a red bandanna over his head and breath that stank of booze. He wore a white, loose shirt, with the collar open, revealing his hairy chest.

"Hic! Lookit this, I found me an escapee! The cap'n will be sure to promote me now, eheheheh!" His grip tightened, painfully, on her shoulder, making her cry out slightly. He pulled her away from the railing, grinning darkly.

The pirate took a swig form a dark bottle in his other hand, spilling some of the dark, stinky liquid down his chin. He then turned to the troll standing next to her, unmoving and sneered.

"Ya think ye could help her, you damn traitor? The cap'n will have your head for this, I think! Gwahahah- OW!"

He abruptly let go of Kira's shoulder, clutching his arm in pain. A small, silver knife had been stuck through it, and it was gushing blood out onto the deck.

Seizing this chance, Kira sent her servant, making him punch the pirate hard in the jaw.

The pirate, however barely budged from the hit, despite the troll's tremendous strength.

"That it, ya ponce?" he snarled, ripping the blade from his arm and slamming it into the troll's stomach. He then proceeded to grab the troll's head, and with apparently little effort, crush it completely with a single hand.

Kira's eyes bulged at the display of strength and brutality, and backed away, feeling a slight wave of dizziness overcome her, from the now broken bond that she had shared with the troll. She found herself against the railing once more. She bent her knees, and readied to jump again, but the pirate was quicker, and grabbed her roughly by the front of her shirt, and threw her over his shoulder, making her land roughly on the deck a few yards away.

She got to her feet, groaning in pain, as the pirate grinned, and walked forwards towards her. He drank the rest of the liquid from the bottle, and then smashed it against his leg, breaking half of it, and then brandishing the now sharp edged weapon with a look of intense greed in his eyes.

"The cap'n'll definitely give ol' Burgess a raise for this one. So long as I don' kill yah, you'll be fine, I think. Gwahahaha!"

Kira narrowed her eyes. She was pathetic at hand-to-hand fighting, and she had no staff. Therefore, she would have to rely on her techniques to get through this fight. From what she had seen, both previously on Shep'rick's ship, and here, the human pirates were the most dangerous. They all had brutish strength, and tremendous stamina, making them incredibly powerful. That meant that she had to attack the only thing that wasn't strong in a pirate.

His mind.

Burgess, as he called himself, rushed towards her, brandishing his makeshift weapon with a stupid, greedy grin on his face.

She dodged his first attack, a thrust to her leg, and spun out of reach. While she was pathetic at actual fighting, she had trained herself to react as quickly as possible. Benedictus said that the primary role of priest in battle was medical support. Therefore, they needed to be agile in order to avoid damage. They had other things, as well…

Flashing through some seals, she thrust her hands out in front of her, and said quickly, "**Power Word: Shield!**"

A glowing yellow light suddenly surrounded her, and just in time, as well. Burgess' broken bottle struck out, aiming for her chest. Instead, it struck the light, and shattered, causing Burgess to blink and look at the useless weapon, before looking back at Kira, with wide eyes.

"What the…?"

Unfortunately for him, Kira was already beginning her second attack, as the shield held. That was one of the greatest advantages of Power Word: Shield. Unlike other chakra shields, it didn't need to be constantly held, and would remain up for a few seconds, using the person's own life energy and chakra to sustain it. It had its downsides, however, as she was unable to perform it for several minutes afterwards, due to the strain it had on the person's life energy.

Her hands made several more hand seals, and she roared, "**Mind Blast!"**

Burgess was suddenly slammed backwards by an invisible force. He clutched his head, crying out in pain as his mind was nearly ripped in half by the force of Kira's attack. He grabbed his hair and pulled, eventually tearing it out, and began to beat his head furiously against the deck, trying to rid himself of the pain. She knew that it wouldn't last long, as a Mind Blast was generally used to knock an opponent out. If it didn't, they still felt intense pain, and would be rendered immobile for a minute or so.

Part of her wanted to run, and leap off the ship into the sea, to escape, but the part of her that remembered how he had killed the troll with such cruel ease, wanted to make him pay.

So she flashed through a final bit of seals, and ended with a cry of, "**Holy Smite!"**

She thrust her hands forwards, and from them there was a blast of golden light, which must have been visible for miles in the dark. The blast slammed into the slowly recovering Burgess, and blasted him backwards, so hard that he smashed through the railing on the other side of the ship, and crashed backwards into darkness.

But Kira didn't stick around long enough to hear the splash, instead rushing to the side of the ship opposite were Burgess had fallen from, and without hesitation, leapt into the sea.

She landed in the surprisingly warm waters, and then poured chakra into her feet, and stood atop it. Water walking was one of the first control techniques that she had learned.

She then ran, as fast as he could, for the shore.

'_I'm coming, Kylia, Naruto!'_

_

* * *

_

"Cap'n…we can find no trace o' her on land. She musta covered her tracks, and headed into the jungle…"

Captain Blood frowned, as he stared into the distance. It was almost dawn, and the sun was beginning to rise just behind him.

"Execute Mr. Burgess, if he managed to survive his ordeal. I have no use for fools like him on my ship. Then, alert Mr. Shanker and Mr. Grubbins, for they are still in Booty Bay, and tell them to capture her, and to do whatever is necessary to. Kill the girl that was brought there, if that is what it calls for."

The pirate, a goblin, gave a quick nod and departed.

Blood's frown deepened, as he stared off towards land.

"I will not be made a fool of, girl. I will do everything in my power to achieve my dreams. I hope you are prepared for that."

* * *

Done!

Okay, all of the talking and stuff has been exhausted in this chapter. The next two will be battles!

Yay battles ! (I have never used in anything, so I felt I should at least once!"

Okay, some bad news, or moderately bad news, at least (I scared you didn't I :p )

I am going to be going away for the next week, without any computer. I will return on Sunday of next week, but that means that there won't be a chapter until around mid-week after next. I am sorry, but I am going to enjoy some time in the sun in Sunny California! WEE!

Also, I am going to hold another vote…but this one is good, so bare with me. You know how mangas have those Popularity Polls? Well I am going to hold one of those! So far, in the story, who has been your favorite character, original or otherwise? I look forwards to hearing who that is! (Though I have a feeling it is Naruto…but that's good, because he will still beat Sasuke.)

Okay, reviewer mail!

**PersonaJXT-** Dude…we are talking about pirates here. If Naruto was anyone other than Naruto, than one smash of his head into the deck would have crushed it, and he would have died! Pirates are ultra-strong, you see. Besides, Naruto's never been shot by a gun…and he was shot in the stomach, and I don't know about you, but I would guess that is a tremendously painful place to be shot, what with all those organs around that area. Naruto's lucky that they didn't bring out the flaming, flying sharks…And as for Jaina, who knows?

**Yue Ryong- Shadowborne-** Thanks for the kind words, they really help me go along! But, I have to say, and I have said this before- I don't recall ever underestimating the Kages. If I had, it was likely in the author notes, and those guesses are tentative at best. I realize how strong the Kages are, but I still think that you are underestimating the Warcraft guys as well. For example, you say that the Yondaime was the ultimate speed freak, and I agree that he was fast, and probably faster than Thrall, but that is for several reasons. Mainly, Thrall isn't small and light and quick, he's huge and heavily built, making him more strong than fast. But comparing them is stupid, mainly because the Yondaime is dead, and Thrall uses more than just speed. I realize that I may have put the Kages down in some instances (I am not sure when…but you wouldn't be doing this unless I had) but until they are actually shown using their full strength, please don't pass judgment on how I've portrayed them. If the time comes, and I make Tsunade or Jiraiya or Orochimaru too weak, then you can bust my chops. I don't plan to make them seem weaker by comparison to guys in the World of Warcraft universe- in many cases they are stronger, and in many they are not. But I thank you for the help!

**Constructive Criticiser- **Thanks for the correction! Now may I offer constructive criticism of my own? Criticiser is actually spelled with a "z" so it would be "Criticizer." Your welcome :)

Well that's it, SO REVIEW, and VOTE for your FAVORITE character!

Seeya later!

General Grievous

_**Spellbook-**_

**Keiei- **The essence of the Shadow style- making a person almost totally invisible using a combination of the person's chakra, and tattoos all over their bodies. They are not actually invisible, it is simply and illusion to make them unnoticed, unless their opponent knows exactly where they are. Does not work against Byakugan or Sharingan users.

**Power Word: Shield**- Uses the caster's life energy and chakra to make a shield which will remain for a short time, without constant attention. Cannot be used for several minutes afterwards, due to low life energy.

**Mind Blast-** Fires a blast of chakra into the person's mind, either knocking them unconscious, or stunning them and causing intense pain.

**Holy Smite- **A blast of pure, holy-based chakra, causes massive damage to shadow creatures, and also against other corporeal beings.

_**Bestiary- **_

**Ol' Drunk Burgess **(Humanoid) (**Elite)- ** A dirty, boozing, cruel pirate that Blood doesn't respect much, and only uses for his muscle. Like all human pirates, he is incredibly strong and durable.


	30. Schooling Scool and Attacking Booty Bay

**Disclaimer: PIRATES!**

**NINJAS!**

**PIRATES!**

**NINJAS!**

**PIRATES!**

**NINJAS!**

**I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR WORLD OF WARCRAFT!**

**PIRATES!**

**NINJAS!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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"Okay, so what's your favorite color?"

"Gr…Gree…Green?" rumbled a voice in the darkness.

"Great! You got it!" Naruto happily bellowed.

It had been, as far as Naruto was concerned, days since he awoken in the darkness of the cell, and spoken with Vol'jin. He didn't really know if had been that long, but it certainly felt that way. The only way he had been able to tell that time had passed was the tray of food that was placed just inside their cell every few hours.

Being who he was, it was impossible to sit still; and unable to generate enough anger and desperation in order for the Kyuubi's chakra to act up, the blonde was left with no choice but to wait for the time that he would next fight. But that still left him with nothing to do, and so he found himself making conversation with the Skullsplitter troll that also occupied his cell. What he meant by conversation, of course, was Naruto jabbering incessantly to the troll, who didn't understand a thing that the blonde was saying, while Vol'jin merely listened on in the darkness, having nothing better to do.

Soon, however, Naruto decided to try and teach the troll some Orcish, and surprisingly the troll was receptive to the teaching, and after a time, the troll had begun to understand a little of what Naruto said. He learned that the troll's name was Gen'rash, that his favorite food was something called men'ra, and that he was an apprentice witch doctor. When Naruto had asked what a witch doctor was, Vol'jin had explained that it was a type of Trollish priest, that manipulated the darker parts of a person's mind, could modify and enhance their own and other's bodies, and could even change them into other creatures. Vol'jin practiced some of that art as well, and Naruto learned that the troll chieftain was known as a Shadowhunter. Shadowhunters were specifically trollish shamans that had mastered the Shadow style as well as many other troll-specific abilities and spells.

Naruto was pleased that he had something to do now, and made almost every effort to teach the troll as much of the language as he knew.

Vol'jin listened quietly as the blonde spoke to Gen'rash. The boy was certainly odd, in his eyes. He had never met a human, or rather, even anyone, like him. The boy had absolutely no prejudices, against his or any other race. The boy had talked briefly of how he had come to Azeroth, and why he had set out. Even now, Vol'jin didn't understand why the boy was doing it.

It was preposterous, in his eyes that the races of this world could work together in an alliance. There was far too much history between them, they were enemies, and always had been.

And yet…

The blonde's cheerful, optimistic view, coupled with the power that Vol'jin had witnessed previously, as well as determination that had sounded in Naruto's voice when he said that he would help free Vol'jin's people had been refreshing. The blonde had spoken of what he done so far- he had saved the gnomes, annoying as they were, from themselves, and then had gone on to win over the Tauren, the first to leave from the Horde. And now he spoke of eliminating all of the bad blood that was between the troll's and the rest of the Alliance, specifically the humans.

It sounded to him like something that Thrall would do. The Warchief had been raised by humans, and was sympathetic of them. With the ever-increasing power of the Lich King, and the other monsters in this world, Thrall would look to other sources of Alliance.

He had allied with the Alliance before, so why wouldn't he again?

He looked into the darkness, from where Naruto's voice could be heard. If all humans were like that boy, and were so willing to accept, then he realized that it just might be possible.

But until Vol'jin's people were free, and no longer oppressed by the Bloodsail Buccaneers, Vol'jin would forgo his final judgment of the boy.

If the blonde did what he had said he would, then Vol'jin might reconsider his views.

In the background, occasionally the sound of doors opening and shutting, along with the shuffling of bare feet and clopping of boots could be heard. Naruto guessed that they were bringing out trolls to fight, or putting wounded ones back in their cells. He could also hear (and smell) the drunken laughter of several pirates as they joked about never having to heal the trolls, as they would recover quickly enough on their own.

Naruto couldn't wait to get out and fight again, something that in the back of his mind was somewhat bothersome to him. When had he become such a warmonger?

He shook his head, smiling a little to himself. He was just waiting for a chance to get free, not to fight…or to kill.

Somehow, even with the Kyuubi's voice absent from his mind, he could still hear it, mocking his assurances.

A little while later, a pair of pirates, humans, Naruto noticed, who walked in front of his and Gen'rash's cell.

"Oi, brat, get outta here. You an' your roommate arrrree up," he said, grinning maliciously as his companion took a swig of foul-smelling booze.

Naruto stood up and heard Gen'rash do the same. The Skullsplitter troll loomed in the darkness, making him seem even more imposing than when he had been sitting. The pirates, were, of course, unimpressed by the troll's size, and merely waited until both had exited the cell, before one started forwards, gesturing for the two to follow him. When they did, the other pirate started up behind them, making sure that neither would run.

They walked through the seemingly endless corridor, and Naruto saw many other cells in the darkness, with hunched, shadowed figures dwelling within. He spotted a shock of orange hair, a few cells away from his, but was unable to make out the person within.

They walked farther, and then, with a suddenness that startled the two prisoners, there was light. And then sound.

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut from the influx of light as the pirate in front pulled a large, metal door open. Naruto was then roughly shoved through by the pirate behind him, having been momentarily stunned by the brightness of the light, and the volume of the sound. His eyes quickly adjusted, and suddenly he found himself staring at a familiar scene; the arena that he and Vol'jin had battled in.

"Move along, kid, and ye better give us a good show! I could use somethin' to distract me from this bloody forest… and all these bloody insects!" the pirate behind him said, angrily swatting at a fly that was buzzing around his head. He shoved Naruto forwards again, and then shut the door with a loud clang, before locking it with a small iron key that he had produced from his pocket.

Meanwhile, the pirate who had been in front during the trip grabbed Naruto roughly again, and dragged him into the center of the arena, much to the blonde's chagrin. He then left, leaving Naruto, still a bit dazed, in the center with Gen'rash. It was only a few seconds later that the familiar boom of Edward Scool's voice rumbled above him.

"Well maties, you enjoyed 'im so much, that I just had to bring 'im back! The annoying little brat that held his own against the king o' the trolls is back, and facin' off against the Skullsplitter Gen'rash. I can tell ye that this fight will be one ta remember!"

Naruto grinned inwardly at the pirate's words, thinking how right he would be. He settled into a fighting stance, his knees bent, and his hands up in preparation for attack.

Gen'rash's eyes, once a dull amber, seemed to shine in the light, and Naruto could see a fierce fire burn within them.

'_He's psyched as well,' _the blonde thought, grinning widely, '_that's gonna make this a bit easier.'_

"I see no reason to bother ye all with many words, so I'll get straight to the point! FIGHT!" Scool roared, causing the crowd of pirates to explode in cheers and roars.

Naruto and Gen'rash remained still on the battlefield, staring at each other, however, causing the crowd to subside slightly. But they didn't remain so for long.

Naruto rushed forwards, putting on the biggest burst of speed that he could manage. Gen'rash fell back, raising his hands in defense. Naruto's first few punches were blocked, but their strength was evident in that Gen'rash had been forced to take a few steps back during the assault. Naruto then snapped a kick at the troll's shin, dangerously close to the kneecap. Gen'rash jerked back, avoiding the hit, but was unprepared when Naruto suddenly vanished, moving with the incredible speed of the _Kazaashi_.

It took less than half a second for Naruto to appear inside the troll's flimsy guard, (it was evident that hand-to-hand fighting was not his strong point) and drive a series of light-speed punches into Gen'rash's gut. The troll, taken by surprise, was flung backwards and skidded along the ground, before leaping to his feet, a few yards away from the wall. Gen'rash coughed a few times, spitting up blood, before wiping his mouth and walking forwards again.

Naruto stood his ground, his breathing a little more labored than before he had used the _Kazaashi_, but still ready to go.

'_That really takes it out of you…'_ he thought.

He turned his attention once again to Gen'rash, who was still walking towards him. The troll, seeing that he had Naruto's attention, reached up and grabbed his tusks with both hands. Then, to Naruto's astonishment, he wrenched them from his flesh, without so much as a grunt. Blood immediately began to gush from the wounds, but once again, Naruto saw that they had already begun to heal, and grow back.

Gen'rash then brandished his curved tusks like swords, and rushed forwards, moving faster than he would have guessed. Witch doctors didn't follow the Tetra-elemental style, though he should have realized that they had some training in internal chakra manipulation.

The troll swiped and Naruto with his tusks, making Naruto dodge to the side, then stumbled back a few times in order to avoid the increasing number of slashes and thrusts that Gen'rash was making. He grunted as he stumbled over a particularly large crack, and suffered a large gash across his chest. He pumped as much chakra into his leg muscles as he could, and then leapt backwards, out of reach. Gen'rash quickly followed with a leap of his own, but Naruto was able to take the following blow with a quick _Kongou_, before his hand shot out, and grabbed the quickly retracting one of Gen'rash. While he was no match for the troll's strength, he was able to use what leverage he had to maneuver himself inside the troll's guard, by pushing the troll's arm up and sliding in before the other long, spindly, weapon-wielding arm was able to attack. He delivered a powerful elbow to the troll's stomach, knocking the wind from him, and then retracted his elbow slightly, and punched Gen'rash's chin hard, rendering him senseless long enough for Naruto to twist around and grab the tusk from the arm that he still held.

However, before he could remove himself from Gen'rash's personal space, the troll ducked down and gored Naruto through the arm with one of his recently regenerated tusks.

The boy cried out in pain, and was thus unable to stop himself from being lifted up and flung away from the troll. He landed roughly a few yards away, gasping in agony.

He stood up slowly, feeling the wound begin to close, and feeling the familiar rush of the Kyuubi's chakra. He grasped at it, but it felt like trying to grasp water, and it slowly began to dissipate as the wound healed. He growled in annoyance, and felt a bubbling anger within him begin to rise. The demon's chakra began to bubble as well, and focused hard on that feeling of anger.

His eyes bled into red, and his face became wilder as the arch-demon's power surged through him. He was dimly aware that he was now crouching, like some wild animal, as he focused his hardest to maintain the seething rage that made the Kyuubi's chakra react. His bracelets began to crack slightly, and then…

At once, pain like hot needles, needles dripped in acid and that were as thick as pencils began to rage through his body, as Scool activated the defense mechanism of the bracelet, upon seeing them begin to crack. Naruto, however, fought through the pain, and was now rolling on the ground, screaming louder than he had ever before. But nothing, not even the pain, broke his concentration, and the anger that fed the terrifying power of the ultimate creature of hate and anger, the Kyuubi, continued to grow. His arms began to glow, and the bracelets began to split, hanging loose on the blonde's arms. The pain, too, began to disappear, as the power of the bracelets began to fade.

He heard shouts from the pirates, and began to see movement from them as his vision cleared. When the bracelets finally released their grip, falling to the ground in loud clangs as they struck the stone floor, he then felt a tremendous surge of the demon's chakra, accompanied by the Kyuubi's thunderous voice.

'**MY POWER IS YOURS, THEN, BRAT. RIP THEM APART.**'

Naruto shot forwards, his senses, speed and strength heightened, and came to rest in front of a shocked looking Gen'rash. He grabbed the troll's hand, and with two strikes from his red-glowing fist, he shattered both bracelets.

He then turned, and glared, his blazing red eyes and fox-like grin causing a group of pirates that had vaulted over the wall and into the arena to stop in their tracks, rendered immobile by shock more than fear.

"Oi," he said, flexing one of his clawed hands, "who's first?"

The pirates were quickly shaken from their stupor, and adopted large scowls. One of them, a large, brutish one in a brown leather coat with scars all over his face, said in a low guttural voice, "Brat…ye'll pay for takin' away our entertainment."

Another grinned what could only be described as the grin of a murderous pirate, and said, "I think this'll be plenty o' entertainment, don' you think?"

The others began to nod in agreement, and then, without warning, they attacked. Some drew long, curved blades from their belts, others small daggers, and others a dagger and a pistol. The ones in front fired off their pistols first, but Naruto had vanished, using the _Kazaashi_. He reappeared in the middle of the charging group, and thrust his hands out in both directions. The red chakra coalesced around his outstretched arms, becoming large, animalistic claws. The reddish chakra claws shot out from him, and slammed into the chests of two pirates, lifting them off their feet and firing them across the arena into the walls. They smashed through said walls, and Naruto retracted the extended protrusions, just in time to block the bullet of one pirate in front of him. He leapt up and kicked that pirate hard in the face, and then using an air-grasping blast to eject himself from the group.

The reddish chakra had covered most of his body by this time, and was forming a vaguely fox-shaped head, and a long, fox-like tail, made entirely of chakra, now protruded from the back of the spectral fox that surrounded him. His blood was pumping in his ears, and though the seething rage still flowed with it, he still felt in control, something that he found to be quite nice. He felt strong, dominant. He would win, without a doubt.

Then he heard a strange bellow, in a language that he had heard briefly before, and spared a slight glance towards Gen'rash, who stood several yards behind him. The troll stood straight up, with his back arched, and his mouth closed. He held a hand seal in front of him, and he looked as if he was about to burp quite spectacularly. Instead, he exhaled, and from his mouth a poisonous green mist erupted, quickly engulfing a group of pirates that was preparing to enter the ring. The cloud obscured them for few moments, but their screams were suddenly audible throughout the entire, and when the smoke cleared, they were all lying upon the ground, clutching at their skin as it sloughed from their bones, falling to the ground in meaty, red chunks.

Naruto almost lost control of the demon's chakra, as he suddenly began feeling queasy, as he watched the pirates, who ranged from humans, to other green-skinned trolls, to gnolls and a few goblins. It was truly one of the most horrible ways of dying that Naruto had seen thus far.

He turned away from the spectacle, back to the pirates that he was facing, who had been frozen in shock at the sight as well. He crouched low again, knowing that he didn't have much time before the chakra began to burn his skin, as it had during his fight with Sasuke.

He flickered away, using the _Kazaashi_, and tore into the group when he reappeared. He punched with his hands, while the chakra flailed around him, both protecting him and damaging his opponents. He barely noticed it as a series of bullets struck the barrier of chakra that surrounded him, and didn't bother avoiding any attacks from the pirates.

They couldn't hurt him.

He grabbed two pirates with the spectral claws, and slammed them hard into the ground. The gnolls' heads were crushed in an instant under the force, and immediately after he had lifted his hands from the small puddles of gore that had once been their faces, he twirled around, expelling a massive wave of chakra. Most of the remaining pirates were flung back, both two managed to retain their footing, both humans, and slashed at him with their swords. Naruto then gathered his power and formed a _Kongou_, causing the reddish chakra to become more opaque, obscuring his body slightly. The swords struck it, and shattered, as the chakra lashed out in retaliation. Naruto then rammed his spectral claws into the pirates' midsections, blasting them into the arena walls like so many of their comrades.

And then, he was flying.

He met the wall of the farthest side of the arena, near where he had entered. He smashed through it, feeling a jolting sensation and was knocked senseless for a few seconds. However, he didn't feel any accompanying pain, so he stood and got a look at the one that had sent him on that impromptu flight.

The man was dressed in a deep black coat, with a red shirt and cravat underneath. He wore baggy black pants, and a pair of pirate boots. He was tall, and had long, black hair, and a frightful black beard, which was so thick and mangy that it the even the shaggiest of Kakashi-sensei's dogs couldn't hold a candle to this man. Some of his beard was tied in braids, and seemed to be smoking slightly, as if it had just caught fire.

His eyes were what struck the Kyuubi-enraged boy the most, however. They were a deep, almost soulless black, and seemed to give him all the more frightening an appearance.

He had a massive sword resting on his shoulder, which Naruto guessed was what had struck him. It was straight until it got to the very end; where the blade jutted out in a series of "teeth" before dipping back down to form the point. It was truly a frightening looking weapon, and would have looked at home on the back of Kisame or Zabuza any day.

The pirate scowled, and bellowed in a familiar voice, "Well, lad, ye've gone a made a mess o' things, haven't ye?"

Edward Scool did not look happy, not in the slightest. A group of his men now lay quickly decomposing on one part of the arena, (Naruto noticed briefly that Gen'rash was no longer in the arena, and wondered where he had gone) and another group had been defeated by a child that had somehow been able to break the seemingly unbreakable bracelets that his captain had given him to keep the trolls in line.

And now, he was facing a tremendously dangerous young man that wielded a magic unlike he had ever seen. Granted, he was no connoisseur of magicks, but he was pretty sure that what the blonde was doing was fairly uncommon among his kind. He lowered his blade, undaunted by its weight, and held it out in one hand, while the other gripped a large, double-barreled gun, which he produced from his coat.

"I don' like kids who interfere, ye see? This is a good moneymaker fer me and me cap'n. I can' let a snot-nosed little brat who can fight pretty good change that," he said, pointing the gun at Naruto.

The blonde growled, and adopted a crouching position, his red eyes blazing, and the reddish chakra tail swishing from side to side. He began gathering energy into his legs, and readied himself to leap at the pirate.

Then, Scool fired. The shot was incredibly loud, and was forceful enough to make the pirate recoil slightly, even with his tremendous strength. Naruto used the _Kazaashi_ to dodge immediately, and appeared directly beside the wild-looking pirate, his hand pulled back in preparation for a punch. Scool, however, twisted his body and swung his massive at the blonde. It was nothing more than a silvery blur, slicing the air so forcefully that kicked up a massive gust of wind. Naruto dodged the attack, so that it slammed hard into the ground, creating a massive cut in the stone floor.

Naruto swung his spectral claw at Scool, who narrowly avoided it, and pointed his gun at Naruto's face. He fired twice, blasting Naruto backwards. The demon's chakra managed to stop the bullets from blowing holes through Naruto's skull, but was unable to stop them enough to prevent pain completely. The blonde scowled and got to his feet, letting out another guttural growl. Scool marveled at the blonde's defense.

"That strange power protects ye then…I'll hav'ta change that, eh, boy?" he sneered, lifting his sword again. He charged Naruto, and brought the sword down hard. This time, however, instead of dodging, Naruto's spectral claws shot out and grabbed the blade, but the transferal of force made him sink into the stone floor, and sent small tremors throughout the entire arena. With his own hands, Naruto gathered his chakra and lightning fast, he delivered a blur of almost invisible punches, choosing two spots to strike consistently. Even with his pirate's stamina, Scool found himself sailing backwards, spitting up blood and crashing hard into the stonewall of the arena, which was almost completely destroyed, by this point.

Having released his grip on his sword, Naruto was left holding the weapon with his claws. He grabbed it by its handle, marveling at the weight, before using the strength given to him by the Kyuubi, he hurled it straight at the fallen pirate.

Scool raised his gun and with two blasts knocked the sword out of the air, so it dropped harmlessly to the floor in front of the wall. He growled, and then rushed forwards, grabbing the blade as he went by.

"Little brat!" he thundered, "I'll show ye not to mess wit tha' Bloodsail Buccaneers!"

Naruto prepared to engage the monstrous pirate again, but found, to his horror, that one of his arms had gone numb.

'_The Kyuubi's chakra is injuring me again…'_ he thought angrily. He knew that he now had to finish this even faster. Naruto held out his good hand, and gritting his teeth, he began to make the demon's chakra swirl. His spectral hand became a shapeless mass of chakra, which was quickly spun into a perfect, glowing, red sphere.

Scool raised his gun and fired as many blasts as he could at the boy as he charged. Naruto took three on the shoulders and chest, this time, due to Naruto's exhaustion, they did pierce through, and buried themselves in Naruto's flesh. The wounds weren't deep enough to cause much damage, but they still caused a considerable amount of pain for the young ninja. Regardless, he ignored them completely, and focused all his attention on Scool.

The pirate, seeing that his gun had had no effect, abandoned it, and grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands. He roared, and swung it with all his might at the charging Naruto. Naruto, however, was already gone.

"**_Kazaashi Oodama Rasengan!"_** the blonde roared, reappearing right beside the still moving pirate. Scool, stunned by the speed, twisted his body so that Naruto's hand, clutching the swirling orb of destructive chakra, slid by him. Grinning in triumph, the pirate raised his blade to deliver a final blow, when he suddenly found himself unable to move the sword downwards. His eyes widened, and he looked up to see Naruto's spectral tail wrapped around the blade, preventing it from moving down. With a roar, he gathered all his strength, but before he could finish, Naruto had already slammed the Oodama Rasengan into the pirate's vulnerable stomach.

The reddish chakra tore into the pirate's vitals, and rocketed him away from the blonde, with enough force to rip the blade from his hands, despite the fact that he was gripping it with enough force to nearly break the hilt. He flew way past the wall, and smashed through the stone seats of the arena, all the way of towards the very top, where he smashed straight through, disappearing over the edge.

Naruto was finally given a moment's reprieve, and he sagged slightly, letting his anger and thusly the Kyuubi's chakra dissipated. His right arm remained useless, and numb for a few seconds, but slowly feeling began to return as the Kyuubi began using its chakra to heal him, rather than strengthen him. It also began to replenish his stamina, but even so, the blonde sagged to his knees.

He looked up towards the ruined arena wall and seats, gritting his teeth. '_Nobody could've survived that…'_

Feeling confident in his victory, he stood shakily, and turned, only to meet the appraising gaze of Vol'jin and several dozen trolls, of all different colors and sizes, watching him near the entrance to the cells.

Naruto blinked in shock, and took a few steps back.

"You've escaped!" he said, rather unnecessarily.

Vol'jin grinned. "Aye, Gen'rash be freein' us in a flash, after he escape. Dat was a good fight, 'uman. You be a strong warrior, and you be de one who help us escape." He then turned to Gen'rash, who stood a few feet behind him. He muttered something in Trollish, and then jerked his head at Naruto.

Gen'rash came forwards, and produced something from behind him. Naruto recognized them at once.

"My stuff! Thanks, Gen'rash!" he said, grinning.

The troll gave a slightly goofy grin, and said in heavily accented Orcish, "No' be problem!"

Naruto quickly put on his weapons pouch, goggles, and sword, before turning to Vol'jin.

"So, chiefy, where do we go now?"

Vol'jin frowned slightly at the nickname, but let it pass. He pointed towards the main entrance to the arena.

"We head to Booty Bay…dat were all de' pirates be. You an' Gen'rash an' some others be goin' there now, while I an' de rest go to free de women an' chirren from de' small villages dat de pirates take over. We den fight, and win," Vol'jin said, grinning.

Naruto nodded, grinning himself. "Sounds like a plan, so let's go!"

* * *

Kira swallowed slightly, as she ducked out of sight once more. Two pirates, reeking of smoke and alcohol, passed by her hiding spot, which was behind a couple of crates near a foul-smelling fish shop on the waterfront of the goblin town of Booty Bay. She had been there for several hours, cursing herself both because of her choice of hiding spot, and the poor timing. She had been in Booty Bay for almost two days, and hadn't seen hide or hair of Kylia. She was afraid that she was too late, and they had already killed her.

But that was only part of the problem (a very large part, mind you, she was very afraid for her friend, but she also realized that her own life was in danger as well.) The other part was the fact that the number of pirates seemed to have increased almost immediately after she had arrived. On several occasions she had almost been caught, but at the very last second had managed to find a hiding spot, usually in a foul-smelling (of which there were many) or cramped space.

She made a mental note to get Naruto to teach her some ninja stuff; it would certainly come in useful, especially if she was forced to do this constantly.

She peeked out from her hiding spot once more, and saw to her relief that the pathway in front of the fishmonger was deserted.

Taking a deep breath, she made several hand seals, and whispered quietly, "**Fading Shroud."**

Her body slowly began to fade away, becoming transparent, and obscuring her outline. She wasn't invisible, as if she possessed that ability, she wouldn't be crouching near a fishmonger's shop waiting for a chance to go. It made her, for lack of a better word, chameleon-like. She would adopt the exact color of anything she crossed, and would be able to blend in perfectly. At night, she was almost invisible, but during the day, she would get caught unless she was careful. It also took a lot of chakra to use, and exhausted her almost the point of unconsciousness every time she used it.

Getting out from behind the boxes, Kira quickly dodged out onto the wooden boardwalk that went around the entire town. She saw many pirates at various stages along the boardwalk, and also saw many goblins and even a few gnomes. One thing, however, was for sure. Everyone who wasn't a pirate, she saw looked very afraid. She guessed that they had once been residents of this town, before the Bloodsail Buccaneers had taken it over.

She walked quickly, very near the edge, so that if she had to jump, she'd be able to do it quickly. It also gave her a clearer path, and made her slightly less noticeable. All the while, her eyes were darting into the sea of houses above her, searching for the sign of an inn. She had checked the inns on the west side of the town, and was slowly making her way towards the large boat-shaped building on the very east side.

She was so busy searching the houses that she very nearly knocked into someone. Seconds before she actually did, however, she stood straight up and sucked in her stomach, backing up so close to the edge that all that prevented her from falling was the small amount of chakra stuck in her feet.

And it was just her luck that the person she very nearly crashed into was the large, dirty-faced, peg-legged pirate that had helped knock Naruto out.

Whether it was luck, or simply that the pirate was too focused on his companion, the large, hook-handed pirate named Shanker, Kira was not noticed. She almost gave away her position when they passed, by almost releasing a sigh of relief. She held it in, however, and turned towards where they were walking.

'_Maybe…if I follow them, they'll take me to Kylia!'_

She ducked low again, and crept quickly after them. Though more than once she noticed a person glance in her direction, they always shook their heads, convincing themselves that they hadn't seen a thing.

As she followed, she listened to their conversation.

"-so I was sayin' ta Johnson, that ponce, that I could out drink 'im any day!" Shanker said, grinning and thumping his chest with his good hand.

Grubbins, the other pirate, gave short laugh, "Aye ye could. He's a big talker, that one, dunno why the cap'n keeps him around. Speakin' o' the captain, shouldn't ye be guardin' the Princess' little bodyguard? The message we got from the cap'n says that that'll be the first place the little Princess goes."

Shanker grunted, "Aye, I should be. I got a coupla' those Darkspears to guard her. But I should head back soon. That place is a real rat hole, though. Ye'd think a place called the _Shining Shell_ would be a bit more…shinin'. But I'm wonderin' why the cap'n just doesn't come himself. I bet that fancy eye o' his could find her lickety-split!"

Grubbins smirked, "Our cap'n has other things to do, ye know. He's been packin' up the camp near our ship. We've got it in the bag, really. That little Princess is as good as caught."

Kira had already turned, and was walking quickly in the other direction. She had found out where Kylia was staying; now she just had to get there as quickly as possible.

Unbeknownst to her, however, Shanker was staring at her retreating back, a terrible grin on his scarred face.

The _Shining Shell_ was exactly as Shanker described it, perhaps even more so. It didn't take her long to find it, either, because it was probably the rattiest looking building in the entire town. The sign was faded and rotting, as was the door and much of the rest of the front of the inn. The windows were clouded, and there was a very unpleasant smell coming from the whole thing; a mixture of mildew and fish, as well as various other foul scents that tickled her nose as she walked up to the door.

She glanced around her. The small alley that she had walked into was deserted, something she was grateful for. She released the Fading Shroud technique, almost slumping to the ground when the exhaustion that came after its use hit her. She remained standing, however, and waited a few seconds to catch her breath. She'd need it, she realized.

After a few minutes, she stood up straight, and slowly opened the door. She slipped inside, trying not to sneeze from the musky, dusty scent of the interior of the inn. She glanced about her, and saw to her confusion that there was no host behind the desk that usually checked people in. She looked around some more, squinting into the darkness to make out a few chairs and tables to her left, as well as another few doors. There was a staircase to her right that, to her horror, looked so old that a single step on it would likely break it. Either that, or make a creak loud enough to wake the dead.

She walked over to the foot of the stairs, and peered up them, but saw only darkness. She wished she had some sort of seeing-in-the-dark spell, or that Byakugan thing that Naruto had talked about.

Instead, she steeled herself, and took a step onto the stairs. There was a very faint creaking sound, which made her freeze. She glanced up into the darkness again, searching for the forms of any trolls. She waited a few seconds, then, confident that she had not been heard, she took another step.

It went on like that for some time. Kira would take a step, and then wait to see if she had been heard. The creaks varied in volume as she ascended, and several times she heard an accompanying creak from above, which nearly caused her to go into shock from fear. But each time, it was unfounded, so she continued her slow scaling of the endlessly creaky stairs.

And then, she reached the top.

She once again had to squint in the darkness, to make out anything. She saw a long hallway, which then split in two opposite directions. On each side of the hall, there were many doors, all of them closed and unguarded.

To her relief, the floor wasn't half as creaky as the stairs, so she was able to quickly make her way down the hall, and nearing the end, she saw a dim, but still vary noticeable light, coming from the right of the hallway she was stepping into.

She flattened herself against the right wall, and then sidled up to the corner. Taking a deep breath, she peeked over the wall, spotted what she was looking for.

At the far end of the hall, she spotted a trio of trolls standing in front of a room that, while closed, had shafts of light peeking through the cracks in the door. There was also a small torch hanging on the wall opposite the door. The three trolls, all a deep bluish-purple color, were standing around the door, muttering to each other in their language and looking like they'd rather be anywhere else.

Breathing deeply once more, Kira prepared herself. If she did it correctly, she wouldn't have to fight any of the trolls, which was what she was aiming for.

She made several seals, and then, gathering her chakra, she stepped out into the hallway, and said, "**Mind Freeze."**

She thrust her hands forwards, and put the tips of her thumbs and index fingers together, forming a rounded triangular shape in the center. She then expelled all of the chakra that she had molded, firing directly at the group of trolls, who had turned in surprise at the movement that she had made. The invisible blast struck them, causing them to stiffen and stop their movements. Then, one by one, they dropped to the ground, falling unconscious from the spell.

Kira gave a silent cheer, and quickly ran to the door and now unconscious guards. The Mind Freeze spell was, she decided, now one of her favorites. She stepped over the prone body of one of the trolls, and then pushed open the door into the room.

Kylia was there, sitting on a small chair and staring at the clouded window, when the door opened, she turned briefly, and upon spotting Kira, stood up straight, eyes wide.

"Mistress!" she cried, rushing over to her, "Are you alright? Are you hurt, what did they…?"

Kira interrupted her, smiling, "I'm fine, Kylia. And don't call me mistress…it's Kira, okay? I'm glad you're safe. I'd thought that they might have…" She did not need to go further.

Kylia smiled a little, before looking crestfallen. "I couldn't protect you…that's was why I came, and I failed. Can you–"

Kira waved it off, "Don't worry about it. Those guys are really strong. The one that defeated you is the leader…and he's the strongest of all." She then glanced behind her, and said, "We should probably get going. We need to get Naruto now as well."

The other girl gave a nod, and they both began to walk towards the door.

"Well, lookit this! I knew that lass had somethin' in her when I heard she had beaten ol' Benson, but now she took out three o' these bloody trolls too!"

Kira froze in horror as Shanker stepped into the room, grinning horribly. His gleaming hook-hand shined even in the dim light. The parrot that was ever present on the pirate's shoulder gave a loud squawk, and ruffled its feathers as Shanker spoke.

"Allo, lass, good ta' see ye again!"

Kylia took a protective step in front of Kira, glaring menacingly at the pirate. "You will not harm her!" she cried, fiercely.

Shanker gave another cackle. "Oh, really?" he sneered, advancing one step.

Kylia narrowed her eyes, and stood her ground, "Yes, really."

The parrot on Shanker's shoulder then gave a squawk and said, "NO WAI!"

Shanker blinked, and then looked at his parrot, before turning back to Kylia.

"Do ye get the feeling that we've just been the subject o' a rather tasteless joke?"

Kylia and Kira sweat dropped, "Yes…" the dark-haired girl said.

Shanker grunted, then raised his hook, "The cap'n didn't say anythin' about keepin' ye alive, girly. If ye won't get outta the way, I'll have ta'–"

Before he could finish, a pirate, a goblin, hurried into the room, looking frantic.

"First Mate Shanker, we've got a problem!"

Shanker spared a glance at the goblin, his eyes smoldering. "Aye, we do, Mr. Enson. But before I solve tha' one, why don' you tell me the other?"

The goblin took a step back, gulping at the look on the massive pirate's face. "W-well sir, we've just seen…trolls."

Shanker frowned, and looked past him, "Aye, so have I, Mr. Enson, behind ye, is that all?"

The goblin shook his head, looking even more frantic, "No, no sir! I mean a whole lotta them! Comin' from the direction of the arena! They're headin' straight for the entrance, an' I think they plan to storm the town! They've got a human with them, too!"

Shanker blinked, and his eyes widened slightly. He glared at Kira and Kylia, who were staring at the goblin with shocked eyes. If there was a human with them, then maybe it was…

'_Naruto!'_ Kira thought, happily.

Shanker didn't look anywhere near as pleased as she, however, and thundered, "Where is Grubbins?"

"He's gone to the sniper tower above the entrance, sir, an' plans to stay there until he's killed them all!"

Shanker nodded, grinning viciously. "Good, then after I finish here, I'll be headin' to the front lines. Those bloody trolls aren' gonna get into the city while Tobias Shanker Guthrie is he–"

"**Earth Shock!"**

Shanker half-turned at the shout, only to have the open hand of one of the previously unconscious guard trolls shoved into his chest. He was then struck with a massive surge of chakra, which blasted him off his feet and through the wall of the inn. The pirate immediately flew into the building across from the inn, smashing through the much sturdier wall and skidding along the wooden floor, kicking up dust and sending shards of wood flying in every direction.

Kira and Kylia gaped, less at the display, and more at the action. The troll that had done it grinned, and tore the red tunic he was wearing off. Behind him, the two other trolls stood hunched over the body of the goblin, relieving him of his weapons. They too, had shed their blood red shirts.

The troll that had ejected Shanker grinned at the two girls. "Dat be de best news I hear in many years. Now we fight, and if ye join us, girl, den I be forgiven yeh for de spell earlier."

Kira blinked rapidly, "But…what…aren't you…?"

The troll gave a deep laugh, and said jovially, "We join de Buccaneers because of orders from de boss man, not for anythin' else. But now, it seems, de boss man is goin' to fight, so we fight too."

Kira smiled, and suddenly the situation no longer seemed so dire. If there were more trolls who would go against the Bloodsail Buccaneers, then maybe they could beat Blood and stop him from doing what he intended to do. Stop him from killing so many innocent people…

Suddenly, from behind her, there came the loud whistling of metal streaking through the air. Before she could turn, something flew past her and struck the troll in the head. She saw that it was a hook, a very familiar hook, and that it flown with such speed that it had torn straight through the troll's face and sprouted out the back, so that the hook caught itself through his skull. The hook was also attached to a long, golden chain, which, as he followed it, went straight into the hand of the looming form of Shanker, who stood in the hole in the wall of the building next to the inn. The pirate's face was twisted into a murderous snarl, and Kira suddenly felt very afraid.

With a snap of his wrist, the pirate ripped the troll's head clear off, and retracted the hook. He wrenched the troll's head from the bloody weapon, and then glared straight at Kira.

"Lass…ye better be ready ta' fight…the cap'n said that I couldn't hurt ye. But I plan to damn sure make ye suffer afore he kills ye," he lifted his bloody hook, grinning, "I'll start wit' that little bitch next ta' ye, and then I'll find that brat, an' kill him too. I'll be sure ta' make you watch them both die."

Then, he attacked.

* * *

Gen'rash roared something in Trollish, making the other trolls yell it as well. The large group could see the former goblin town in the distance; a massive looming wall protected the city, with a large cave as the entrance, and it had excited them into a frenzy of which Naruto had never seen before. There would be no plan of attack. They planned to charge in, and fight until they couldn't anymore. They had exhausted almost every type of tactic against the Bloodsail Buccaneers in their last fight against them, so this time, the trolls planned to just fight, and just win.

All in all, it was a tactic that Naruto preferred to all others.

That was not to say the plan was completely devoid of strategy. The group itself was spread out so that if they used ranged weapons, it would be harder to hit them. Trolls also had very little use for healers, so they only had two out of the many witch doctors that were going to fight designated as healers. The berserkers and axe-throwers, along with Naruto, planned to charge in first, as they were the strongest, and had trained their bodies to heal at a much faster rate than the other trolls. The witch doctors and shaman, and a few hunters would follow, and deliver whatever ranged damage they could. Their presence near the town, and the size of their force, would also spur the trolls that weren't loyal to the Buccaneers to take up arms and attack.

The pirates would be attacked from both outside and in, and, if they fought well, would be crushed by the unyielding might of the trolls.

It was only a few hundred feet away from the entrance, however, that the battle began.

**BOOM!**

The group scattered as a massive plume of fire erupted in the center of the group. Two trolls were immediately obliterated by the attack, and seconds later another explosion very narrowly missed another duo of trolls. Naruto shoved his goggles on, and quickly used the zoom feature to search out their attacker.

He scowled when he saw, hundreds of feet above the entrance, in a small turret, the peg-legged pirate that had shot him on the boat.

The pirate clutched a large metal tube, part of which rested on his right shoulder. The end of it was smoking, and the pirate had a fierce grin on his face.

Naruto's hands twitched in anticipation. He was definitely going to show that bastard what happened when you shot Uzumaki Naruto in the stomach.

Gen'rash roared something in Trollish again, and the trolls responded by ducking into the jungle, and using the trees to obscure their fast approach. Naruto remained on the road, and ran as fast as he could towards the entrance, a blatant target to draw the pirate's fire. He avoided several more explosive shots, and then, in a flash, sped up using _Kazaashi_. He reappeared at the entrance, and then disappeared again, flashing up the wall to the turret that the pirate was standing in. He grunted in pain from the strain that the _Kazaashi_ placed on him, but didn't stop, and upon reaching the box, he fired off a round of amazingly quick punches, driving the pirate back into the wall.

Grubbins, however, recovered remarkably fast from the attack, and responded by lifting his peg leg and firing a shot at Naruto. It struck the blonde in the chest, but in a puff of smoke it was revealed to be only a large rock. The real Naruto now stood on top of the roof of the turret, panting.

Below him, the trolls had succeeded in reaching the entrance, and now poured through it, making it impossible for Grubbins to attack them now.

Using the advantage that he now had, Naruto made several seals, and pressed his hand to the roof, crying, "**Doton: Tsuchidageki! (Earth Shock)"**

The impulse of chakra immediately obliterated the turret, sending hundreds of shards of wood, and even traveling onto the stonewall. Grubbins was flung downwards, however, he still clutched the large gun in his hands, and as soon as he had twisted his body to face Naruto, he fired two shots upwards.

Naruto used the air-grasping technique to jettison himself out of the way of the two bombs, and attached himself to the wall using his chakra.

The blonde then drew his sword, and rushed down the wall towards the falling pirate. Grubbins aimed his peg-leg gun at Naruto, and this time fired a rapid series of bullets at the blonde. The conjured two clones, filling them with enough chakra to stop most of the bullets. He then leapt to the side, and disappeared, moving with the speed of the _Kazaashi_, and propelled himself hard into Grubbins. The pirate blocked his sword with the large bomb-shooting gun, and then punched the blonde hard in the face. Naruto was flung upwards by the sheer force of the punch, and was astounded by the pirate's strength once again.

'_Geez, what are these guys? Only Tsunade-baba could hit harder than this!'_

Grubbins then grabbed a gun from his belt and fired a few rounds at Naruto. The blonde jerked to the side to avoid them, but cried out when two of them grazed him. Grubbins gave a laugh, abandoned that gun, and prepared to grab another. Not wanting to give him the chance, Naruto air-grasped and propelled himself into the pirate, further increasing the speed of their descent.

They were now very near the ground, and Grubbins, hoping to transfer the majority of the damage to Naruto, grabbed him and twisted them both over in mid-air, so that Naruto was now on the bottom.

The blonde, not wanting to end up with a large, fat pirate on top of him as well as the added force from the fall, made a seal and bellowed, "**Kawarimi no jutsu!"**

The blonde vanished, once more, and a piece of the broken turret appeared, a very sharp, jagged piece, one of the posts that had held it to the wall.

And the jagged broken part was now facing his stomach, making the pirate release his grip, with a cry, and he attempted the fling it away from him completely.

But he had already hit the ground.

The sharp post, upon striking the ground, buried itself partially in the ground, while the rest was buried in the tremendous girth of Grubbins. Blood exploded from the wounds, as the post traveled all the way through him and out the end, ripping his spinal cord apart. The pirate then smashed into the ground, creating a massive crater.

Naruto landed a few feet away, crying out from the pain of impact. He had thankfully used chakra to prevent damage to his legs, but it had still hurt!

He then turned towards the unmistakably dead body of Grubbins, a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He had just killed a human.

He had done it before, he realized, but he had never been so close to the body. He had never smelt the blood, the death, or seen the look on the person's face. It made him shiver slightly. He had seen dead bodies before, but the knowledge that he had done the deed was so much different than seeing the body of another.

He shivered again, but decided that now was not the time to realize this. He ran past the pirate's dead body, and into the entrance to the town.

He did not look back. He was a ninja, after all, and it was in the job description to kill people. No matter how much he hated it.

* * *

When Naruto entered Booty Bay proper, the battle had already begun in earnest. He saw trolls fighting the pirates all the way along the long boardwalk that went around the entire bay, and could see that the battle had moved into the streets and alleyways of the town as well. Smoke from where the trolls had used fire spells or pirates had used bombs rose high into the air, forming a dark cloud above them. The air was as thick with this smoke as it was with the scent of blood and gore.

Naruto leapt over the ledge in front of him, and landed soundly on the boardwalk. Immediately a pirate wielding a large cutlass attacked him; he took the initial strike using the _Kongou_, and then rammed his own blade through the gnoll's chest, slashing to the side and killing it. He turned just in time to meet another pirate, who clutched a pair of daggers. The pirate growled and threw one of the daggers, but Naruto dodged and countered by slashing through the goblin's ankles. The creature cried out, and fell back, unable to move thanks to the wound. Naruto leapt over him, and ran down the boardwalk, spotting a group of gnolls converging on a tiring witch doctor. He conjured several clones with a cry, and ran up behind them.

His clones held their weapons up to their throats, and with a cry of "**Naruto Fukuzei (Naruto Ambush)" **the blonde slew them all.

The troll gave him a ghost of a smile, which he returned twice over.

The troll, most likely a Darkspear, then pointed behind Naruto, towards the open ocean, his eyes wide. The action prompted Naruto to look as well, and he narrowed his eyes upon catching sight of what had shocked the troll so.

Rapidly approaching the bay was a massive boat, with many rippling, blood red sails depicting a one-eyed skull with two swords crossed beneath it, and a massive skull mounted on the front. The ship despite its size moved so quickly that it seemed to fly through the water, much like that of the goblin ship. He could see hundreds of pirates gathering on the deck, their weapons drawn, howling for blood.

At the very front, Naruto saw a man standing. The man had black hair, wore a blood red coat, and clutched two, curved swords in his hands. One gleaming green eye stared straight into Naruto's, making the blonde freeze from the intensity.

"It be him…" rumbled the troll, standing. "It be…Blood."

Naruto, though it was the first time he had seen the man, did not need the explanation. Only a man with that kind of look in his eye, he thought, could control so many murderers and thieves.

Blood then raised one his swords, holding it high so that it gleamed in the sun. His crew began to roar, making Naruto he was doing it just to spur them into a frenzy. However, seconds later, he found out the true reason.

Blood then swept the blade down in one wicked fast, diagonal motion. Then, the water in front of the ship parted, and continued to part all the way to the dock, straight where Naruto was standing.

The blonde gave a yelp, and dove out of the way, as did the troll, just as the invisible blast of air smashed into the deck. The cleaved it completely in two, causing debris to fly in every direction. It even sliced into one of the buildings directly in front of the water.

Naruto snarled, and grabbing a few shuriken, threw them towards the Captain of the Bloodsail Buccaneers. Blood, however, easily deflected them with a few slight movements of his sword. He then retaliated with more of the wind blades, slashing them in quick succession towards the blonde ninja and the troll.

They ran along the deck, dodging the incoming attacks as they tore through the deck behind the two. Naruto growled in frustration, not being able to fight back.

By this time, the ship had entered the bay proper, and had come to a stop in the center. When the anchor had dropped, cannons poked out of the small openings on the side and front of ship. Huge chains then erupted from the cannons, flying through the air and crashing through buildings. When the chains were secure, pirates began to poor out, in an action not unlike the one that had happened on Shep'rick's ship.

Pirates immediately dropped onto the deck from the two chains that had come from the front of the ship, and charged towards Naruto and the troll.

Naruto, however, ignored them. His attention was focused completely on the man who now looked down at him from atop the massive ship. His face was stony, his eye burning with a fire as great as the ones Naruto's burned with. The two stared at each other, neither backing down.

Naruto pushed chakra into his legs, and leapt high into the air, landing deftly on the ship's deck. Blood didn't move from his position, not even turning to look at the blonde. His eyes were staring up into the town, where he saw smoke and fire, blood being spilt on the wooden deck of the city and the dying cries of both trolls and pirates.

Then, he turned, and looked straight at the blonde.

"Your eyes are strong…so I will let you have the honor of being killed by me, the one who will become a legend."

* * *

Done! RAWR!

Sorry about the time it took to put this up…I think I promised you it earlier this week, but I found myself lethargic from my stay in California. Don't worry, though, I didn't do any schoolwork either, so don't feel bad. I just sat around and watched the first season of Digimon Adventure. Boy, that brings back memories of me sitting around watching it on Saturday mornings!

Next chapter: Blood VERSUS Naruto! Battle of the century, don't miss it! We also have Kira and Kylia fighting Shanker, Vol'jin arrives with his reinforcements, and Gen'rash deals with the quartermaster of the ship, an as-of-yet unknown pirate! WEE!

I'm going to let the Popularity Poll run a bit longer, because not many have done it. So do it! Vote for your favorite character, cause I'm curious!

Now, reviewer mail!

**Regress35-** Yes, I too have read many books with complex heroes, but if you look at it, in ancient legends, heroes are rather like what he says they are. Besides this is a different world, so they have different books…probably. Thanks for the review!

**Seeker-** Pirates have always been in WoW. In the Stranglethorn Vale, there is a group of pirates known as the Bloodsail Buccaneers, whose name I have taken for Blood's group (they are the same, Blood just took them over from their previous owners). They have a rival pirate faction, the Blackwater Pirates or something, whom they despise. In this the Blackwater Pirates are defeated by Blood.

**Grengosaurus- **Really? Cool, I've never read Berserk, but I've heard that its good, so I may have to check that out. Blood is so far my favorite original villain! And thanks for the kind words, too! You'll be seeing a lot of Kira, so warming up to her will be pretty easy, she's a great girl!

**PersonaJXT-** These pirates are more based off One Piece pirates than anything. In order to make them hold their own against Naruto and the trolls, they have to have some sort of incredible ability. So I made them (or at least the humans) super strong, and have incredible stamina and reflexes. They also have their own individual abilities, most of which will be seen in the next chapter. Arthas (The Lich King) will appear, but not anytime soon. He's a major baddie, and though he will be referenced a lot, he'll be more like the final boss at the end of an RPG. You know, like in Final Fantasy there is always that super power guy whose almost never seen until the last fight (e.g. Ultimecia, Necron, Jecht, Yu Yevon, and Safer-Sephiroth). He will have a personality and will be shown sometime before that fight, but otherwise, sorry.

Hmr- Trolls can regenerate any limb, save for their head, so he didn't permanently loose it. That's why they're so cool! 

**MuhiTatsu-** That's a great idea, an omake crossover where the Bloodsail Buccaneers meet the Straw Hat pirates! Genius, pure genius! Let me know if you want to right it, or if I should, because either way works out. CLONE WARS RULES!

**Gundam Chief-** Yes, actually, I do plan to have him learn it. However, it's less of a priority, since the Fire style is a lot more attack oriented. I'll give you a hint to what it entails. Water can be a small trickle, enough to fill a glass of water, or a flash flood, enough to tear down houses and engulf towns, even cities. This is the principle of the Water style.

**Death Raptor-** I do plan to keep the three year time jump, but I won't say any more than that. Hmm…maybe your spider sense needs a bit of tuning. I will continue for as long as the story I have planned out goes. No other comment, **grin**.

Well that's all for now!

General Grievous.

_**Spellbook-**_

**Kazaashi Oodama Rasegan- **Combines the incredible speed of the _Kazaashi_and the power of the Rasengan. Almost certainly fatal to all but the strongest of people.

**Acid Mist-** A witch doctor jutsu that literally melts the skin of a person's bones. Very powerful.

**Fading Shroud-** Camouflages the user, making them difficult to see, and thusly less likely to be attacked.

**Mind Freeze-** It knocks a person unconscious, using the power of the caster's mind. It is not very effective against trolls, apparently.

_**Bestiary- **_

**Edward Scool **(Humanoid)**(Elite)-** Master of the arena, Scool is very cruel person who makes the trolls fight, sometimes to the death, to see how strong they are and to provide entertainment. He is very strong, uses a massive sword named Acheron and a powerful gun, Belial. He is based off of the legendary pirate, Edward Teach, or Blackbeard.


	31. Captain Thaddeus Blood

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft. I have chosen to keep this disclaimer simple, as in the following pages you will experience so much mind-blowing awesomeness that any extra would fry your brain like French fried potatoes.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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* * *

_

Booty Bay was a symphony of battle, the sounds of dying men and trolls mixing with the sounds of bombs exploding, guns firing, swords clashing, and blood flowing. The hymn of violence could be heard throughout the entire area, and the effects visible from even farther. It seemed that not a street, alleyway, building, or person was left unaffected by the battle. It spread like a disease, igniting the passions of shop owners, barmaids and others, all eager to join the battle for their own reasons; whether it be to drive off the attacking horde of trolls, due to the fear and hatred generated by their presence, or to fight with them, believing the terrible Bloodsail Buccaneers to be the more dangerous of the two.

But, despite the veritable flood of hate, of fear, of bloodlust and desire to fight, to protect, and to regain lost honor, two figures remained unaffected. They stood as stone statues would, silent and observing. But it was not the fight that they observed; it was each other. The battle, in their minds, was a backdrop, a score to a play or an action movie. They saw none of it, only felt it excite them, drive them, and prepare them for their own battle, which would commence soon.

Blood smiled at Naruto, and spoke to him in Common. "I don't know you, boy."

Naruto frowned, thinking this was an odd thing to say. "So? I don't know you either."

Blood chuckled. "I have never heard of you before in my life, nor have I heard of someone like you. But somehow, you are here, a nameless, foolish boy that has somehow been able to escape from the arena that I designed to keep the trolls in check, and has even been able to gain the allegiance of said trolls, without, to my knowledge, any sort of bribery. Yet, the Princess of Stormwind knows you, and even escaped in order to find you. I also find you aboard the ship that the Warchief of the Horde was supposed to be on, making my dream that much harder to accomplish. Who are you?"

Naruto stood up straighter. "Uzumaki Naruto," he said.

"Uzumaki Naruto…" responded Blood, whispering the name as if he were tasting it, rather than hearing it. "A strange name, but I find it interesting enough."

He raised his sword, and pointed it at Naruto, his one green eye glittering with power and pride.

"Then, Uzumaki Naruto, I shall make you immortal."

Naruto blinked, now completely confused.

Blood smirked, and continued, "You will be known as the boy who almost led a rebellion against me, in this place. You will be remembered as a fierce warrior, a boy who managed to slay both my Cannoneer, and the person who guards my jail. Both are incredible feats, so I will be sure to preserve the memory of their defeats in my defeat of you."

Naruto scoffed a little. "Geez, you've got a pretty high opinion of yourself. Who says that you're going to win this fight anyways?"

At the same time, his mind was racing. '_How did he know about those two? I just beat that fat guy a little while ago, and he was probably on the ship when that happened…'_

Blood lowered his sword, his face hardening. "I do."

Naruto was caught off guard when the pirate captain suddenly moved, so quickly that the blonde swore that he had used some variant of the _Kazaashi_. The blonde was able to throw up a moderately powerful _Kongou_ mere seconds before the incredibly sharp edge of Captain Blood's sword struck his side. Naruto's _Kongou _managed to stop the blow from piercing his skin, but the force sent him flying. He managed to stop himself from falling off the ship by sticking to the end of the bowsprit. Having just caught himself, he was still slightly off-balance when Blood continued his attack with two slashes, both two flickers of light in the afternoon sun.

This time, however, Naruto reacted with a well-placed _Kawarimi no jutsu_, leaving only a barrel of water. The blonde quickly used this advantage, after reappearing in the spot that the barrel had once been, near the foremost mast; he conjured a pair of clones, each bearing weapons of their own.

Blood quickly spun to face Naruto, and charged at him. As soon as he was in range, Naruto grabbed the arms of the two clones, and had them draw their swords. He then spun, and expelled a massive storm of chakra, bellowing, "**Bladestorm!" **in the process.

The whirlwind of chakra that suddenly surrounded Naruto and his clones did not deter Blood however, and he shoved his blade into the middle of the storm, holding it at a slight angle. In a heartbeat, Naruto's adamantium blade struck it, and was amazingly repelled. Blood then pushed the blade back, completely throwing the attack off and making Naruto stumble. The pirate captain thrust both of his blades into the two clones, dispelling them, while he smashed his boot hard into Naruto's chest.

The sheer force of the attack blasted the shinobi backwards, making him smash into the deck a few yards away. Blood moved gracefully after him, never stopping.

Naruto growled, jumping to his feet, and made several hand seals, ending in the fabled tiger. "**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"** he roared, expelling a large ball of flame.

Blood blinked at the attack, but didn't stop advancing; instead he whipped his blade down in a manner similar to what he had done when Naruto had still been on the deck, and sliced the ball of fire in two. As soon as he passed it, however, he realized that Naruto was gone.

He finally located his quarry, but not in the way that one would have desired. Naruto, using the _Kazaashi_, had moved beyond the length of Blood's swords, and had proceeded to ram his fist a few dozen or so times into the man's stomach. The air was forcefully expelled from Blood's lungs, stunning him long enough for Naruto to draw the Dwarven short sword from its sheath and deliver what he hoped would be a finish blow to the pirate's neck. However, his blade, despite being made from possibly the most durable of all metals, encountered resistance in the form of Blood's pearly, white teeth.

The pirate had stopped the blade from piercing his flesh by biting down on it seconds before it connected with the vulnerable flesh of his neck, and then prevented it from cutting his head in half using only his jaw muscles. He was completely unharmed.

Blood then kneed the fox-like shinobi in his stomach, and tore the blade from his grip with the strength of his mouth and neck. Because Naruto was still two close for him to use his swords, Blood backhanded him across the face, still gripping one of the gleaming blades in his fist.

The attack had the effect of knocking Naruto senseless, as well as across the deck of the ship, so that he crashed hard into the wall of the rear cabin, making the wood splinter.

Naruto coughed a few times, spitting the blood that was now welling up in his mouth and trickling down his face. He felt a few teeth loosen, but they immediately hardened after the Kyuubi sent its chakra into the wounds, repairing them quickly.

Blood continued to walk towards him, literally spitting Magni's Pride onto the deck; he was an unstoppable force, a juggernaut.

Naruto growled a little, and said breathlessly, "How the heck are you so strong?" He was both annoyed, and amazed that a man who didn't seem to know anything about chakra could possess such strength and speed. In fact, all the pirates seemed to possess that incredible strength, making Naruto suspect that Blood had done something to them to make them stronger.

Blood's answer was simple. "I am a pirate, Uzumaki Naruto. Life on the sea is the harshest existence one can imagine. One must be strong if he intends to survive it, and so I have trained my body to be as strong as it needs to be, in order to accomplish my goals. But now I have a question for you. How is it that you can heal so quickly, as a troll might?"

Naruto frowned. So he had noticed, then. "I've got a demon lord stuffed into my stomach."

Blood blinked disbelievingly at first, but upon seeing Naruto's eyes, seemed to reconsider.

"Is that so?" he said. "That makes this a bit more interesting. Perhaps I should use my ability, instead of playing around, as I have been doing. If what you say is true, then I might have to use all of the power that I possess."

He then reached up to his face, and slowly removed the black patch that covered his left eye. Naruto suddenly got an eerie sense of foreboding. Was this guy going to pull a Kakashi-sensei?

Beneath the patch, Blood's eye was closed. As soon, however, as he had placed the patch in one of the pockets in his coat, he opened it. Instead of an empty socket, or a Sharingan eye, or a normal eye at all, there was a gleaming turquoise stone. It was the exact shape of an eye, and was the same size as well. There was one marking on its surface; that was so vague that Naruto had to squint to make it out. It was a bird of some sort, clutching a diamond shaped object in its beak.

'_What is that?' _he thought, meaning the eye, rather than the symbol.

Blood answered his unasked question, smiling calmly as he did so. "This is the power that has aided me since I acquired it, many years ago. Have you not wondered how I know of your defeat of Mr. Grubbins and Mr. Scool? How I was able to fight and take apart a group of creatures, the trolls, whose leader is a far better tactician than I, and render them either as my subordinates or my prisoners? How I was able to know of your ship's arrival and plan an attack against it? This is the reason. This, my True-Seeing Eye."

* * *

Kira was breathing hard as she ran. She was almost completely exhausted, and even with Kylia urging her to go faster, she found herself beginning to slow. 

"Mist– Kira! We must go faster, if we don't then he will catch up!"

Kira nodded, barely hearing her. Her mind was clouded, and her thoughts continued to drift back to the faces of the trolls that had protected them, just moments before, allowing them to escape. When they had left the building, the shouts of one of the trolls was clearly audible, as was the sound of flesh being torn apart, and the sickening splatter of blood across the surfaces of the room.

Kira wanted to keep running, but her body wasn't letting her. She had never felt so terrified in her life. She had been prepared to deal with the horrors that she would no doubt face outside the sanctity of the castle. But having seen one man, in possession of almost no magical ability, rip the head off of a troll, with as much effort as one would tear a piece of paper, had been an eye-opener for her. Her mind also drifted earlier to the pirate that she had fought on the boat. He had been just as strong, but she hadn't been as terrified then, and she believed she knew why.

It was this battle. It was pounding her sensitive mind with hundreds of murderous intentions, and coupled with the sounds, the screams, and the death, it was almost too much to bear. She had never experienced something like this.

The raw, primal fear that now filled her made her frantic and confused. Her mind was clouded with the chaos that the battle was bringing, and so she could do nothing but rely on one of the most basic mechanisms that a human mind possesses.

Fight or flight.

At the moment, fighting was the last thing that she wanted to do, so flight was the only option. Kylia had shared her sentiments, mostly out of concern for her mistress. She would rather die than let Kira fall into the hands of that man.

They rounded a corner, which would take them closer to the bay, and met a large group of trolls battling an even larger group of crimson-dressed pirates. There were bodies everywhere, mostly human, and a few trolls that were so maimed that one could scarcely recognize them as trolls to begin with. So absorbed were they in their fighting that Kira and Kylia were completely ignored, and so they managed to back up, and attempt to flee down an alleyway on the far side of the street. Unfortunately, their luck had just about run out.

For, several seconds later, out of the corner of her eye, Kira saw a flash of green and red. She swiveled her head, not stopping, and spotted, to her horror, Shanker's pet parrot circling above them, squawking something furious.

Kira was knocked to the ground by the force of Shanker's landing a few feet in front of her. The massive pirate had landed so hard that the street shattered beneath him. He stood straight then, leering down at Kira, his terrible eyes aflame. The parrot settled on his shoulder a few seconds later, giving a loud squawk of, "Ya snooze ya lose, kiddy!"

Kira scrambled backwards, her eyes wide with fear. '_That bird…!'_

Upon the pirate's appearance, several trolls made a dash for Shanker, but with a grin, he twisted his body and released the chained hook again. He swung it around hard, so hard that the chain cleaved straight through the attacking trolls, slicing their bodies across around the level of their hearts. He retracted the hooked chain, and Kira saw that is it returned to his arm, the chain was made out of many small razor blades, all cut into rings and linked together.

Upon seeing their comrades die so easily, the other trolls fled down an alleyway, the pirates in hot pursuit.

Shanker dusted his pants off, and lifted the massive golden hook that had been grafted in the place of his hand. "Tell me love, did ye really expect ta' get away? This whole place is filled wit Bloodsailors, an' the trolls aren' gonna be sympathetic to a 'uman they don' know. Besides, Morgan here's gotta a sharp eye, an' while 'e's got quite the mouth on 'im, 'e's a good spy. How about ye just come with me, an' I'll protect ye from those nasty trolls?"

Kira gulped again, and slid a little bit farther away. '_No! I have to get away I have to–'_

Shanker sneered, and walked towards her, reaching out to grab her, but stopped when something hard struck the back of his head, causing a sharp explosion of pain to shoot through his skull. He cried out, and reached back, feeling a slight trickle of blood. He also found a small, sharp object, which, upon pulling it out with a grunt, discovered it to be a small sliver of a knife, about half as long as his own finger.

He whirled, and spotted Kylia, standing near the alley. The girl had been in front of Kira when Shanker had landed, separating them, and thus had remained behind the gigantic pirate the entire time he had been present. In her hands she clutched a dozen more of the small blades, her eyes piercing into Shanker's with a determination that shocked Kira.

The first mate of the Bloodsail Buccaneers growled in a low voice, "Where did ye get those? We took all o' ye weapons away."

Kylia smiled a little, and lifted her arm. Upon rolling back the sleeve, Kira saw dozens of small wounds, which were fresh with the blood still dripping down. Her eyes widened.

'_Did she…?'_

"I always have some knives placed in my own skin. I insert them and let the wound heal, making them almost impossible to notice, unless you really know where to look," said Kylia, coldly. "I must protect my Mis– Kira, at all costs. I would rather die than let anything happen to her."

Kira was stunned. She knew that Kylia was protective of her, but had she really done that to herself, just to protect her?

And what's more, was she so weak and scared that she would watch Kylia take on someone so much stronger than her and do nothing?

Shanker grinned. "Such a feisty little one. I may 'ave to revise me opinion of ye. But those little knives aren' gonna do much against me."

Kylia responded by flicking several of the weapons at Shanker. They moved so fast and were so small that it was almost impossible to see them. Shanker, however, grinned, and raised his arm so that it protected both his neck and face. The small daggers appeared, burying themselves in rapid succession along the man's thick, muscled arm. He never flinched once, and when Kylia had stopped her throwing, he lowered his hand and then made a fist, tightening his muscles until, one by one, the small knives popped out and fell to the ground with small metallic tinkles.

Kylia was not deterred, however by the display of strength. Instead, She ran to the side, and flicked several more of the weapons at the large pirate. They pierced him in minor places, but otherwise, he didn't seem affected at all by them. She quickly ran out of the small weapons, however, and when Shanker noticed this, he grinned.

"Oi, lass, what're ye gonna do now?"

Kylia once again responded, not with words, but with actions. She had maneuvered it so that she now stood in the small crater that Shanker had created when he had first arrived. She suddenly twisted her body to the side, and did particularly graceful, and incredibly quick cartwheel, so that her foot connected with a large piece of the street. The semi-large piece of stone shot like a bullet and connected with Shanker's surprised face.

The pirate howled in pain from the attack, and stepped back, clutching his wounded face.

Using the chance, Kylia turned to Kira and shouted,

"Mi– Kira! You must go! I will stay here and hold him off!"

Kira didn't react to the words for a few seconds, simply staring at her friend. Her rational mind, however, decided that following Kylia's advice was a very good idea, and soon her body began to move.

But once again, it froze, upon sighting Shanker, standing just a few feet behind her beloved handmaid. The girl was still looking at her, her face more concerned than she had ever seen it. She opened her mouth to shout a warning, but Shanker beat her to it.

"Well lass, that hurt, but ye really hav'ta pay attention when ye be fightin'."

He then raised his hook and brought it slashing down at Kylia.

The girl dodged back and to the right, avoiding the initial strike, but Shanker's follow-up, a brutal punch to her stomach, lifted the girl off her feet, and sent her flying into the wooden building behind her. She crashed through the wall, ending up in a heap on the floor of the deserted house.

Kira's eyes widened.

'_No!'_

Shanker pushed his way through the small hole in the wall, and lifted Kylia's injured body, palming her head and lifting her up with a single hand. He smirked, and then threw her into the wall next to him, so hard that she smashed through into the alleyway that they had intended to escape from minutes earlier. The small girl crashed to the ground, gasping and coughing, blood pouring from numerous wounds upon her person.

Shanker walked forwards, intending to continue the assault until Kylia was clearly dead.

Kira couldn't stand around like this. She couldn't just watch her friend be killed. Gone was the fear that she had been consumed by earlier. Now, the same fierce determination that Kylia had possessed minutes earlier now burned within her, is if a nameless spirit had given the courage to Kylia and now possessed her.

She wasn't weak!

Shanker grabbed Kylia roughly again, and lifted her up so that her face was only inches from his.

"You know what would make this even better? You screamin'," he said, his hot, stinking breath filling her nostrils with a most awful stench.

But she didn't, simply gasping and coughing, hoping Kira had gotten away safely.

Shanker pulled his hook back, and prepared to gut the girl, only to be seized by a sudden and overpowering pain in his head, so great that it felt as if his head was being ripped apart from the inside out.

"**Mind Flay,"** Kira whispered, her hand extended, a dark blue tendril of chakra connecting her hand and Shanker's head. Shanker screamed, and grabbed his head, letting go of Kylia in the process. The pirate stumbled back against the wall, still screaming as his mind was assaulted by waves of fresh pain.

Kira lowered her hand, and though the chakra tendril vanished, its effects did not. Shanker had slumped to the ground and was gripping his head in his hand, muttering unintelligible things underneath his breath. Kira quickly rushed to her friend, and did a quick diagnostic spell to determine the most heavily damaged areas. She did her best to focus completely on her work, though her mind continually slid back to the stunned pirate a few feet behind her.

She sent healing chakra into Kylia's chest, healing the damage to her broken ribs and then up towards her face and neck. Her handmaiden gave her a troubled look through the pain.

"You…s-should…h-have gone…mi–Kira," Kylia said breathlessly.

Kira smiled a little. "What kind of princess would I be if I didn't take care of my friends?" she asked.

Kylia spared a glance at Shanker, and gasped when she the man was standing. Kira turned as well, her hands flying into a seal, ready to fight the awful pirate if necessary. But then, a curious thing happened.

Shanker stumbled, and fell to all fours, making a horrible retching noise. The pirate's face was clammy and his eyes became bloodshot and his pupils dilated. He continued to retch, and to Kira's disgust, suddenly threw up a tremendous amount of blood onto the street. The blood dripped from his mouth, forming a crude beard, as crimson as his hair. Then, he began to convulse, and his eyes rolled up into his head.

Kira stared at the man in confusion. The Mind Flay wasn't supposed to do that…

Kylia gave a small laugh, though it sounded more like a cough.

"Those weapons, you big moron, were filled with poison; a special, dry-based poison that doesn't wash away with liquid. I am so used to the poison that I have gained immunity to it, which is why I was able to keep them inside my body without suffering from its effects."

Kira stared at both her friend, and the dying pirate with disbelief. When had Kylia become so cool?

Shanker made a strangled sound, somewhere between a scream and a cough, and pitched forwards, convulsing as his face began to bruise up, and more blood poured from his mouth.

Kylia then looked at Kira, and smiled a little. "Shall we go, mis– Kira?"

Kira blinked, then made a slight noise of irritation. "We're going to have a long talk about just when you found the time to learn all of this, Ky'. And I have to know…are you really clumsy, or is that just an act?"

Kylia blushed a little, and ducked her head in slight shame. "I-I a-am clumsy when I am not fighting…I can remain graceful because it is needed to protect you."

Kira, smiled warmly, feeling a deep gratitude towards her friend. "You were great, Ky'. Definitely cool."

Kylia ducked her head farther, this time in embarrassment.

"Let's go then," said Kira. Kylia nodded, and quickly followed the girl down the alley, leaving Shanker still twitching on the ground in a pool of blood.

Shanker, however, wasn't prepared to lose. He slowly got to his feet, forcing his body to stop shaking, and his mind to clear. He turned in the direction that the two girls had disappeared in, and an exhausted, pain-filled grin stretched across his bloody, scarred face. His parrot, which had perched itself on the edge of the house that Shanker had thrown Kylia from, spread its wings to fly off, only to have the large, golden hook pierce its body, and pull it towards Shanker. He devoured the bird greedily, his grin never fading.

He wasn't down for the count yet.

* * *

Gen'rash rammed the head of a vicious looking gnoll pirate into the stone street, feeling it burst in his hand. He lifted the soaked, warm, dripping extremity from the pirate's remains, and turned, gritting his teeth as another pirate shot him in the shoulder with a pistol. The troll wasted no time in attempting to attend to the wound, as he made several seals, gathering his chakra to perform a technique. 

He then bellowed words in a language far too complicated to write down, and felt the warm, sticky blood on his hand begin to slide off, and float a little ways in front of him. The dried blood that covered most of his body began to liquefy, and added to the steadily growing mass in front of him. The wound in his shoulder added a small amount before it closed off completely, and then the sphere stopped growing. He then swept his hand around in a wide arc, and the sphere burst into hundreds of smaller spheres, before they lengthened and sharpened, forming a cloud of red needles. With another sweep of his hand, they shot, faster than the eye could see, in a conical spread away from him. They pierced and struck the bodies of dozens of pirates, and amazingly, carefully avoided striking any fellow trolls. The pirate that had shot Gen'rash was rendered a pincushion in seconds, while many of his fellow comrades were slain in the midst of their own fights.

The young witch doctor turned, his mouth stretched into a snarl.

'_There are too many…'_ he thought, glancing over the entirety of the area they were fighting in. Gen'rash had fought his way from the entrance and past the long series of shops that ran along parallel with the boardwalk until it curved around. The street he was on was a little above that. Like the rest of his brethren, he had no real goal to fulfill, save for the utter defeat of their enemies. It didn't matter where he was, so long as there were pirates there to fight.

But he hadn't realized there were so many…

They came in swarms, as well. One moment, there were very few, and the next, they would jump from the tops of houses, or run from inside them, crying out in fury and desire for blood. When the massive ship had arrived, bearing so many pirates, Gen'rash had become even more worried.

There were only four other trolls, two of them Darkspears, and the other two Bloodscalps, in the area, that he could see. They had started out in the vicinity of around twenty, but the pirates, despite dying by the droves, had managed to either completely mangle the troll's, picking them apart so much that it was impossible for their bodies to regenerate, or they had wised up and begun using the technique that the humans had used against them many times. One would cut off an extremity, and then quickly, another would rush in and burn the wound, cauterizing it so regeneration was unable to take place. Thankfully, almost a year of constant fighting, as well as the experience they had held before, had helped most of the Darkspears survive, but his own Skullsplitters and some of the Bloodscalps were far worse off.

'_If that troll intends to keep his promise…'_ he thought, glancing briefly towards the entrance, '_then he will come now.'_

He trusted Vol'jin. The Darkspear chief had done much for their people already, so he would fight, and would survive, until Vol'jin came.

Besides, having not been able to fight in the last battle against the Bloodsail Buccaneers, Gen'rash and his brethren were itching for the chance to prove themselves.

He then glanced towards the ship, which he could just see over the smaller houses nearest the bay. He was, however, distracted by a charging gnoll pirate, who gleefully slashed at his neck with the crude cutlass in his hand. Gen'rash dodged the attack, and impaled the gnoll with one of his tusks. He lifted the smaller beast completely off the ground, and then chucked him into a horde of dead bodies.

He once again glanced towards the ship, having seen Naruto head there when he had finished with the pirate outside the entrance.

'_That boy…'_ he thought, "_I wish him luck…he is interesting, and I find him to be good company, even if he is a human. I hope that I may see him again. I believe he still has much to teach me.'_

Then, he spotted something a little surprising.

From between the gap of two small wooden bungalows, two human girls, one looking far worse off than the other, emerged. The girl who was worse off had shiny black hair, and stood protectively in front of the other, who had shoulder-length golden hair, tied back in a small ponytail.

He remembered, briefly, that the boy, Naruto, had spoken of two girls that he needed to save. He hadn't learned much from the boy's ramblings, other than that, except that the boy had a favorite food called ramen, which he made a note to try.

He advanced towards the girls quickly; though his menacing appearance, coupled with the determined look on his face, made him appear as if he was going to attack.

The girls must have thought this as well, because the golden-haired one shouted something and pointed at Gen'rash. The other girl swiveled, and lifted a small dagger, which was very worn-looking, leading Gen'rash to believe she had picked it up off of a dead pirate. She shouted something that he did not understand, making him stop. He glanced at the dark-haired girl, before looking intently at the golden-haired one. He said in Orcish, stringing words that Naruto had recently taught him into a semi-coherent sentence.

"No 'urt. Be friend Naruto."

The golden-haired girl looked shocked for a second, and said something to the other girl in their strange language. The dark-haired girl lowered her dagger, but still looked distrustfully at him. The two girls backed away into the alleyway, out of the battle, and Gen'rash followed, stealing a glance behind him. No pirates had noticed him yet, having moved upwards through the streets. Thankfully, no new ones had entered the fray.

The girl spoke in Orcish, to Gen'rash's relief. She spoke it a little quickly, making it hard for him to understand, but he managed to get a good idea of what she said.

"You know Naruto? Where is he?" she asked, looking desperately at him.

Gen'rash responded to the best of his ability. "'Dere…" he said, pointing towards the ship. "He be 'dere."

Kira glanced backwards, where she could see the ship's tall masts through the small alley. Heading towards the ship meant going deeper into the raging battle. She needed to get Kylia somewhere where she could rest, but she still wanted to help Naruto.

"Go," the troll said, pointing in the direction of the street that led down to the boardwalk.

Kira opened her mouth to protest, but Kylia interrupted.

"We must go, m– Kira. I don't know what he said, b-but he seems to be t-telling us to leave as well."

Indecision once again welled up in the youthful princess of Stormwind. How could she just leave Naruto there? She voiced her concern to Kylia, who looked at her calmly, if a little nervously.

"I don't know Mr. Naruto very well, mi– Kira, but I think he is strong enough t-to take care of himself," Kylia said, glancing behind Gen'rash into the street.

Kira sighed, and nodded. Naruto was far more adept at this than she, and she needed to have confidence in his abilities. She nodded at Kylia, and looked back at Gen'rash. She smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said, in Orcish.

The troll gave her a toothy grin, something that didn't look a bit out of place on the troll's angular face. He moved aside to let them pass, when they heard the small tinkling shatter of glass, and the splashing of liquid.

Kylia turned around, and spotted a small, broken bottle of greenish liquid a little ways behind her. Seconds later, another bottle, filled with blue liquid, fell from above them, and landed on top of the green substance. At once, they began to smoke, and all three people realized that when that started happening, nothing good could come of it.

Gen'rash bolted from the alleyway, Kira and Kylia fast on his heals. Seconds later, both houses exploded in a fantastic show of greenish fire, hurtling fiery pieces of wood into the street. The two girls and one troll quickly turned, staring at the verdant inferno with shocked eyes.

It was Gen'rash who first spotted their attacker, when he emerged from the blaze, remarkably unharmed, smirking at them. What he was, however, completely shocked Kira and Kylia.

It was an elf.

A High elf, to be precise; he stood almost as tall as Gen'rash, with pale, ethereal skin, long platinum blonde hair, and large, pointed ears which resembled a troll's, in a way. His eyes were a deep, blood red, but they did not appear as menacing as one with red eyes should. He was dressed in an open front, blood-red robe, with black pants and sandals, and a silvery-white shirt. He had a superior, arrogant smirk on his face, reminding Kira of some of the nobles that she had known back in Stormwind.

"Good afternoon," he said in unaccented Common. His voice carried a pleasant lilt, as she had heard that all elves possessed. However, his eyes, cold and filled with a terrible greed that would have made Cyrussian T. Venture proud, served to make everything that his voice enhanced all the more appalling. He seemed, to her, like poisonous animal, brightly colored, but still tremendously deadly.

"My, isn't this my lucky day? I seem to have found that missing girl that the Captain has been searching for so obsessively for the past few days," his smile widened, making it even more terrible to behold. "My name is Gerethas Sunseer, I am the ship's doctor and alchemist, and I double as the quartermaster. It would be in your best interests, young miss, to come with me. I have no intention to let the reward that the captain will inevitably bestow upon the one who brings you back slip through my fingers. So be a dear, and come, yes?"

Kira stared at him, shocked that he had the gall to ask her to come peacefully. Kylia stared in anger, lifting her dagger to prepare for the fight. Gen'rash stared in confusion, wondering what the strange elf had just said.

Gerethas smiled at their silence, and said, "I'll take that as a 'no' then. I confess that I was hoping that you would say that."

The elf's hands dove into his robes, and in the movement, Kira caught sight of many other vials, located in small pouches along the entirety of his robe fronts. He selected two, both of them varying shades of blue, and popped their corks off. The arrogant smirk had been wiped clean from his face, replaced by a twisted smile that spoke of nothing but madness.

Now his red eyes were menacing.

He then threw the two vials in front of him, so that the contents of both splashed out, striking and mixing with each other in mid-air. The mixture struck the ground in front of them, and the very instant it touched the ground, large, glittering crystals of ice erupted upwards. The air around the area suddenly became as cold as the deepest and darkest ice storms of winter, making it very difficult for them to get free of the rapidly freezing street and area. Once again, Gerethas remained unaffected by the effects of his alchemy, watching with sick delight as the ice consumed several pirates and a few trolls, flash-freezing them into statues.

Kira found herself lifted from her feet as Gen'rash grabbed both her and Kylia, and leapt away from the freezing area. It was so cold that she could see her breath, and a steady fog had appeared, slightly obscuring the elf.

The ice finally stopped growing, allowing Gen'rash to stop, and release his grip on the two girls. Gerethas emerged from the icy fog, grinning sadistically.

'_How is he doing that?'_ wondered Kira, her eyes wide. Why wasn't he being affected by his attacks, when due to their chemical rather than mystical nature, they should affect him as well.

Gen'rash gave a rumbling growl from deep within his throat, and stepped forwards in front of the two girls. His body was trembling with restrained rage. He knew the figure that stood before him, grinning madly, for he had been waiting for this meeting for quite a while.

This elf, he knew, was the one that had captured him last time. During the last battle between the trolls and the Bloodsail Buccaneers, which had been a desperate attempt by the trolls to protect their last camp, it had been this elf that had allowed Blood and his crew to utterly decimate them.

He remembered a sweet smell, one that invaded and enraptured the senses as delectable food would to a starving man. They had all lined up in formation, ready to battle the Bloodsailors, who, according to Vol'jin's scouts, would be attacking from the west, as they had managed to cover their backs by setting up the camp in the deserted Mosh'Ogg Ogre Den, which was situated in a small canyon, a perfect place to fight.

Then, a light, almost invisible fog had crept through the ranks of the witch doctors and shamans, who, in battle, where generally behind the attacking berserkers, axe-throwers, and warriors. The no one had taken noticed of it at first, but when a sudden drowsiness had taken hold of him, they began to notice the wisps of smoke at their feet. Then, without warning, the Bloodsailors had attacked, and without the full support of their healers and shamans, they were inevitably defeated.

The last coherent thought, Gen'rash remembered, that he had had before he had awoken in a cell, had been the grinning visage of that elf.

Lowering himself into a battle stance, Gen'rash promised himself that he would rip this little elf limb from limb.

Gerethas smiled at him, seemingly completely oblivious to the troll's anger. "My, you look familiar…I think I might know you," he said, in surprisingly good Trollish.

Gen'rash was unaffected by the elf's choice of language, and grinned. So this fool knew who would kill him. Good. That made it all the sweeter.

Then, "Hmm…maybe not. All of you trolls look the same! Now, move out of the way, oaf, and let me take that girl off your hands. It is not as if you need her, you'd probably cook her and eat her, if anything."

Gen'rash's grin disappeared, and was replaced by a feral rage. He growled, and shot forwards, ripping one of his tusks out and throwing it at the grinning elf.

Gerethas lifted a small vial of pinkish liquid from his robes, and popped off the cork. He then, instead of throwing it, slashed it downwards diagonally. The pinkish liquid shot from the end, stretching into a long whip-like shape, and with a flick of his wrist, he batted the incoming tusk out of the air. As soon as it had knocked the tusk away, it returned to its original shape, like a piece of rubber.

Gen'rash, however, had not stopped his attack with a simple tusk. He had dodged to the side, and was making several seals, readying a powerful spell. Gerethas, however, lifted another vial of pink liquid, and popped the cork on it. He then lashed out with both, making them move so quickly through the air that before he could finish the hand seals necessary for his spell, they had wrapped around his hands, and ripped them forwards, with surprising strength. He tried to pull them away, but found himself not strong enough to resist the pull.

Gerethas gave a little laugh, and transferred one of the vials into his other hand. With a hand now free, he produced another bottle, filled with a darker liquid, and popped the cork, as he had done with the others.

He smiled. "My own special concoctions. None of them affect me, because I always add a bit of my blood into them, as well as a special little mixture that integrates my blood into the mixture, without affecting the outcome. It essentially makes them ignore anything that has my blood in it. Ingenious, no?" He spoke in Orcish this time, as if he wanted Kira to hear what he was saying.

Unfortunately, this meant that Gen'rash understood very little of what he was saying, so he ignored it, and ran forwards, letting himself be pulled by the elastic substance.

Gerethas smiled again, and dropped the vial of dark liquid at his feet. It at once began to spread outwards, almost like it was consuming the street and simply forming a black, swampy void. He remained in the middle, unaffected, smiling.

Unable to stop himself, Gen'rash fell straight into the mass of black, and found that there was no longer a street beneath him. Instead, he began to sink into the inky liquid, finding it almost impossible to move his legs as he sunk. He growled, attempting to struggle, which only brought more laughter from Gerethas.

Then, there was a flash of silver, and the elastic ropes snapped, releasing Gen'rash's hands from their bindings. He glanced to the side, and saw the dark-haired girl, holding her hand out, the dagger which she had held earlier no longer in her hands, or anywhere near her.

Gerethas blinked and turned towards the two girls, startled, though not appearing so, that they had helped. This gave Gen'rash a chance to make some hand seals unmolested.

"Hey now, young miss, perhaps it would be better if you didn't do that, again, okay?" Gerethas's eyes seemed to glow with even more madness, and his horrible smile never left his face. He made to start towards them, before he suddenly remembered Gen'rash.

Two tendrils of chakra had extended from Gen'rash's hands, and had gripped the unaffected street a few feet away from him. With incredible effort, he pulled himself from his capture, and lifted himself onto the street, grunting with effort.

Gerethas made a small noise of impatience. Gen'rash, however, didn't allow him to speak, as he made a seal, and roared in Trollish, "**Shadow Bolt!"**

A dark, skull-shaped burst of chakra erupted from his hand, and flew towards the elf. Gerethas lifted a vial from his robe and shattered it in his hand. It began to engorge rapidly, until it had become almost the diameter of a man's height, and had formed a disc-shape, grafting itself to his arm, creating a shield. The ball of dark chakra smashed into it, exploding and making the shield crack, but not break.

"Don't think I don't see you, little misses!" he laughed, suddenly throwing a vial of turquoise liquid towards Kira and Kylia. Kira's hands were in the middle of a spell, while Kylia had picked up a few sharp stones, originally part of the street, and was preparing to throw them. The vial burst only a few feet in front of them, and a bluish smoke rose from it, obscuring their vision of the two. They tried to move to the side, to run past it, but it seemed to move with them. Neither wanting to test what would happen if they ran through it, they stopped, helpless, trying to spot the two fighters.

Gerethas then turned back to his true opponent, suddenly noticing that he was no longer present. His sharp ears suddenly the picked up the slow, rhythmic beating of a heart, so very close to his own.

Rising from the large shadow that the orange shield had created, Gen'rash now stood inside his opponent's guard. His body was aglow with purple markings, much like the ones that had appeared on Vol'jin's during his fight with Naruto.

The Shadow-Walk ability was something that Vol'jin had taught him personally, making it one of the strongest abilities that he had. It was a technique that usually went hand in hand with the Shadow style of the shaman arts, because it required the same chakra tattoos in order to use. Normally, it was only taught to shaman, but Gen'rash, upon seeing it used to great effect in many of the earlier fights against the Bloodsail Buccaneers, expressed an interest in learning it. Vol'jin had readily agreed, pleased that he was able to pass along his knowledge to the trolls of a different tribe.

By using his chakra, he could melt into the shadows of the world around him. He had also learned the other part of the Shadow style, _Keiei_, but because he rarely engaged in hand to hand combat, and performing a spell while that technique was activated was almost impossible, Gen'rash rarely used it.

However, he had learned to use the Shadow-Walk quite well, and found it to be most effective against those who had no way of protecting themselves against it.

Gerethas swiveled, reaching into his robes for a vial of unknown liquid to counter, but found himself suddenly out of breath. Gen'rash had punched him hard, in the stomach, so hard that it drove more than just air from his lungs. A second, even stronger punch smashed into his pale, shining face. He sailed backwards, with Gen'rash pursuing him relentlessly, attacking every time he had the chance. He attacked with such ferocity that Gerethas had no way to counterattack with one of his potions. With the elf sufficiently beaten, Gen'rash took it a step further. He flashed through two, well-practiced seals, which caused his hands to begin glowing a deep, angry red, with swirls of black mixed in. He smashed both fists into the elf's face, sending him flying backwards a few feet, landing in a heap in the center of the street.

Gen'rash lowered his hands, grinning in triumph. He knew he had won. There was no way that the weak little elf would be able to stand up, especially after that last attack.

But that didn't stop him from trying, of course. Gerethas slowly sat up, leaning on one arm to help him to his feet.

Unfortunately, that turned out to be a mistake, as seconds later it broke under the strain, despite how slight that was.

The elf made only a soft grunt as he sat completely upright, taking his weight off his arm. He glanced at it curiously, as it hung uselessly by his side. He then glanced at his feet, which lay in odd angles. Horrifyingly, his sadistic smile had not yet faded.

"What is this?" he asked, using his one good hand to gesture at the broken limbs. There was no expression of pain on his face; he merely seemed curious.

Gen'rash grinned. "That is de **Hex of Weakness,**" he said, in Trollish. "It weakens your bones, and makes your skin thin and easily ripped. You no longer de have ability to hold your own weight."

Gerethas gave a small laugh, and reached into his robes again. Gen'rash tensed a little. A part of him, the more rational part, told him to attack now, and prevent him from using whatever potion he planned to use now. However, the other, less rational, and more instinctual side, told him to wait, and see what type of plan this fool was going to use to try to recover from the attack. What potion could reverse the Hex of Weakness?

He opted for his more instinctual path, and grinned again at the elf.

Gerethas pulled a very small vial, filled with dark green liquid. He lifted it, and with a smile, downed it in a single gulp.

He sat there for a few seconds, and then, steam began to rise from his legs and arm, and Gen'rash's eyes widened. His legs, once bent out of shape, returned to their normal states, and his useless hanging arm became useful once more. He stood, smiling, and Gen'rash stared as the large bruises on his face faded as well.

"Infusion of troll's blood," the elf explained, smiling. "It won't last very long, but I have several here in order to keep me alive in the direst of situations. Captain Blood does not wish to lose his doctor, you see, so he allows me free reign with what I buy, and with what I experiment on."

The elf retrieved two more vials from with his robes, one dark blue, another light green.

"This ends, now, troll. I have a reward to collect, you see."

Gen'rash growled, and Gerethas then threw the vials forwards, his eyes glinting insanely. The troll witch doctor-in-training flashed through three seals, and then thrust his hands forwards.

"**Hex of Darkness…"**

For Gerethas then, everything went black. He heard the sound of glass shattering, and the contents of both spilling out onto the ground. However, he blinked curiously when he heard no explosion, no sound at all, really, after those first two. He blinked, the potions he had selected were most certainly the correct ones, and he had not made them incorrectly. He then withdrew another vial, one that he knew well. The smell came to him, strong, almost alcoholic. He thought it odd that the troll wasn't attacking, and so he simply downed the potion.

At once, sight returned to him.

And he found the grinning face of Gen'rash straight in front of his. The troll mouthed, "**and Silence,"** and Gerethas could see briefly in the background the effects of his potion, a towering inferno of greenish fire, which the troll had somehow escaped.

_My shadow…_ the elf thought, almost chuckling to himself, before Gen'rash grabbed him hard by the neck, lifting him off his feet.

With a savage twist, Gen'rash snapped the elf's neck.

He then let Gerethas drop, before grabbing him in a bear hug, and with a violent growl, which went unheard by the now deaf elf; he crushed Gerethas into him, in a perversion of a hug. Instead, he snapped the elf's spine in two, and then, with another unheard roar, he flung Gerethas's limp body away from him.

Gen'rash didn't believe he was dead, however. Odds are, the fool still had a troll's regenerative abilities, and that meant that a broken neck and broken spine could be easily healed. He began to advance towards the fallen elf, who, as he had thought, was still moving, before he caught sight of something in the smoke that was blowing up the street, from the blazing green bonfire behind him.

Kira and Kylia, who had long been able to see what was happening, saw the shadowy figure as well, and when they caught sight of him completely, they froze, their mouths agape.

'_It can't be…!'_ thought Kira, her eyes wide, and hand clapping to her mouth to hold back her revulsion.

Kylia couldn't believe it, staring at the figure as he materialized from the smoke, grinning wickedly.

Gen'rash, remembered the man as well, as he had been present at many fights in the past. But even he was astonished at the man's appearance, and even more so when in a single cut, the giant pirate sliced the slowly recovering Gerethas in two with his massive, golden hook.

Stepping past the now truly dead High Elf, Shanker lifted his bloody hook, and grinned sadistically at Kira.

"Oi, lass, ye miss me?"

* * *

"True-Seeing Eye?" mumbled Naruto, staring at the revelation that Blood had just made, as a slight breeze swept past him, filling his nostrils with not only the salty air of the sea, but with the blood and fire that raged in the city around him. 

The Captain smiled cordially. "This is the power that I have used since the beginning, boy. It is the power and ability that I will use to further my dream. It was forged by goblins, and it was from them that I stole it, when they were transporting it to the Undermine. It is made from a special, synthesized material, the goblins, I believe, have called it _vericite_. This material is conductive to life and spiritual energy. Therefore, even though it is truly not a part of my body, it channels my body's life processes, even acquiring impulses from my brain, and thus acts like a true eye, allowing me to see without flaw. I can even see through objects, no matter how dense they may be.

"But that is only the first ability. The second, I think, is far more useful."

He then shot forwards, moving towards Naruto like a bolt of lightning. The blonde summoned a surge of the demon's chakra in order to boost the power of his _Kongou_, and was confident that he wouldn't be affected by the pirate's attack. He placed no chakra into his feet, and prepared to ride the blow backwards away from the pirate.

With practiced ease, Blood struck out with his sword, thrusting it into a point on Naruto's chest, only six inches to the right of his heart, and one or two inches above. And instead of being deflected, it pierced straight through, so swiftly and easily that it was as if he had pierced a piece of paper. Naruto cried out, as a bolt of pain shot through him, and again as Blood kicked him in the stomach, knocking him backwards into the wall of the rear cabin, only a few feet away from the last place he had struck.

Naruto slumped, coughing and hacking blood onto the deck, even as the wound healed.

'_How did that stupid bastard break through?'_ the boy wondered angrily, staring up at Blood with unbelievable fury in his eyes.

Blood lifted his bloody sword, and wiped the tip off on his coat. His eyes, one green and one a glittering solid turquoise, stared down at him stonily.

"The second ability, as you have found out, is the ability to see a person's weakest point on their body, at any time, and any position. Every time you move, this point changes however slightly. The best of warriors can locate the general area of a person's weak point, based on their stance, body structure, and overall skill. The True-Seeing eye does all of that for me, and therefore I am able to see the point with such clarity that I can defeat even the greatest of warriors in several strikes, by draining all of their stamina in striking those points. On your last technique, for example, the point was tremendously small, but in a place on the body that, if it where a lesser man, they would have fallen. Due to your healing ability, I believe that isn't so, so it will take a few more strikes to truly finish you off."

'**STALL.'** Naruto heard the demon command from inside of him. He still needed more time to heal, so he grit his teeth and said, "Eh…but what about the fact that you knew how to fight Vol'jin, when he was better at than you at fighting, and what about you knowing about my killing that bastard Scool and the tubby guy?"

Blood, who had been advancing towards the blonde in preparation to continue the battle, stopped.

"That is the third ability," he said. "It is the ability to see the future, in the lowest sense of the term. It sends me visions, visions of things that may happen in my, or another's future. It let me see the tactics that Vol'jin and his trolls would use in every battle against them, and thusly I was able to build my attacks around that. It allowed me to take over the Bloodsail Buccaneers from their previous captain, as well as take over Booty Bay. Of course, it doesn't always show me what I want. It showed to me the boat that I believed Thrall would be on, as that was what I had been concentrating on, but it did not show me Thrall himself; it turned out that you, and the dear Princess where there. It also did not show me the rebellion of many of my own crew, only showing me the battle that the trolls would start with your defeat of Scool and Grubbins. It has shown me several times of things beyond this point, but I cannot see the outcome of my dream; meaning that I must insure that my dream comes true, and that I can only use this eye to foresee every step of path to my dream, but not the actual goal. This battle is necessary, then, to show to the world my power. Vol'jin will die this time; I shall not practice clemency on his people again, they will be exterminated, before I leave, as an example."

His eyes then were stone again. "But do you know what it shows me when I see you, Uzumaki Naruto? Nothing. That is because I have already decided your future. It will be death, by my hand, and immortality, in my list of kills."

Naruto chuckled, standing to his feet, swaying slightly. His bloody face was covered in a fox-like grin, and his deep blue eyes, pools of azure fire, were matching Blood's glare of emerald and turquoise. He felt the demon's chakra begin to broil with him again, making his body stronger, sending a rush of demonic excitement through him.

"You're wrong, bastard. I have a dream of my own, and I don't plan to let another crazy with a special eye technique change that! I'm going to beat you, and that's a promise!" Naruto shouted, pointing a now clawed finger at Blood.

Then his blue eyes became red, making Blood smile as well.

The fight began anew.

* * *

Kira took several steps back; almost losing her balance her knees were shaking so much. 

'_It's impossible! Kylia said that he had enough poison in him to kill a kodo! How is he still alive!'_ the girl silently wailed. She stilled herself, quickly however. She wasn't going to lose her cool now. She was going to fight him, and she wasn't going to be afraid, no matter how horrible this man was.

If he could truly even be called a man, anymore.

His mouth was still covered in a beard of blood, and numerous cuts all across his visible skin were bleeding as well. His face was red and splotchy, and covered in various bruises, likely from where blood vessels had popped due to the poison. The sclera of his eyes were no longer white, but rather red with blood. The blood had soaked into his shirt, turning it red as well.

The terrifying grin on his face, however, shook her more than his appearance. It was not the grin of a man; it was one of a demon from the lowest pits of hell. For only such a creature could have survived such poisoning.

None were so shocked as Kylia, however. She couldn't believe that the pirate had survived the poison, for quite simply, it should have been impossible.

'_Is he some sort of monster?'_ she wondered.

He would have to be, for only a monster would have so heartlessly killed his own crewmate.

Gen'rash stared at Gerethas's remains, his eyes cold. This man had taken away his revenge. He glared up at the monstrous pirate, who stared past him, almost ignorant of his presence.

Shanker lumbered past Gerethas's body, only stopping to sneer down at it. "Never liked ye anyways, ye fancy little git. Shows ye for gettin in me way." He then continued to walk towards the two girls, both of them frozen with fear.

Gen'rash moved in front of him, however, his eyes smoldering. The pirate stopped, and fixed his terrible eyes on the young witch doctor.

"Oh, tryin' ta protect them, are ye? Won' do ye any good, I don' think. Whether it be me or them, ye three are beat."

He pointed with his only hand past Gen'rash, and behind Kira and Kylia. Kira turned, and gasped.

Pirates, of all shapes, sizes, and species, had begun to pour from between the intact houses. Some even leapt from atop them, landing deftly so that they formed a wall of bodies, preventing any chance of escape. They then began to slowly advance, their weapons drawn and ready. Their faces were alight with cruel, greedy grins, and the bloodlust that the battle was igniting in them seemed to have pushed them far over the edge of any sort of reason. They were now nothing but twisted murderers, with whom bargaining was impossible.

Gen'rash made a hand seal, causing his hands to glow with same crimson as before. If anything, he would destroy this man, for taking away his chance at revenge against Gerethas.

Shanker glared at him, and said angrily, "Still gonna fight, savage? Then die!"

Gen'rash thrust his palm forwards, but Shanker stepped quickly backwards, a remarkable feat for his badly damaged body. With the same quickness, he snapped his hook forwards, skewering the Skullsplitter's arm, and then jerking it violently to the side, across the troll's body. The troll cried out in agony as his arm was removed completely from his body, but managed to strike the tall pirate hard in the chest with his Hex of Weakness. Unfortunately, he only achieved a glancing blow, as Shanker had kneed him in the stomach, sending him flying to the ground, a few feet away.

Shanker grunted as he walked forwards, seemingly unaffected by the effects of the attack. He stopped in front of Gen'rash, who was trying to stand, and kicked him hard in the face, driving him backwards several feet. The troll stopped moving, unconscious. He then advanced steadily on the two girls, who had steadily began moving forwards, away from the approaching wall of pirates.

Kylia stood protectively in front of Kira, making Shanker laugh. "I was looking for ye, girl. I gotta pay ye back for poisonin' me."

He reached out, and grabbed Kylia's head, swiftly enough to prevent her from dodging. He lifted her up into the air, at the same time savagely kicking Kira in the stomach, knocking her backwards.

"Ye won' use anythin' this time, lass. I'll gladly take a few lashes fer that one," he sneered, before lifting Kylia directly in front of his face, his breath, coppery with the scent of blood and therefore even more horrible than before.

Then, with a bestial roar, he leaned forwards, and bit down on Kylia's ear, tearing it clean off.

Kira's mind froze, completely shocked and horrified by the action. Kylia's scream tore through the air, so loud and so close and so incredibly horrible that she almost vomited. She had never heard a scream like that. It was one of complete and utter terror; meaning Kylia was just as shocked and reviled as she. Her sickness only grew when the horrible pirate chewed the soft cartilage, and then swallowed.

Blood spurted from Kylia's wound, and continued to flow as her scream died away, replaced with a look of absolute defeat. Any fire that she had once had was gone. The act had so shocked her, so repulsed her, that any coherent thought, even if it was to save her mistress, was gone. Shanker grinned in appreciation, and discarded the broken, wounded girl, before turning towards Kira.

He walked towards the girl, a moving, breathing engine of cruelty. He lifted his hook, and said to her, "This next one's worth a hundred lashes, lass. I'm gonna enjoy every moment o' it."

She closed her eyes. She began to curse herself, under her breath. She wanted her weakness to disappear, she wanted to get angry, really truly angry, more angry and hateful than she had ever been in her life. She wanted to make this man pay, but now she would never get the chance.

'_My dream…'_ she thought, despair flooding through her. '_I need to accomplish…my dream…!'_

And then, it came to her.

A broiling hot, monstrous rage, sending adrenaline flooding through her bloodstream as if a dam had broken within her. She stood and leapt backward, using chakra to enhance the power of her jump.

She landed, breathless, a few yards away. Her mouth was open, her teeth gnashing, her face twisted into a snarl of animalistic rage.

She wouldn't let her dream die here. No, like Blood had said, she would kill in order to accomplish her dream. She would kill to save her friend, and her dream.

Then, there was a sound.

It was unlike any other sound in the battle; for it was not a sword striking another, nor a gun going off, or a head falling to the ground, or bomb exploding, or a spell being cast; no, it was something almost refreshing in the din, the sound of rushing water to a man lost in the desert, or heat to a man drowning in cold.

It was the sound of a horn, loud and near, blowing into the smoke-filled air, almost as if piercing a veil. For a moment, there was no other sound; it seemed, than that horn.

And then, emerging from the entrance cavern, as fluid and powerful as water when it is released from floodgates, but as silent and quick as a shadow, came the trolls. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of them; she saw, to her amazement, that most were female, though there were many males as well. Some rode atop massive, green raptors, and strode ahead of the rest, moving towards the wall of pirates faster than Kira would have believed.

And at their head, atop a massive purple raptor, with a large, orange Mohawk and wielding a twin-bladed weapon that was slick with blood, was a troll that was undoubtedly Vol'jin.

With the troll's arrival, the wall of pirates turned and rushed at them. Only a small portion of the trolls rushed to meet their attack, Vol'jin being one of them. The others ran down the boardwalk, and flooded into the other streets, seeking comrades and perhaps husbands or other family members to aid. Some even rushed towards the ship, where Naruto was probably fighting.

Shanker's bloody eyes grew even more maddened as he saw them arrive, and let loose a roar of primal fury. He turned towards Kira, whom he found staring straight back at him.

There was something in her eyes, he saw, that hadn't been there before. There was a drive that alerted him to the fact that she was no longer afraid of him.

But that only made him even more excited.

Vol'jin cleaved his way through dozens of pirates, uncaring of their species, as he fought towards where he had seen the young human girl, and the giant human man standing. Naruto had told him about the girl as well, and he knew, therefore, that she was important.

But he saw what was happening, so when he arrived on the other side of the bodies, covered in cuts and wounds, all of which began to heal quite quickly, he did not attack.

This was the girl's fight, he realized, and that interfering would deprive her of something that she needed. It was a lesson, perhaps, in the art of war; one that every person needed to learn, no matter what age or species.

Shanker ignored the newcomer, and with a roar, no longer caring for what the girl's fate was, launched his hook forwards. The girl's hands, in response, flew together in a collection of seals.

"**Power Word: Shield,"** she said. A glowing shield of chakra swirled around her, just in time for the hook to strike and fall harmlessly away. Her hands had already begun to move again, forming seals that she had learned only recently. She had locked her index and middle fingers together, as if they had been tied, and had done the same with her ring and pinky. They were meant to emulate the three-fingered hands of a troll.

Shanker had retracted his hook, and rushed her. His eyes were raging pools of hate, so hot and terrible that any lesser person would flee. For he, in that moment was the perfect embodiment of what humans could become when consumed by their baser instincts. He had become the physical projection of all the cruelty and hate and rage that a man could generate.

He had become a monster.

"**Shadow Word: Death"** the Princess of Stormwind spoke, in words that only Vol'jin understood. The Shadowhunter's eyes widened considerably, upon hearing the words spoken.

'_That technique… was lost centuries ago. And now this girl knows it?'_

Her teacher had drilled the words into her skull; who, what seemed like a lifetime ago, had produced to her a scroll, written in Trollish.

**Flashback**

"Is this that scroll you had earlier, master?" Kira asked, staring at the ancient piece of literature with curious eyes.

_Benedictus nodded, looking down at the scroll with grave eyes. "It is indeed. I have successfully translated it, as I said I would. Within it, I have discovered something incredibly remarkable, but also incredibly dangerous."_

_Kira blinked. "What is it?"_

_Benedictus sat upon one of the large chairs atop the altar. "It is a spell. A spell of great power, and of great darkness. It is the technique that was once used by ancient troll witch doctors, and as I understand it, is now lost. It is the word of Shadow, for 'death'."_

_Kira's eyes widened. She knew very little shadow words. Only 'pain' and 'darkness' and 'fire'. And she never used them, for according to Benedictus, their uses had dire consequences._

"_I am going to teach it to you," he announced, startling Kira from her reverie. _

_The girl recoiled from him, looking horrified. "What, but master, I don't–"_

"_Save your protests, child. I do not like it any more than you. But I think it may be useful to you, somewhere down the road. But I must caution you. Shadow word techniques are only used in the direst of situations, for they are the most forbidden of techniques in our history. It is not because they use more chakra than others, though that is certainly true, but it is because every use of them leaves a stain on your soul. This stain is something akin to what would happen if you murdered a family member in cold blood, or committed a rape upon an innocent. The trolls and Forsaken are particularly resistant to this effect, but you are not. Therefore I ask of you, Kira, to use this only if your life is in the greatest of dangers. You will need to be prepared to bear the mark of shame of using this forever, so I ask of you not to use this technique, unless you have no other choice. Do you understand?"_

_Kira was silent, her mind in turmoil. Then, she nodded, demurely._

_Benedictus nodded. "Then, let's get started."_

**End Flashback**

She was prepared. She would wear the black mark of using this forbidden spell for all history, if it meant allowing her to continue the pursuit of her dream, and to save her best friend.

She slammed her hands into the ground, causing black marks to shoot along the ground, forming a wide circle around her. Other markings spread across the ground, towards Shanker, and when he stepped into them, he found himself unable to move. The markings traveled up his body, constricting around him like long, thin, black snakes, until they converged on his forehead, in a terrible looking black symbol, in the shape of a cross, with many markings spread out around it, perverting the holy symbol.

Shanker's eyes lifted towards his forehead, and then stared back at Kira. Kira's hands began to glow a terrible poisonous green, and that glow quickly spread along the markings, alighting the pirate like a Christmas tree. When the green converged on his head, his eyes popped out, and he began to convulse. Then, he began to laugh.

His laughter would remain with her forever.

"SO THAT'S WERE I'M GOIN' EH? HAHAHAHAHAHA! IT LOOKS LIKE A NICE VACATION SPOT! SEE YE THERE, LASS!"

Then, he stopped convulsing, and the markings stopped glowing. The life, if one could call it that, had vanished from his eyes, and his body had fallen limp. The smoldering rage had vanished so abruptly that if one had been staring into the now vacant eyes of the terrible pirate, it would have been like being submerged in cold water.

His skin began to turn an awful black, and his muscles shriveled and when he finally struck the ground, he was but a ruined, blackened skeleton in pirate's clothes, with a golden hook attached to one hand.

The black markings retracted, returning to Kira's hands, and when they had finally disappeared, she felt a white-hot pain in the palms of her hands. She turned them over and saw, that on both hands, were two black symbols, identical to the one that had appeared on Shanker's forehead. His laughter was still in her ears, as she slumped to the ground, and let loose her building revulsion in the form of a spectacular bout of vomiting.

Tears leaked from her eyes, and she found herself unable to move. What she had just done was unforgivable. And now she had the marks to prove it. She barely noticed the approach of someone behind her.

"Be strong, girl. De boy wouldn' be wantin' to see ye in dat state. You have just learned de worst lesson in war. Bear ya shame, an' be stronger, for now ye have tasted de worst of de worst. Ye can only go up from here," said Vol'jin standing beside her.

She turned, and looked back up at him, her face teary eyed, her mind still reeling. But, Vol'jin could see a small sliver of thanks in her eyes, something that, despite her being human, he found to his liking.

Then, there was a loud boom, and Vol'jin turned, towards the sound, his eyes alert. It was coming from the ship, where Naruto and Blood were fighting.

"Dat boy…" he rumbled. "Better be winnin'…for he be de first 'uman dat I enjoy bein' around. He better win."

* * *

Blood's sword cleaved into the deck with such ferocity that the entire ship shook. Naruto had managed to dodge at the last second using the _Kazaashi_, moving past the pirate captain and appearing a little ways behind him. In the process, he drew a pair of kunai, which he threw with as much force as he could muster at Blood's back. But with the same fluid grace that he had attacked with, Blood turned and deflected the oncoming projectiles, before propelling himself towards the blonde. Naruto gathered chakra into his feet, and jumped, avoiding Blood's attack once more, sailing over his head and landing on top of the rear cabin that he had been knocked into twice already. 

He was breathless, but the Kyuubi soon fixed that, and so he conjured a group of clones. Bending their knees, the group of Narutos shot forwards, one after the other, hardening their bodies with the _Kongou_ in mid-air, with their one of their fists held up, so that it gave them each the image of a javelin or arrow.

"**Naruto Aroo Rendan! (Naruto Arrow Barrage!)"** They roared, using the technique of Air-grasping to speed up their flight towards Blood, who had remained still the entire time.

The first Naruto that neared Blood was cleaved in two, several feet in front of the pirate captain. Another, also a clone, sailed past, and doubled back with another Air-grasping attack, shooting for Blood's unarmed back, while another went towards his front again.

Blood moved swiftly to the side, causing the two clones to smash into each other, dispelling them both. He then dealt with the third and final attacker, the original. The blonde shot towards Blood, but at the last second used _Kawarimi no jutsu_ to disappear, replacing him with another water barrel, which Blood simply dodged.

The pirate captain then turned towards the only place he knew water barrels existed on the deck of his ship, near the front mast, and saw Naruto standing in that spot. The blonde had savagely bitten his thumb, and was in the process of making a series of hand seals.

Blood's eye saw two glaring weaknesses as the boy prepared to slam his hands into the ground, and so he sped up, reaching the blonde just as his hands hit the ground.

"**Kuchiyose no Jut–"** the blonde started, seeing the telltale black markings begin to spread from his hands. However, any concentration he had was lost when Blood suddenly slammed both of his swords into Naruto's hands. The boy cried out in agony, unable to hold the chakra he had gathered. Blood retracted his blades, but without taking a step back, he booted Naruto in the face, throwing him against mast, making it crack and splinter. It wavered dangerously for a second, but held.

Naruto spat blood onto the deck for the third time in a while, and glared up at Blood, his eyes smoldering. The pirate captain stared back, his face stone. He then swiped his blade downwards, towards Naruto's head, before a sudden wind, emanating from Naruto, blasted his sword away. For almost the first time since the fight had started, Blood took a step back, away from Naruto.

Reddish chakra was seeping from every part of the boy's body, forming a protective cocoon around him. The cocoon, however, soon received a shape, in the form of a large fox, with one long tail, long pointed ears, a demonic, ethereal visage, and long, fiery claws. The boy's face, too, became far more animalistic. His red eyes became even redder, and were filled with even more power and rage. His canines lengthened until they were visible even when the blonde's mouth was closed, and the dark whisker markings became even darker. All of Naruto's wounds healed, and before Blood could react, he had smashed his spectral claw into his chest, throwing the pirate captain backwards, through the wooden wall of the front cabin.

Naruto launched himself forwards after Blood, feeling the hot rage and power of the Kyuubi rushing through him. Remarkably, he still had his mind. It seemed the Kyuubi wanted him to finish this battle himself.

Blood emerged from the wreckage of the cabin, and ran to meet the blonde. His eye spotted very few weaknesses on Naruto's enhanced body, but they were still present. They met in the center, between the mast and the front cabin, and Blood thrust his blade into one of the weaknesses, which lay on the boy's left shoulder, at that second.

To his immense surprise the fox-like claw that surrounded the boy's left arm suddenly parted with it, and grabbed the approaching blade, without the boy even moving his hand. At the same time, the other claw lashed out towards Blood himself, aiming a blow at his head.

With the skill and fluidity that only an accomplished fighter could produce, Blood released his grip on the blade the boy's left claw had grabbed, and at the same time, parried the right claw, ducked down, and pulled one of the large pistols from his belt. He thrust the gun upwards, aiming at the blonde's face, and fired three times.

The bullets didn't pierce the first layer of "skin" that now protected Naruto's face, but it was enough for the shinobi to jerk backwards, allowing Blood more room to attack. The pirate captain stood up, and fired more shots into Naruto's chest, producing enough force to knock the blonde back a few paces. Blood then dropped his gun, and pushed aside his coat, revealing two more swords, one of which he drew, and then resumed his attack.

Naruto let out a growl of frustration, angered that attacks weren't working. He threw the sword that the Kyuubi's chakra had grabbed, making the man dodge to the side, and then thrust both of his weapons forwards. The fox claws attempted to grab them again, but the pirate captain moved his wrists in quick, efficient circles, evading their grasp. He thrust the weapons into the blonde's shoulders, piercing through the layer of chakra and then through skin and muscle.

Naruto cried out again, but instead of backing up, he leaned forwards, and the Kyuubi's unearthly head opened its grinning maw, biting down hard on Blood's shoulder. The pirate captain grunted in pain, but before the ghostly mouth could rip any more flesh away, he kneed the blonde shinobi in the stomach, and followed up with two punches, still gripping his swords.

Naruto flew backwards, while Blood waited. He felt no warm blood coursing down his chest or arm, so he glanced at the wound Naruto's spectral-fox mouth had made. To his surprise, the wound was completely cauterized, and was smoking slightly. He felt very little pain, so he turned and stared at the recovering Naruto, smiling.

'This boy…is remarkable. I have struck him in perhaps a dozen or so weak points since this fight has begun, and he still stands and fights. He is admirable, pursuing his dream so relentlessly.'

He saw Naruto beginning to recover, and to his surprise, he saw something else. A second tail had formed on the wraithlike fox that surrounded the blonde. He saw Naruto smirk, as well, and he knew the blonde would soon attack.

His eye, however, told him that was a good thing.

Almost all the blonde's weak points had disappeared. But there was still one, very large one, that didn't involve him striking a point on Naruto's body.

'The aura burns his body, and injures him as much as it protects. He cannot go for very long in this state.'

"I made a promise…" Naruto growled, his red eyes so terrible that to many, he would not seem remotely human, if one just looked into his eyes. "I will help Kira accomplish her dream, and you're in the way of that. That eye isn't going to help you now, bastard."

Blood shook his head. "You are admirable. Willing to help the dream of another, with no regard for your own life. But…that will not help you in this fight. I have a dream of my own to accomplish. I must become a legend, I MUST BECOME IMMORTAL!"

Blood moved faster than he had ever before, slashing into the thicker, more opaque form of the demon fox. Naruto took both blows, surprised that the swords could even cleave through the protective covering without being destroyed. He ignored the pain, the pain that was constantly bubbling around him. The new power that the Kyuubi had given him meant that his body would degenerate almost twice as fast. He needed to defeat this man.

Growling, he made practiced seal, with both claws and hands, and said, "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"**

The wraithlike fox that surrounded the blonde then began to bubble, and atop his back, two claws emerged, followed by a head, a body, and finally two more legs. Another entire fox had appeared, and with a pop, it disengaged itself from Naruto, taking one of the large tails with it.

Blood leapt backwards, dodging the large claws from the clone Kyuubi. They extended far beyond their normal reach, and smashed into the deck, blasting that portion of it away. He dodged one of the original Naruto's attacks, and then another from the clone. The attacks came with such ferocity that Blood had to keep his distance, unable to attack. He danced back, and leapt past the front mast, and with a quick slash, toppled it. It fell to the side, suddenly creating a rift between him and the two attacking foxes. Naruto, however, didn't plan to let that stop him. He slammed his spectral claw into the dense wood of the mast, splintering it apart, and then rushing through the cloud of debris, his clone quickly following.

Blood began slashing quickly, sending blades of air towards the attacking blonde. Naruto dodged, letting his clone take most of the attacks. They passed harmlessly through it, causing Blood to curse. Then, before Naruto reached him, he did something he had not done before.

Blood's hand moved faster than Naruto could ever believe, and so he was just able to dodge using the Kazaashi as the pirate captain thrust one of his blades forwards with all of the monstrous strength he possessed. He released his grip on the blade, so it shot forwards, at a slight angle downwards, creating a massive tunnel of wind that tore the clone apart, and the blade continued through the ship, smashing through everything it encountered until it struck the sea. It created a huge tunnel in the water, piercing all the way down into the sea floor, where it created a huge crater, having bored through dozens of feet of rock and sand.

Naruto, even in his Kyuubi enhanced state, was stunned by the power of the attack. It had pierced through the entire ship, and likely even more than that. He growled as the chakra from his clone returned, making the second tail sprout once more. He then hissed again, feeling his body begin to weaken. The demon's chakra was taking its toll, he knew.

Blood drove his boot hard into Naruto's stomach, but at the last second, stopped his kick, dropped his leg, and pivoted around, bringing his sword directly into Naruto's head.

Only to encounter resistance in the form of Naruto's spectral fox teeth.

Blood's eyes widened in surprise, as he stared into Naruto's grinning face, when he felt an influx of wind beginning to form near him. He looked down, and spotted a glowing, swirling mass of chakra in the blonde's hand. He remembered it in his vision of Scool's fight, and knew it was deadly.

He lashed out with his free hand, and grabbed the hand that held the swirling ball of death. Naruto growled, and tried to thrust it forwards, but found that even with the demon's enhanced strength, he didn't match up to Blood's own. With that same monstrous strength, Blood ripped his blade from the fox's teeth, and punched Naruto in the face, driving him backwards.

As he did that, he drew the remaining blade from his belt, and roared; he thrust both blades together, so that they were parallel with each other, and in a second fluid motion, he thrust them forwards with all of his strength.

Just as Naruto appeared, and drove both his Oodama Rasengan, and a second hand, glowing with the power of the Tsuchidageki (Earth Shock). The blonde shouted no words of attack, and the combined attack literally ejected the Rasengan from Naruto's grip, grinding deep into Blood's chest. The force from the attack blasted Blood through the other part of the ship, and past the boardwalk into the streets above. He finally came to rest, only a single street above the boardwalk, upon smashing into an old wooden building; it was obliterated, however, by the chakra winds that had carried him there.

But at the same time, the two blades struck Naruto in the chest, piercing straight through in the span of a second. The accompanying wind did not rip Naruto apart, but dispelled the fox-like aura from around him. The force transferred into him, however, threw him across the entire length of the ship, splitting it completely in two. There was an explosion of wood and debris, and Naruto then smashed into the water, skipping across it and finally coming to a stop when he had reached the mouth of the bay.

All at once, silence reigned. It was as if the earth had suddenly stopped, upon the climax of this fight between two men with dreams that were beyond the scope of everyone else's.

Every creature: troll, gnoll, human, goblin, and even raptor heard the tremendous explosion, and many of them saw it as well. They had stopped their fighting, to gaze in shock, wonder, and even despair at the scene.

Vol'jin, standing at the end of the boardwalk, with a stunned Kira and a wounded Gen'rash, stared at the spectacle, his eyes calmly staring towards Naruto's distant form in the water. It had been a long time since he had seen such a fight. It had been spectacular, as well. He felt no loss of pride in thinking that he had placed his faith in that boy. The boy had been right.

It seems he would have to reevaluate his opinion of humans altogether.

Gen'rash, having almost completely regenerated his arm, stared wide-eyed at the effects of the battle. It was good that he had made a friend out of the blonde, he decided, for he didn't want to get on his bad side, after seeing that.

Kira, with Kylia's unconscious form laying its head in her lap, could not help but be amazed at her new blonde friend. Kylia had been right. Naruto had been able to take care of himself, and she could not help but feel that her dream was that much closer to being accomplished.

But, Vol'jin saw that the battle was not over.

Because both were still standing.

Blood stood at on the boardwalk, just in front of the ruined hole where he had smashed through, staring out into the water, into Naruto's clouded, now blue eyes. The wound on Naruto's chest was so tremendous that one could see out the other side. It was directly to the right, so it had thankfully missed his spine, but nonetheless it had done so much damage that the Kyuubi would need a lot of time in order to heal it.

But, the wound on Blood's chest was far worse. It seemed inhuman that he could even stand, with the entire front of his chest having been torn apart, and almost all of the bones in his body injured in some way thanks to the Earth Shock. His face was as stony as before. He would not die, he knew, for he still had a dream to accomplish.

But then, something happened. He felt a pull, and then a vision, given to him by his True-Seeing eye, was upon him.

He saw many battles, where hundreds died, where dreams were made and lost, love was found and revenge was settled. He then saw a figure, his features and body obscured, with golden blonde hair, and eyes of blue fire. He was standing in front of a massive castle, and at the same time, a large tower, both as regal as he.

Then he caught sight of something else.

It was a marking, no, a scar, upon the man's chest. It was illuminated for him to see, for all to see.

And at once he knew.

He laughed, ignoring the fact that laughing for him should have been almost impossible.

He had done it.

He fell backwards, onto the soft dirt of the ruined street.

He was smiling, even as the last of his tremendous vitality left him.

He had accomplished his dream. In a way, he felt it proper.

He had become immortalized, as the villains of old had, in their defeat by a hero.

But he was glad that it had been this hero, who now lay unconscious, sinking into the water, as several trolls swam to gather him up, and quickly attend to his wounds.

Yes… this hero… Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

OH YEEEAAAAAH! 

THAT WAS FUCKING AWESOME!

(pardon my French).

Was that the greatest chapter ever or what? That was probably the most fun I've ever had writing a chapter ever. Those last few lines…my blood is still pumping!

I hope you guys are dazzled by this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. If not, then that doesn't matter, 'cause I still loved it!

But it gets me thinking…the characters of this chapter had their way with me…repeatedly…

I mean, I had no idea the fights with Shanker would turn out to be so…gruesome! And Kylia's abilities just sort of popped out of nowhere. I enjoyed the character development for Kira, though, and mark my words- this will be a big point for her, and she will learn a lot from it. She and Kylia both will.

But…geezus! Shanker turning out to be so monstrous was completely unexpected on my part! He just…turned twisted by the end, especially when he bit off, and ate, Kylia's ear. He isn't really a cannibal, mind you, but he is definitely hardened warrior. What he did was a fear tactic. If someone bit off your ear, and you were a young girl, even as cool as Kylia, I doubt you'd react any other way than she did.

And then there is Gerethas… I didn't even know he existed until Gen'rash's fight with him. He and his face and his retarded personality and his wicked awesome abilities just popped, fully formed, into my mind the second I began writing Gen'rash's fight section. I personally hate his personality, and find it a bit too cliché, but I love his abilities.

Don't even get me started about Blood.

He is, in my opinion, the greatest original villain that I have ever thought up. His mannerisms, and abilities, and character are just all so cool! I'll admit, I based his appearance and sword skills on Wrath from Fullmetal Alchemist (manga), but his dream was pretty original for me. He is the strongest pirate out there, due to his sword skills and gun skills and stamina and strength…and I love pirates.

His True-Seeing eye, in an effort to differentiate it from the Sharingan, Byakugan, and the Ultimate Eye (which Wrath uses, and analyzes, apparently all the possible outcomes of a single situation), I made it sort of a combination. It can see through walls, but instead of analyzing the outcomes of a situation, it simply identifies where the weakest points on the body are. These constantly change with a person's movement, and it in no way slows things down. Therefore, Blood had to be that skilled in order to attack and keep up with the eye's power. The future-seeing part of it was somewhat appropriate, since I had planned on that happening since I created his character. After all, he would need some advantage to conquer a strategist like Vol'jin.

Wow…just wow.

Next week, the end of the Troll arc, and the beginning of the end of the Orc Arc. Then comes…you guessed it…THE UNDEAD ARC! WEE!

Okay, that was a lot of excitement.

Take a chill pill, General.

Eh, I'm too lazy to count the polls now, so I'll do it next time, giving you guys more time to vote (I've had too much fun with this chapter!)

Oh…forgot to mention it.

Here's an omake, written by my good friend MuhiTatsu, who wrote the uproariously funny, and incredibly creepy, Kaine x Hinata omake way back when.

It's a little thing that makes fun of Sasuke-lite, or rather Sai, whom I hate almost as much as Sasuke.

Ooohh! He betrays the Leaf, didn't see that one coming! Kishimoto-sensei, it would be wise if you didn't create any more androgynous characters…Haku, Deidara, and Sai are quite enough, thank you.

Alright, here it is!

* * *

Omake by MuhiTatsu- 

(_A man walks into a dark stage, a spotlight trailing his movements. He stops and looks into what is presumably the audience. He has short white hair worn down, and wears a leather jacket as well as blue Warcraft-esque pants with sandals as well. Six Thorium daggers are inserted into a belt on his waist, three on each side, as well as a short sword made of Mythril. A staff made of ebony is on his back and he wears tinted glasses. The man clears his throat.)_

Man: You all are probably wondering what I, Tatsu, am doing in a story that is not mine, nor in which I appear.

Tatsu: Well, considering that most of we Naruto fans at the moment seem to enjoy the General's story, Legend of Uzumaki Naruto, more than the actual Naruto series, I thought I would give the readers a treat considering we now know that that gay prick Sai is actually a villain.

(_Tatsu presses a button on a remote he pulls out of nowhere, and Sai, his wrists tied to the ceiling and hanging, is lowered to Tatsu's position.)_

Tatsu: Now dear readers, I'll be taking suggestions on what to do to our 'dear friend' Sai. We'll start by asking Sai what he wants. If it's not something fun, or what the readers would like, I'll just ignore it and come up with something interesting. Now Sai-kun, on which body part would you like me to start?

Sai: Boy Danzou-sama was right, torturers might not have 'things'. (If you've seen the manga, you know the 'thing' Sai is referring to. But I can't seeing as how it might get this part and the General's stories banned, and we don't want that.)

Tatsu: Sorry girly-boy, wrong answer. However, we might as well settle something that has now doubt been on the minds of our readers and even just the Manga readers.

_(Tatsu takes one of his daggers and carefully rips nearly all of Sai's clothing off, save underwear. Exposed are two small, but nevertheless real female breasts. Tatsu then pulls Sai's underwear out and grimacing, looks inside.)_

Tatsu: Well, looks as though he actually DOES have something there. I hope this settles some debates. We're nearly out of time, but for now, the General will give me a suggestion about what we can do with our little friend; and I do mean little!

(_Grievous hands Tatsu a note. Tatsu takes two seconds to read the short note and starts to smile sadistically.)_

Tatsu: Hey Droid troops, I need some of the clear sticky stuff!

Random Droid troop number 1: Roger Roger!

Tatsu: While Droid 1 gets what I need, be sure to tune in next time to Sai's fitting punishment, handled by Muhi Tatsu and General Grievous! Remember, send us suggestions, and you're method of punishment might make it in! And remember, when in doubt, 'Sai deserves this!'

Droid 1: Here's the duct tape you requested sir.

Tatsu: Thank you trooper. Now Mr. Sai, you will tell me the location of the ANBU ROOTS ba-

No screw it, I'm putting the duck tape on you.

_(A few seconds pass, and as the show fades to black you hear a distinct high pitched shrieking noise.)_

* * *

Send in the votes for the above omake too! What shall Sai be tortured with? Who knows? You decide! 

There you go! Now, finally, reviewer mail!

**The Forgotten Lord- **Kyuubi can't beat Kil'jaeden? Where did that come from? I haven't even featured Kil'jaeden, although he will appear near the end, I imagine. And who says he can't beat Kyuubi? They are both demon lords…even though I do confess that Kil'jaeden would be more of trickster fighter, and less of an animalistic monster. So you're probably right. But wait until I actually show Kil'jaeden in the story before you say he isn't as strong as Kyuubi! As for not killing Blood…no can do. He was slated to die in this chapter, and always has been. His death is necessary, I think, for Naruto to grow up a bit more, and besides…he already accomplished his dream.

**Darksentinant- **Eh? Too much potential to get crappy? How? Isn't that the same with just about every fic? And I have been reading the manga, I know what happens to Naruto when he gets angry. You won't like him when he's very angry. In this though, the Kyuubi gave him the chakra, but let him keep his mind. For what reason, who knows? He's a demon, who does he have to answer to?

**Das Leech- **You, my friend, just gave me the perfect opening for the next chapter. I wonder what Naruto will say when he wakes up to find a near-topless troll female attending to his wounds?

Well, that's everything! Until next time, enjoy the total awesomeness of this chapter! (Or don't, if that suits you!)

General Grievous

**Spellbook-**

**Mind Flay- **Causes tremendous pain in a person's mind. Can shatter minds, with this pain.

**Hex of Weakness-** Weakens a person's body, making it very difficult to support their own weight without breaking bones.

**Shadow-Walk- **Allows the user, using the techniques of the shadow style, to meld with shadows in an almost Night Elvish way. Much more effective, however, and can be used to transport people over short distances.

**Hex of Darkness and Silence- **Renders a person blind and deaf.

**Shadow Word: Death-** A tremendously evil attack- destroys a person utterly, draining them of life force. It is said that it gives a person a vision of where they go when they die. It displays a marking, each time it is used, to show the stain it creates on a person's soul.

**Naruto Aroo Rendan- **Launches clones towards opponent, their bodies hardened with the Kongou, and their speed enhanced with Air-grasping.

**Bestiary-**

**Tobias "Shanker" Guthrie (**Humanoid**)(Elite)- **Perhaps the most terrible pirate to have ever existed, Shanker is the physical embodiment of all the cruelty that men can possess. He is unfeeling towards others, even going so far as to eat his own parrot, and kill his own crewmates. His body, at the end, with flaming red hair, blood filled eyes and a blood beard, coupled with his bloody shirt and coat, and on his back (which is never shown) a skull bearing the Bloodsail Buccaneers' flag. This symbolizes no quarter given, as he certainly gives no quarter in his fights. Ruthless and using whatever means to defeat his opponents, he is truly a monster in human form. His hook can rend the flesh of almost everything living thing, the chain as well. Is almost immune to curses (this is unknown) and has a pain threshold through the roof. It is clear why he is the first mate.

**Gerethas Sunseer (**Humanoid)(**Elite)- **Crafty, intelligent, and sadistic, the High Elf Gerethas Sunseer is an insane alchemist/doctor/quartermaster for Blood's crew. He is therefore one of the most important members, and so Blood gives him free reign with almost everything he does. Uses a variety of potions in his fights, as he has no physical ability whatsoever. His personality is brutally insane, and he almost never seems to get angry or stop smiling.

**Captain Thaddeus Blood (**Humanoid) **(Boss)- **Thaddeus Blood is quite possibly the strongest pirate in the world. Possessing sword skills that seem to defy reality, stamina and strength that aren't human, and an eye that can see the weaknesses of his opponent, as well as the future, make him a tremendously deadly opponent. He is even more dangerous due to his relentless pursuit of his dream- to become a legend in the eyes of the world, like the villains of stories that he read as a child. In the end, it is only because he believes his dream is accomplished that he seems to die. He not truly evil, however. He treats women with respect and courtesy, and is heavily admired by his crew. He dislikes some of them, of course, namely Scool and Gerethas for their personalities, though he seems to like Shanker, despite that man's cruelty. He acknowledges the strength of his opponents, and almost never underestimates them. He is a true warrior, and honors his opponents by telling them that he will immortalize them by killing them. It is unknown why he let Vol'jin and his people live- perhaps it is because he saw the battle at Booty Bay, and wanted to prove to the world that he could conquer everything. In the end, even though he dies, he dies happy, his dream having been accomplished.


	32. At the risk of sounding perverted: Boobs

**Disclaimer: Ladies and Gentlemen. You have heard it hear first…Ninjas are the winners…the pirates have lost. The age-old debate of who would win in a fight, a pirate or a ninja, has been settled. It is the end of an era…AT LEAST UNTIL NEXT TIME! HAHAHAHAH THE PIRATES WILL NEVER DIE!**

**I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft…though if I did…the pirates would be cooler and more frequent, to balance out the large smattering of ninjas. They are yin and yang.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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Darkness…

That was all Naruto could see. It was like being trapped inside a pitch-black room with a blindfold on. Nothing floated before him in the gloom, no visions, memories, faces…it was all just dark. He couldn't move, either, nor did he hear anything, at first. For someone who is used to moving around, to being in the light, that isn't a pleasant experience. Fear began to well up inside his hazy, feverish mind. Was he awake, or was this just a dream?

The gradually, his senses returned.

First, the darkness began to disappear, replaced with a distant light, filling the corners of his peripheral vision. Then, rapidly, his other senses returned. He could smell the smells of the jungle, so close, but the sounds of the jungle still sounded so far away. Then came feeling.

Naruto wished that particular sense would disappear almost immediately after it returned. He felt a coarse, itchy bedspread beneath him, and a similarly textured blanket draped over him. It was hot, and Naruto found that he had been sweating buckets long before he had regained feeling in his body. It was an almost suffocating heat, too, heavy with moisture and with every breath, it felt like he was inhaling water more than air.

And then there was the pain.

It was fading, he knew, but the pain was still very much there. It centered in his chest, and then spread to his arms and legs, almost like a poison would. But it was not an overpowering pain, which led Naruto to believe that either the Kyuubi had done his best to relieve him of it, or whoever was taking care of him had as well. He didn't want to think how painful it would have been before it had faded somewhat.

By this time, the sounds had completely returned. He heard distant voices, the soft patter of padded feet on the ground, and many sounds associated with cooking and food preparation. He thought at first that the voices were just too far away to hear, but soon realized that they were simply speaking in a language that he had heard several times before, but still never understood.

Trollish.

Having answered the question of who was taking care of him, Naruto worked on opening his eyes. It was tremendously bright, so several times he found himself having to shut them tightly again, before reattempting to open them. He did this for a while, and gradually, the light began to fade, and his vision began to clear. It was around that time that he spotted a figure looming above him. At first, he could not make them out, but as his eyes began to focus, his attention was drawn to the two foremost objects that had entered his vision.

These two objects, being large, round, a light green color, with two dark red spots on the front of each, alerted Naruto's rapidly clearing mind that these objects were things that men would not be able to see unless they were in very specific circumstances. In his life, he had seen very few of these, and even fewer of them not by accident or that weren't in some sort of book that he flipped through on occasion in his youth, in researching for the legendary technique that he was now famous for.

Sexy no jutsu.

In fact, even though he saw them every time he used that particular technique, he was rather used to seeing his "own" and upon sighting another's he found himself in a state not unlike that of Jiraiya doing research.

Goggling stupidly, that is.

The owner of said objects' face soon came into view. She was tall, had the same light green skin that her "friends" did, with blood-red hair, green eyes, and two small tusks, barely an inch long, on either side of her face.

"Oh?" the female troll said, leaning down at him, her "pets" jiggling delightfully from the movement. "Ye be awake. Dat's good, it be almost tree days since I got ye, an' I be wonderin' if ye never be wakin' up."

She leaned closer, placing a hand on Naruto's chest, and felt around, as if looking for something; causing a spike of pain that went unnoticed by the blonde. His attention was far more fixated on the "twins" that were getting nearer to him every second. She then lifted her hand from his chest, and placed it on his forehead, leaning so close that Naruto's face was mere inches away from them.

That did it.

The darkness enveloped Naruto once more, and he was bereft of sense again, as fountain of blood streamed from his nose, ejected him harder into the itchy bedspread that he lay on.

* * *

" I don' be understandin' it! Are ye sure dat boy did all dat ye be sayin'?" a voice sounded from a distance when Naruto next awoke. It was darker by this time, and so Naruto found that it was easier to open his eyes. His mind, however, was still hazy, and he had yet to remember why he had fallen back asleep. 

Another voice, which he instantly recognized as Vol'jin's, drifted from outside the tent he found himself in.

"I be sure. De reason why de boy pass out again be, as de girl told me, because ye not have ye shirt on."

"I be needin' a shirt? I never be wearin' a shirt in my own village! Why I be needin' to speak in Orcish, too? An' why de boy react like that, he be allergic to bre––"

"De girl be sayin' dat it because he not used ta seein' dem. Put on a shirt, den attend to de boy again. An' ye be needing ta speak Orcish because ye all need ta be practicin'."

"I don' understand 'umans…" the female's voice sounded, before it drifted away, melding with the other sounds of the village.

The tent flap opened, and Vol'jin entered. His eyes fell on Naruto, who was staring at him, with rapidly blinking blue eyes.

"Ah," he said, moving towards the bed. "Ye be awake."

Naruto's mind was still trying to process the conversation that had just taken place, but he put it out of his mind, for the time being, to speak with the troll chieftain.

"Yeah…how long was I…?" Naruto asked, peering at him, as he attempted to sit up. As he did, he saw that his chest was completely covered in bandages. They were made of a very light, soft material, almost like smooth skin. He was surprised that he hadn't noticed them before.

"Tree days," Vol'jin responded. "Ye be wakin' up a little earlier dis afternoon, but ye passed out from loss o' blood."

Naruto's face turned a spectacular shade of embarrassed crimson, and he rubbed the back of his head, not looking at Vol'jin. The troll leader smirked a little, and said, "Ye be givin' her quite de scare. Ye friend, Kira, be sayin' dat most 'umans at ye age not be seein' womanly parts such as dose. We be seein' dem all de time, for our women not be as shy as de other women of dis world."

Naruto only nodded, not trusting himself to answer. '_If Jiraiya were here…' _the boy thought, '_he'd never leave.'_

The more perverted side of him, of course, would have liked to join the perverted hermit in that area. He quickly squashed that thought, and he looked back at Vol'jin asking, "What happened? Did you guys win…? Where's Kira and Kylia? Are they hurt?"

Vol'jin's smile faded, and he sighed a little. "We be winnin', but a great cost. We be losin' many of our men, and several of de women, as well. Booty Bay be in ruins, and de goblins of de Steamwheedle Cartel, who just be figuring out what be happenin' here, be furious. De Bloodsail Buccaneers be sendin' dere own men to other ports, be posin' as members of de Cartel, and so dey not have any idea of what be happenin' here. De good news be dat dey be acceptin' our help, and de also be very grateful for what we be doin'.

"As for de two girls, dey be in another tent. Dey both be alive an' well, and be wakin' up many days before ye. De girl, Kira, be helpin' out de women attend to de duties of dis village, while de other still rests. De Kira girl be worryin' much about ye, she gonna' be pleased dat you awake."

Naruto nodded, feeling slightly better. They were safe, then. He smiled softly, one of his fears laid to rest.

Then, he voiced another, his eyes solemn. "What happened…to that guy…Blood?"

Vol'jin's eyes grew distant, and he said quietly. "He be dead. He be dyin' after dat last attack. His crew be givin' up, and fleein' after seein' him dead. Den…his body…"

Naruto cocked his head to the side, waiting impatiently.

"His body…be swallowed up by de sea."

**Flashback**

_Vol'jin stared down calmly at the ruined body of Captain Thaddeus Blood, who lay before the dock in Booty Bay, upon the soft earth. There was a contented smile on his face, and his eyes were closed. The massive wound in his chest had almost exhausted his body of blood, which had soaked into the ground beneath him._

_Vol'jin couldn't help but admire him. Though he hated the human with everything he had, very few found contentment in death, and even fewer in a death like that. Whatever the boy had said to him, and whatever he had done, had allowed Blood peace in death. _

_For a man with such worldly ambitions, that was a strange thing._

_Then, something strange happened._

_The soft earth began to give way, and it slowly began to fall away, splashing into the sea. The stone wall that had kept the earth from spilling into the sea in the first place and been destroyed by Blood's entry force, and more likely than not, the blood that had been soaked up by the ground had made it loose and wet. Nevertheless, Blood's body began to slide with it, and for a brief second, Vol'jin almost thought he saw the man's smile get wider, before he disappeared into the cloudy depths of the ocean._

_In their search for Naruto's sword, later, they would find no trace of a body. The sea had swallowed him whole._

**End Flashback**

Naruto couldn't say he was surprised. That man had possessed a tremendous amount of power and skill, and in death, it only seemed fitting that he would be returned to the thing that had taught him to wield that power, and to increase that skill. And his will…he had had the power to complete his dream…Naruto knew that. Maybe he himself had the Kyuubi, and that gave him tremendous power, but the drive that man had…if he had wanted to, he could have conquered the world.

Naruto knew this, because Blood's drive, his spirit, his willpower, had all been exactly like Naruto's. Naruto would never die or give up, until he had made his dream a reality.

"He accomplished his dream…" Naruto whispered, more to himself than to Vol'jin.

The troll raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How?"

"Because…" the blonde shinobi stated, meeting Vol'jin's green eyes. "He would have never given up, if he hadn't. He would have found some way to survive, and continue his dream. Because that's what I would have done, too."

Vol'jin gazed at the boy in appraisal, thinking, '_That is a very naïve view…and yet, I think the boy speaks the truth. That man's ambition, and his spirit, were praiseworthy indeed.'_

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted, when a familiar, female troll, dressed in a leather bikini top to cover her "melons". She spared a look at Naruto, who quickly looked away, blushing hotly.

"He be awake den," she stated, calmly, raising an eyebrow at Vol'jin.

"Aye, he be needin' food, I imagine," the troll chieftain replied. He then turned to Naruto and said, "Dis be Ai'lara. She be a good healer and potion brewer. She also be my mate, da daughter of de former Bloodscalp chieftain."

Naruto's eyes grew even wider, and he almost felt the need to pass out again. Vol'jin grinned crookedly at the boy's reaction, while Ai'lara rolled her eyes.

Vol'jin stood to go, before he stopped, and his eyes turned towards him once more. "I be forgettin' somethin'."

He knelt down in front of Naruto, and ordered him to hold his hand out. The blonde did so, confused. His confusion became shock when Vol'jin held his own hand up, and sliced it on one of his long tusks. He grabbed Naruto's hand with his other, and before Naruto could stop him, he sliced it on the other, causing blood to flow steadily out.

He then grasped Naruto's wounded hand with his own similarly wounded one, and stared calmly into Naruto's eyes.

"We be brothers in blood, now. Ye have helped me people in ways dat you don't understand. I can tink of no honor dat is greater dan dis, and I be happy to have you as my blood brother. You be strong, and have a spirit greater dan any I have seen before. You be de first 'uman dat I can truly trust, an' now you are my brother, so you are troll, as well as 'uman, as I am now both human and troll, too."

He then released Naruto's grip, and left the tent, passing by the stunned form of Ai'lara.

Naruto was equally shocked. The wound was quickly healing, thanks to the Kyuubi, but he found that he didn't want it to. There would be no scar, he knew, and he would have liked something to remember it by.

Tears then began to flow, he didn't notice them at first, but when he did, he didn't wipe them away. It was one of the first times that he had cried since he became a ninja…and this time, it was for joy. He now had a brother…it sounded absurd to him, especially since his brother was troll, but he found he liked it nonetheless.

Ai'lara looked after her lover, before shaking her head in disbelief.

"You be very lucky. I didn't tink dat he'd ever be bestowin' an honor like dat on anyone, much less a 'uman. I wouldn't be dwellin' on why, for he always be like dat. He be valuin' oaths and promises more dan any other ting in da world. You be promisin' to free his people, and ye did, so dis be your reward. Ye be a very interestin' person, Nar'uto."

Naruto blinked, and wiped his tears away. Ai'lara had already disappeared, presumably to retrieve something to eat for the blonde.

He blinked again, and said to no one in particular, "Did she just call me Nar'uto?"

Shaking his head in wonder, he began to touch the bandages on his chest. Underneath, the pain was almost gone, and there was no sign of blood. So, he carefully began to unravel them, letting them form a pile next to him as he did. As they disappeared, he caught sight of something he had never seen before in his life on his body.

A scar.

It was a large scar, as well, almost as big as one of his hands with the fingers extended. There were large, root-like extensions from it, so that it covered a large part of his chest. He touched it, and found the pain already beginning to completely vanish. But he wondered something.

'_Oi, fox, how come you didn't heal this one? You healed Sasuke's Chidori through the lung, so why would this be any different?'_

'**THIS IS NOT A WOUND THAT CAN BE HEALED IN THAT WAY. IT ISN'T SOMETHING YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. THAT SCAR WILL REMAIN WITH YOU FOREVER, I THINK.'**

'_Forever…?'_ he thought. He touched the scar again. Maybe…was this…?

'Why _would that have fulfilled his dream_?' he wondered.

* * *

A little ways away from the tent that Naruto was staying in, there was another, somewhat larger one. Within, it was relatively dark, as the only light source came from the two torches that stood on either side of the entrance. The occupant of the room, however, preferred the darkness. 

Kylia had curled herself up into a ball and was on her side, the right side of her head pushed as deeply as possible into the itchy, smelly pillow. She made no sound, and was not asleep. She was simply staring towards the back of tent, her face as blank as possible.

She wanted, in all honesty, to drop off the face of the earth. She didn't care how, either. Anything, in her mind, was better than this shame.

Shame…

She fought back tears, and pulled the heavy blanket up closer to her, ignoring the pungent, unpleasant smell it brought. She would never be able to face Kira again. She had done her best to pretend to be asleep for the past few days whenever Kira was in the tent, and so had not yet spoken to her.

For she had nothing to say, what she had done was so shameful and terrible that she wanted to do nothing but die. It would have suited her. She had not been able to protect her mistress. She had failed, and had almost, because of her disgusting weakness, been responsible for Kira's death at the hands of that monster…Shanker. She didn't know exactly what had happened; only that Kira had done the final deed and killed the awful pirate.

Now she would bear the mark of the shame for the rest of her life.

She didn't deserve to be Kira's friend. She was weak, pathetic, and it was because of her that Kira had to commit that terrible act, that Kira had to sacrifice her innocence because Kylia herself had not had the power to protect the wayward princess.

She just wanted to stay like this. Naruto would take care of Kira, she knew. She didn't deserve to be anywhere near the girl.

So wrapped up was she in her sorrows, she did not hear Kira's entrance.

The Princess of Stormwind walked into the dark tent, her eyes filling with concern when she caught sight of Kylia's curled form. She had not yet been able to speak with her handmaiden, and for the past few days, had been waiting for a chance to speak with both her and Naruto. Naruto had only awoken a little earlier that day, before promptly returning to the lands of nod due to the sheer audacity the troll women had.

In all honesty, she had never once seen so many breasts in her life. Not even when she had Kylia had accidentally walked into the baths when a visiting troop of all female acrobats had come to Stormwind several years ago. She had demanded to Vol'jin (or at least asked politely, as Vol'jin didn't look like the type of person to demand anything of) that they put something on, because if they didn't Naruto would likely die of anemia before he was able to recover.

From what she had seen, they had done so, almost grudgingly.

'_I'm sure Naruto's perverted teacher…what was his name? Jarya? I'd bet he'd love it here,' _she thought sarcastically.

Upon seeing Kylia, however, all thoughts of sarcasm disappeared, replaced by fierce concern. She steeled herself. Sleeping or not, she would take to Kylia. Walking, at first confidently, which soon gave way to nervousness. What could she say? She had just stood there while Kylia, her best friend in the world, had done her best to defend her. She'd even lost an ear to that monster, all in the name of protecting Kira.

How could she face Kylia, when she had been so weak; petrified in the heat of battle, while her friend was almost killed by a deranged, half-dead pirate.

In the back of her mind, she knew she was being foolish, but she was new to this sort of thing. From what she had seen, Kylia was experienced in fighting, far more so than Kira. Because Kira had failed to give her the proper support, Kylia had lost an ear, and had almost died. It was because of Kira's incompetence, her weakness that Kylia had ended up like that. She feared, somehow, that she had lost the girl's respect.

Why else would the girl clearly avoid talking to her, by faking sleep?

Before she had seen Kylia fight in a true battle, she would have laughed at the worries she now held. But after seeing Kylia being so amazing in battle, she had to wonder if the fighting spirit in her handmaiden didn't blame her for the girl's disfigurement.

She unconsciously clenched her fists, covering the two deep black, almost void-like, markings on her hands. And how could she face her friend after committing such a terrible act? She had stained her soul, willingly, in order to destroy that man.

But that was not the crux of her worries in that area. No, it was her reasons for doing it.

'_She will not look down on you for what you did,'_ one part of her mind told her. '_You did all you could to save her.'_

'_But,'_ another part chimed in, '_did you do what you did out of fear of not being able to achieve your dreams, or out of fear of her death? Did you do all that for her, or for yourself?'_

The most terrifying part was that she had no idea. She wanted to say that she had done it only for Kylia, but she knew, somehow, that was untrue. Had it been both? Had it been one or the other? She didn't know; she could not re-conjure the feeling of rage that had gripped her back then, no matter how hard she tried. Part of her felt that to be relieving, but another found it frustrating.

Yet…regardless of her thoughts, she needed to speak to Kylia. She needed to tell the girl her feelings, and she hoped that Kylia would listen.

"Ky'?" she asked, sitting down on the bed next to Kylia's, so that the unmoving girl was facing her. "Are you still asleep?"

She waited, but Kylia did not move. She sighed, almost getting up to go, but grit her teeth, and remained in her seat.

"Can we talk…? Please?" she asked, softly. She didn't know if Kylia had heard her, but to her surprise, the girl's soft blue eyes opened, and stared into hers. They were filled with a tremendous amount of emotion, almost so much that to display it on her face would likely cause injury.

The girl did not move, but said quietly, "You may ask me anything, mistress." Despite the emotion in her eyes, Kylia's voice was a dull monotone. It was obvious that she didn't want to talk. But it was not for the reasons Kira thought.

"I'm sorry," said Kira, instantly. "I'm sorry I was so weak, Ky'. I just watched while you were hurt…I could have done something, but I didn't. It was because of me that you lost your ear. Then I committed that horrible act…and I don't think it was even for the right reasons…. It won't happen again, Ky', I promise you!"

Tears were leaking from Kira's eyes, and she fought to keep them focused on Kylia's own, which were now wide with shock.

"Mistress…? You don't have anything t-to be sorry about! It was I who was weak! If I had been stronger, I would have been able to protect you! I would have spared you from having to kill that man! I would have…." She fell silent.

Kira stared at her, startled for a second. "Then, you aren't…?" she began to say, before becoming silent once more. Then, suddenly, she laughed.

Kylia blinked in bewilderment, watching as Kira continued to laugh, not loudly, but genuinely. It was not a cruel, spiteful laugh, but one of absurd joy.

"I've been worrying myself for three days whether or not you blamed me for what happened…and you've been in hear worrying yourself over how you didn't protect me…what a pair we are…" Kira muttered, after he laughter had died down.

Kylia finally sat up, but kept her head ducked. There was a large bandage across where he ear had once been, which was more for keeping the wound out of sight than for medicinal purposes. It had long since been healed. She smiled softly.

"Mistress…I am sorry, truly for my weakness…I promise that in the future…It won't happen. I will always protect you."

Kira smiled at her kindly, "It's okay…you can't protect me forever, Ky'. I need to learn how to protect myself, too."

She held up her hands, staring at the markings on her palms. Kylia stared at them curiously.

"These are my marks of shame, Ky'… I'll have them forever…to remind me what happened. They will remind me of my failure to help you…and the loss of something that I knew I could not hold onto forever. I will learn from these marks…and I will become stronger, so that if anything important to me is threatened again, I will know what to do."

Kylia stared at her mistress silently, before she reached up, and with a series of winces, began to rip away the bandages covering her ear. Underneath, there was a small hole with scarred flesh surrounding it. When she had finished tearing off the bandages, she looked determinedly into Kira's eyes.

"Then this is m-my mark of shame, mistress. It will remind me of the time that I failed to protect you…. I will not allow it happen again, and this will help give me the d-drive to do so."

Kira smiled tearfully, as did Kylia, and it was not long before the two girls had embraced, smiling teary smiles and both laughing slightly.

The two embraced for a while longer, before the both of them got into their beds. Both were still smiling, as they fell asleep, and their hearts were at relative peace once more.

Kira now knew what she had done was right. She was no longer innocent, she knew, but her shame had been quelled for the moment. She still had to face Naruto's reaction, and for some reason, she feared it as much as she had feared Kylia's.

* * *

"Naruto! You're awake!" 

Naruto turned, in the middle of picking at the weird, greenish mush in front of him to see Kira standing in the entrance of the tent, smiling. The girl was dressed far more decently (both to his relief and disappointment) than the trolls were, in a leather skirt and a decent top that covered her unmentionables and kept ones interest from being too aroused (sexual innuendo abound). Quickly following her was the demure, Hinata-like girl, Kylia.

"Hey Kira!" he said, happy to see her. While he was almost completely recovered, he had yet to venture from the tent, most for fear that a chance encounter with a topless troll woman would send him right back in.

"Hey Naruto!" she said, smiling. She walked over to his bed, Kylia following quickly. "So how've you been?"

He grinned, and held up the greenish mush that before he had been trying to eat. "As good as I can with this stuff to eat."

She giggled, and sat down on the bed next to Naruto's. Then she stopped smiling.

"Naruto…can you tell me what happened…with Blood?" she asked.

Naruto blinked, his smile fading as well. He nodded, setting the bowl of greenish sludge on the table next to his bed. Then he began, his voice, not entirely passionate, but not monotonous; it only took him a little while, and he did his best to make it as true and unexaggerated as possible. It wouldn't do the pirate captain justice any other way.

"Oh," the girl responded when he had finished, her eyes wide. "I guess it's sort of fitting…he wanted to be a legend. For some reason, I think he has become one."

Naruto tilted his head in question. "Huh? Why?" he asked, curious about her answer.

She shook her head, giving a shrug. "I don't know…honestly. It just makes me think…none of us will ever forget what happened here. It brought so many changes to all of us, and I think, in that respect, he has become a legend that will live on, perhaps even past our deaths. I don't think the trolls will forget him either. That's what he wanted; at least, in part."

Naruto nodded in agreement, having reached the same conclusion a little while earlier.

Then Kira asked, tilting her head to the side, "Did Vol'jin really make you his blood brother?"

Naruto nodded, grinning proudly. "Yep! Isn't that cool! I've never had a brother before, even if he is a completely different species, and way older than me. It's so cool…" he said, looking at his palm where the bloods had joined.

Kira smiled happily at him. "It is really cool…I'm glad you are so happy."

They lapsed into silence, which was neither awkward nor companionable.

Then, "What happened to you two? I know you guys fought, but I don't know what happened…"

Kira swallowed, and turned to look at Kylia, who shared her indecision. But, seeing as how Naruto had told them the truth, she figured she should tell him the same.

When her story was finished, every gory detail, told as best she could, Naruto was gaping at her. At first, she was afraid that the shock would turn to disgust, and she almost felt like running; but then, when the shock melted away, there was only a bright, proud grin on the boy's face.

"You guys were awesome! That's so cool, storing poisonous knives in your skin! Hahaha! I gotta tell Kakashi-sensei about that! And that you were great, Kira-chan! You defeated the bastard that took me out the first time!"

He almost had a heart attack when he saw that Kira had tears in her eyes.

"You…don't care? I committed that terrible act…and I was so weak…" she whispered, trying to hold back the tears. She clenched her fists tightly, as if they were suddenly going to fly open and reveal the marks for all to see. Naruto knew about them now, but she felt, somehow, that it would be different if he saw them.

Naruto floundered, and began to quickly explain, hoping to whatever god existed that he could explain clearly, so that the tears didn't fall.

He hated making girls cry.

He abruptly grabbed her hands, and they went slack. She almost pulled away, but saw that Naruto had a reassuring smile on his face.

"You weren't weak! I froze up in my first battle too! But all that counts is that you got out of there alive, and what terrible act? That guy…deserved whatever he got. If I had gotten to him…I don't think I would have done much else than tear him limb from limb. He hurt you, and gave Kylia-chan a nasty wound like that. I hate it when my friends get hurt…but you handled it all on your own! You're very strong, Kira-chan, and I don't think you'll make those mistakes again. And these marks," he said, pointing at Kira's open palms, "Who cares about them? I mean I sort of have one too."

He pointed to his stomach, and gathered a bit of chakra. From nowhere, black lines appeared, forming the Shiki Fujin seal that held the Kyuubi at bay.

"See?" he said, grinning at her. "We all have marks of shame…for different reasons, yeah, but you can't expect everyone to look down on your for doing what you needed to do, Kira-chan! I'll never look down on you like that, I promise!"

By the end of Naruto's speech, Kira's tears were flowing down her face, and she impulsively hugged the boy, startling him twice over. She quickly released him, however, to show that it was merely a friendly hug, one of thanks.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said, wiping her tears away. Somehow, it didn't seem right to be sad around him. After all, they were all alive, weren't they?

But somehow, she felt a lot better than before.

Kylia watched the two, smiling softly. '_Perhaps he isn't so bad after all…' _she thought, watching the two talk. She had to admit, it felt a bit safer now that Naruto had declared her and Kira his friends. Anyone who could defeat a pirate that was stronger than Shanker had to be one of the strongest people in the world.

"How about we go and take a look at the village? You haven't been out yet, so you should definitely see it! Vol'jin said that this village was abandoned when the Bloodsail Buccaneers came, because it had many tactical weaknesses. So it's completely intact!" Kira said suddenly and enthusiastically.

Naruto didn't share her enthusiasm.

"I'm not going out there," he said calmly.

She blinked, staring at him. "Why not?"

Naruto's face turned red, "Uhh…well…they are all…" he stuttered, trying to find words that wouldn't get him hit over the head, as he usually did when he did something perverted in front of a girl.

Kira waited patiently, before a thought struck her. She slapped her forehead, remembering the reason why Naruto would fear to tread from the sanctity of his tent.

"I had Vol'jin make them wear something, Naruto. They aren't half-naked any more."

Naruto stopped his babbling, and sighed in relief.

Unfortunately, Kira couldn't resist a little needle at him. "Why are you so nervous, anyways? You've seen mine, haven't you?"

The boy turned red and began to stammer protests that he wasn't a pervert, making Kira laugh, and jump to her feet. "Meet you out there!" she cried, and in a flash, was gone.

Kylia quickly followed her, eyes wide. '_W-when did t-this happen! My m-mistress has e-entered t-that type of relationship! With t-that boy!'_

_

* * *

_

The village really was as nice as Kira had made it out to be. Naruto saw dozens of trolls, many of them women (thankfully clothed) and a few children, with larges smatterings of men as well. The village had no real shape to it, simply dozens of huts and tents surrounding a large clearing in the middle, where several fires raged and food was cooking. More than a few turned in his direction when he exited his tent, dressed in the clothes provided for him (which weren't much, mind you. A little before he had asked Vol'jin wear the rest of his clothes were, and he found that they were being washed and repaired, so they'd provide him with some. They consisted of a large pair of brown trousers that flared outwards, forming a kind of skirt, much to his embarrassment; added to this was a similarly colored leather tunic, which hugged his form tightly, almost like one of Gai's suits. Finally there was a pair of sandals for his feet.).

To his surprise, he got none of the dirty looks that he had feared he would get. Obviously Vol'jin had explained to them Naruto's new position. So they were treating him as one of their own.

He felt wanted. It was different from the acceptance that he had from the dwarves and the gnomes. They accepted him because of what he did, and they had all treated him the same as one would treat a guest.

But these people... they treated him as if he were truly a troll. Aside from a passing glance of acknowledgement, they continued with their own affairs. It was… comfortable.

Naruto loved it.

Kira showed him the entire village, which wasn't much, but Naruto enjoyed every moment. He saw several children trolls reenacting a battle, thoroughly enjoying themselves; he saw Trollish women going about their daily duties, which weren't that different from the duties that the women did back in Konoha. He saw many trolls leaving the village and heading deep into the jungle, to find food and resources, most likely. It didn't look, or feel, at all like a war had just taken place.

They met Vol'jin at the end of the tour, standing near one of the large cooking fires in the middle of the camp. Gen'rash was with him, to Naruto's surprise, and he heartily greeted the Skullsplitter, who returned it in his own language (much to Naruto's confusion). Vol'jin gave Naruto a nod when Naruto turned to him, and tore off several portions of the meat that was cooking.

He handed one of the pieces to Naruto, and the others to Kira and Kylia, before gesturing to take a seat.

"I be sendin' word ta Thrall soon, about what be happenin' hear. I be wantin' you to stay, however, for a while," he said.

Naruto, his mouth full of meat, frowned. "Why?"

Vol'jin grinned craftily at him.

"You be forgettin' already? I be teachin' yeh de Shadow style, de _Kagesui_, and de Shadow-Walk. An' Gen'rash be agreeing ta teach de girl some techniques as well. I be havin' my best axe-thrower, Or'dash, teach de other girl. I take one weak ta' teach all of dis to you, and den you return to Thrall."

Naruto's face split into a by now familiar vulpine grin. "Hah! It'll take me three days to do it, you watch!"

Vol'jin's grin grew at the challenge. "You be sayin' different in a while, boy, dat I know."

'**_I bet you don't last two days.'_**

'_Heh! I'll show you bas­­t–… huh? You're not the Kyuubi…'_ Naruto thought, blinking in abrupt astonishment.

Vol'jin noticed Naruto's perplexed look and leaned in, "What be da problem?" he asked.

Naruto looked around, still confused. "I thought I heard something…"

'_**You did,'**_The distinctly feminine voice said.

Naruto sat up straighter, looking alarmed. Then, he saw something move out from the many rows of tents and huts. It was small, about the size of a small dog, with shiny silvery fur, and glittering amber eyes. It moved towards him, drawing the attention of several trolls as it walked past, into the center of the village.

It was a fox.

"A…fox?" Naruto said, blinking owlishly.

'**_I knew you weren't as stupid as you first appeared to be. Can ya' tell me what color I am now?'_**

Naruto bristled angrily at the barb and shouted, "Who the heck are you, and how can you talk!"

The fox gave the appearance of sighing, and said airily, '**_I thought you'd know by now. I am a fox, and I am your spirit counterpart._**'

Naruto stared, unbelievingly at the fox, before he quickly said, "But you can't be! Cairn-jiji told me that you guys couldn't speak!"

The fox tilted its head. '**_Do you see my mouth moving? I'm not sure why we can do this, but it seems we can.'_**

Naruto seethed, while the others watched in interest.

"Naruto," asked Kira, "who is that?"

Naruto shot a look at the fox, which had sat down in its haunches and was busy licking its paw. "Its my spirit counterpart, I guess," he muttered.

Vol'jin's eyebrow went up. "I not be seein' a beast like dis in da jungle. I don' recall you blowin' de whistle to call a spirit animal anyways. How it come here?"

Gen'rash stared at the creature in wonder. He had never seen a fox before, and was quite surprised by it. He didn't say anything, simply watching the events unfold.

Naruto repeated the question to the fox, who answered lazily, '**_I heard it when you first blew it. But I didn't show myself 'cause I wanted to know if you were worth having as a counterpart. I didn't think much at first of you, but after that battle, I think I can safely say that you might be a good catch. I am female by the way, so stop calling me it."_**

Naruto grudgingly repeated the answer, making Vol'jin nod. "De fox in your stomach be de one dat here it den."

Naruto nodded in agreement, before looking at the fox. "Do you have a name?"

'**_Name? Why would I need a name? Call me whatever you want, as long as it is befitting of my nature.'_**

'**WEAKLING WOULD SUFFICE, THEN,'** rumbled the voice of the Kyuubi.

'**_And who asked you?'_ **the silver fox retorted angrily, and not a bit loudly.

'**THIS IS PERFECT. I HAVE A STUPID, ANNOYING BRAT FOR A VESSEL, AND NOW I HAVE ANOTHER STUPID, ANNOYING BRAT FOR THE FIRST BRAT'S ANIMAL.'**

The silver fox fumed, bearing its teeth. The action startled Kira and Kylia, but Naruto, Gen'rash and Vol'jin just watched. Naruto being the only one able to listen, however, was the only one who knew why she had snarled.

'**_You're just jealous that I'm out here, and you're stuck in some cage in his stomach. Ha ha ha! Ahhhhh! The air is so fresh out here! Can you smell it? Oh wait, you can't, you're stuck in a cage! Nyah Nyah!'_**

'**ASIDE FROM THE BRAT, YOU WILL BE THE FIRST ONE TO DIE WHEN I GET OUT,'** the demon lord bellowed, clawing at the cage in Naruto's mindscape.

'**_Say whatever makes you feel better, old man,'_** the fox said, bearing its teeth again, but this time in more of a grin.

'_Is that how I argue?'_ thought Naruto, suddenly having some sympathy for his teammates when Naruto had gotten particularly annoyed.

"Uh, right, now, for a name…how about uhhh…Yume?"

'**_I don't mind.'_**

**'IF THERE WAS SUCH A THING AS THE ORDER OF CLICHÉ, YOU'D BE THE LEADER, BRAT.'**

Naruto bristled at the fox's taunt and growled, "Fine…how about Tsuki?"

' **_It doesn't bother me.'_**

'**AS IF THAT HASN'T BEEN USED A HUNDRED TIMES IN OTHER FANFICTIONS.'**

Naruto twitched again, his anger beginning to rise to dangerous levels. "Fine…then let's try…Hikari?"

'**_Sounds good to me.'_**

'**HOW ORIGINAL. THAT WAS SARCASTIC, BY THE WAY. YOU SUCK AT COMING UP WITH NAMES, BRAT.'**

"THEN WHY DON'T YOU COME UP WITH ONE, BASTARD FOX!" Naruto roared out loud.

Kira and Kylia had by this time resumed eating, Gen'rash and torn his own chunk of meat from the beast, and Vol'jin had stood up.

"Tell de boy," he said, watching Naruto silently argue with the two creatures, "dat I want him to come to my tent in de very early morning. We begin training den."

Kira nodded, giggling, as Vol'jin moved off. By this time Naruto was forcefully shouting into the air, making him look the perfect picture of a crazy person. He had drawn a small crowd of trolls, mostly children, who were finding the spectacle as enjoyable as Kira, Kylia and Gen'rash (who didn't know exactly what was going on, but got the gist of it).

And that was it. For the next week, Naruto would learn the power of the Shadow style, before returning to Orgrimmar to finally explain to Thrall his purpose for coming. He had gone through a lot in order to earn that honor, and he now bore the scar to prove it.

He was one step closer to his own dream.

* * *

Far to the north of the Stranglethorn Vale, stood a massive mountain. This mountain was surrounded by what many would describe as the flames of hell itself. The ground was charred and black, with not a single living plant touching the scorched earth. This was so for miles in every direction, and only once you reached the Badlands, more than fifty miles to the northeast, was some form of plant life able to be seen. 

But in place of shrubs and grasses there were craters filled with molten rock, or chasms that led into black pits from which there was no return. The ground was far from flat, and there were tons of crags, small hills, and other distortions in the terrain to hamper the travel of anybody foolish enough to enter the Burning Steppes.

The air was dry and hot, and with each breath, one would more likely inhale ash than breathable air. It was almost like a snowfall in some places, making it tremendously difficult to see in the majority of the land.

But that was not to say that life was not present in this seemingly god-forsaken land. No, it was simply a different type of life. If one searched far enough, one could see that many tiny beetles crawled along the blackened ground, the color of molten lava. These were fire beetles, one of the few naturally occurring creatures in the area. The other few consisted of a creature called the Firetail Scorpid, and another called the Ember Word. These beasts lived in seclusion, and rarely populated the open anymore, for there were intruders into their land; beings that should not exist, and had no right to.

These beasts were massive and hulking, standing at least twice as tall as a man, in many cases more, and were made entirely of stone and metal. There was no flesh, no bones, no blood. Just metal and rock. They were constructs, beings created entirely by chakra, and powered entirely by it as well.

They were golems.

These beasts, along with their masters, surrounded the massive mountain that was mentioned earlier, and yet, the mountain itself held very different creatures.

Very different.

The most recognizable of these were the orcs, and the occasional troll, which inhabited the upper regions.

It was among these orcs, in these upper regions, that a plot was brewing.

Deep in the mountain, called Blackrock Spire, in a gargantuan room; filled and decorated with many trinkets and baubles, standing in front of a large throne; stood a massive, brutish orc, with a single, reddish eye that was filled with enough rage to give even the bravest man pause.

This orc was Rend Blackhand.

He was the Warchief of the Horde.

Though Rend stood in front of the throne, it did not belong to him. No, it belonged to the one that sat in it, a man whose face was cast entirely in shadow, so that even a fly on the wall could not spot any features, save for the terrible, smoldering orange-red eyes that locked into Rend's single red one.

"It is almost done," the Warchief rumbled, grinning so that his many sharp teeth were exposed, and his tusks were completely displayed. "My forces are ready for anything. Now we just need your part of the bargain."

The man sitting in the throne was resting his head on one of his hands, which was propped up on the arm of the throne. His posture suggested that he was bored, but one could never tell, because it was impossible to decipher anything from his face, or even his eyes.

"**It Is Already Done. You Will Be Using Zeppelins To Carry Your Forces, And I Have Given You Everything You Need,"** the shadowed man said, his voice filled with a hotter fire than any on earth.

Rend's eyes narrowed, repressing a shudder from the man's voice. "You said that–" he began, before the man cut him off simply.

"**Is Your Mount Not Enough? My Presence Will Not Be Revealed In This Battle. You Possess Everything You Need To Win. You Just Need To Use It Effectively."**

Rend growled a little, but nodded. It was true. He possessed more than enough to accomplish what he needed to accomplish. He then grinned; it was a twisted, angry one that seemed to hold more fury than joy, if that was possible.

"You're right, I suppose. He he… this plan won't fail, I don't think. I've planned it for years, and now I can finally put it into action." He looked back into the shadowed man's eyes. "When I finally do it, you'll be rewarded of course."

The shadowed man inclined his head briefly, but said nothing.

Rend swiftly turned, and walked away from the throne, his wrathful eye gleaming in the firelight.

"Thrall, you think you're the rightful ruler of the Horde? Think again. I will show you that it is power, not your foolish diplomacy, which will win this war. I, Rend Blackhand, the true Warchief, shall show you what a true leader must do!"

* * *

Whew…another chapter done. 

I wasn't as enthusiastic about this chapter…I think that's apparent though. But it was necessary, I know, as an in-between chapter. The next one might have more action, most likely, and as well as further revelations to Rend's big mysterious plan.

I still did, however, enjoy Kira's and Kylia's and Naruto's talks. I hope I did them all justice, as well, and displayed their emotions as adequately as possible. Unfortunately, I don't think it will be as good, considering my enthusiasm wasn't as great. I tried, of course, but I suppose this is the "low" after a "high". That last chapter was the highest of the high, so I did my best not to make this the lowest of the low.

Kudos to all those who know who the shadowed man is.

I hope I did Blood justice with this chapter, I liked the flash back, and how the sea claimed his body once again.

Also, I enjoyed the very positive response from you guys after last chapter! It made my week, to be sure. I hope you aren't too put off by this somewhat boring chapter, especially after that last one. I HUMBLY THANK ALL OF THEE FOR THINE KIND WORDS! THOU ART MY INSPIRATION, AND MY MOTIVATION!

Now, one thing- I need a name for the silver fox that is now Naruto's counterpart. Give me anything that hasn't been used a hundred times for the names of pets... I, like Naruto, suck at Japanese names. (Ask Frankto, he knows this well enough).

Anyways, a few things before we get to reviewer mail.

**Character Contest**

The winner is…you guessed it, Naruto! He had a whopping SIX votes.

Runner-up is Captain Blood, with Five.

Then Kira with Three,

And Finally a couple more- Golbarn 1, Thrall 1, Kaine 1, and to my surprise Ai'lara (who is introduced in this chapter) 1.

I might do this again…but might not.

**Attack names**

I was contacted, recently, by a very helpful individual named Frankto, who is an expert at Japanese, who has been helpful enough to provide me with accurate translations of all the attack names that I have been blundering through the entirety of this story. At the moment, none are changed, but I plan to go through the story and replace their names with his.

Please, all give a round of applause for Frankto, who kindly took the time to correct me on my awful translations (some were completely off…_Keiei_ for example…I feel so…Engrish.)

Here is the short list:

Chapter 11- 

Hyouton: Toukanboruto no jutsubecomes **Hyouton (Ice Release)- Hyoushi no jutsu (Arrow of Ice technique).**

Tsukuridasu Fuudo becomes **Shunshoku (Instant/Blink Meal)**

Chapter 14 

Amatai Henge becomes **Taisuu Henge (same meaning)**

Chapter 15 

Ninpo: Naruto Ansatsu Bakudan becomes **Ninpo: Naruto Bakuzan (Killing Burst)**

Ninpo: Hayashi no Touken becomes **Ninpo: Tou no Mori (Forest of Swords)**

Chapter 18 

Naruto Katai Kurippa becomes **Naruto Kakuteki (Leg clipper)**

Chapter 19 

Doton: Tsuchidageki becomes **Doton: Tsuchidaigeki** (Earth shock).

Doton: Jibeta Kasui becomes **Doton: Doukasui (Ground Spike)**

Chapter 21 

Ninpo: Komura Bureido becomes **Ninpo: Komura no Tsurugi** (**Thicket of Blades)**

Chapter 22 

Naruto Kiriorosu Rendan becomes **Naruto Enshou Rendan (Naruto Falling Ruin Combo)**

Chapter 23 

Naruto Nagareboshi becomes **Naruto Ryuusei (Naruto Meteor)**

Chapter 24 

Katon: Gama Yuendan becomes **Katon: Gamayu Endan**

Chapter 28 

Raiton: Kusari Raikurai becomes **Raiton: Raikousa **(**Connected Lightning Strike)**

Chapter 29 

Keiei ------- (Means Administration…I've reached an all time low) becomes **Kagesui (Essence of Shadow)**

Chapter 31- 

Naruto Aroo Rendan becomes **Naruto Yakouheki (Arrow Aggressive Barrier)**

Well, that's all the technical stuff for now. Here's some reviewer mail (Lots of reviews this week! Yaay!)

**Shadowcriminal- **Addressing your final post- I disagree. I don't think any other baddies have to measure up to Blood, because they are entirely different. If I tried to make every new bad guy more popular than the last, than I'd never get anything done. Not all bad guys have to be liked, and I don't think Blood's character could have applied to anyone but him. But thanks for the kind words! I agree with you about the weight training thing…but I'm going to skip it all together.

**Dan Inverse- **Are they? I have no idea, I'm just using chakra as a base for everything, because it makes sense since it's a Naruto crossover. That's all.

**Fu Mon Chu- **That's in the anime. In the manga, Wrath is the Fuhrer King Bradley, while Pride hasn't even been revealed yet. He's just a shadow, so far. I like the Manga Wrath better, because he's a hell of a lot crueler and less babyish than the anime Wrath.

Well, that's everything. The next chapter will deal with Naruto's friends back in Konoha's reactions to the fight, and the beginning of Rend Blackhand's plan.

I kind of want, just once, to write a teaser for the next chapter that has nothing to do with it, in actuality, like Kishimoto…but I won't, cause that's stupid!

General Grievous


	33. Violent Beatings, Shadows, and Politics

**Disclaimer: "SPACE POPCORN CHICKEN!"**

'**That's preposterous!'**

"**Why?"**

'**Because! In order to create SPACE POPCORN CHICKEN you must own World of Warcraft and Naruto…AT THE SAME TIME!'**

"**O NO'S! I don't own either! AT THE SAME TIME!"**

'**MOTHERFUCK!'**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Sakura yawned, sitting up in bed as the first signs of the orange light of dawn struck her face. The pink-haired kunoichi rubbed both her startlingly green eyes with one hand, using the other to shield her face from the light that was invading through her window.

'_Oh good'_ she thought, her unsaid words laced with sarcasm, '_it's light out this morning…at least I'll be able to see where I'm going this time.'_

She was referring to the insane hours that her teacher, the Godaime Hokage of the Hidden Village of the Leaf, Tsunade, made her get up at. The times usually varied, depending on how sober Tsunade planned to stay after Sakura's training finished in the late afternoon. This time, it was around five o'clock; a step up from the previous day's four.

If it had been anyone else, Sakura would have protested the entire time. She hated getting up so early, hell, even Kakashi had made them get up at a more reasonable hour (around seven), added to the fact that he almost never showed up on time, allowing her at least another hour or two of extra sleep.

Tsunade, however, wasn't like that. The Legendary Sennin abhorred tardiness of all sorts, and if Sakura were late in the slightest, the woman would give her a firm chewing out. That didn't bother Sakura, much, as she knew how precious the Hokage's time was. That was the primary reason her training sessions started so early, because the Hokage had other things to attend to, such as running a village. Sakura herself felt herself very privileged just to be able to be taught by the greatest medic-nin in the world.

After getting out of bed, Sakura dressed quickly, and after grabbing some toast, exited her house, stepping into the cool, crisp morning air. She inhaled deeply, smiling a little, before starting off down the road towards the Hokage's tower.

The training sessions in said tower were an experience, to say the least. Tsunade herself presided over the majority of them, never offering help, although Shizune was present more often than not. The younger woman would occasionally slip in a tip or two, which Sakura found grateful.

After all, she found that medic-nin training was so difficult that anyone who was subjected to it might find torture to be a more rewarding experience. She knew she was hyperbolizing, but due to her low chakra reserves and slight body, the process was made many times more difficult. Tsunade rarely gave her exercises for increasing her stamina, simply expecting her to do it on her own. Therefore, Sakura struggled with a lot of the techniques she was taught, not because she found them difficult to perform, just that she found them difficult to maintain.

What good was a medical jutsu if it didn't last long enough to heal a person?

But that was months ago. At this point, Sakura was doing very well in her pursuits, having found an adequate helper in the area of stamina and general physical enhancement. She had made leaps and bounds in that part, so much so that Tsunade, impressed by her rising chakra levels, had begun teaching her the secret of her super-punches, which required tons of chakra in order to use.

There was, of course a downside to all of it.

For one thing… her teacher happened to be one of the creepiest people in the entire village, and didn't stop being creepy the entire time that they trained together.

That wasn't true, really, but she after spending so much time with them she found Rock Lee and Maito Gai to be very much the same person, even if there were two bodies.

She gave a brief shudder…Lee seemed to think that because they were training, they were together. So she was constantly harried by requests for a date after their daily sessions, which began just after her medical training, and ended sometime in the evening.

'_He's worse than Naruto was…'_ she thought, a vein in her pronounced forehead throbbing.

Naruto…

Her heart sunk a little, and she almost cursed herself. She didn't need her day messed up with thoughts of Naruto.

That wasn't to say that she though poorly of the blonde; no, it was quite the contrary. She was worried about him. Terribly worried, even. Whenever she thought of him, now, she either saw his sunny smile and face, covered in bandages, telling her that he'd definitely keep his promise; or pictured him in the heat of battle, covered in blood, his clothes torn, that fierce glare on his face, fighting against a monstrous creature, the creature that he had described in his last message.

It unnerved her to think of where he could be right now. He was not in the Fire Country, nor was he in the Wind, Water, Mist, Rice, Earth, or any other country. He was in an entirely different world…one unknown to shinobi, and entirely unpredictable and unknown.

And no way to get back.

Sakura tried her best not to think of Naruto, because when she did, she thought of Sasuke, as well. That brought an equal sadness to her heart (she didn't know when the thought of Naruto brought a feeling equal to that of Sasuke had started, but it had). This sadness distracted her, and she found it hard to focus when she thought of her two errant teammates.

So she forced them to the back of her mind, for the moment. She didn't think of them, only of their words, disconnected from any face, and the fire that they ignited in her.

'_Thank you…Sakura.'_

'_Sakura-chan…I will definitely bring Sasuke back next time! Promise of a lifetime!'_

She clenched her fists. She would not be left behind, not again, and when they next met, she promised herself that she would be able to keep up with them.

Naruto's words from his letters, too, had fed the flame in her spirit. Hearing of Naruto's accomplishments in a world not his own, his victories, his defeats, and everything else had spurred her to increase her training sessions even more. She had begun to experiment, as well. If she were lucky, she'd be able to perfect the new technique she was working on by the time Naruto got back.

'_That is…if he ever gets back…'_ she thought, a slight veil of depression creeping over her thoughts once again.

She shook it off once more. She had training to do…thoughts of the past, of Naruto, and of Sasuke, could wait.

She reached Hokage Tower a few minutes later, the sun having only arisen a small amount. Even at this time of the morning, the tower was buzzing with activity; she saw shinobi handing in mission reports, receiving missions, and giving out missions. She saw shinobi carrying stacks of paper to and fro, only stopping to speak in low, yet friendly tones to each other.

When she entered, several of the employees smiled and waved at her. She returned both gestures as she reached the stairs that would take her up to the Hokage's office. She went up the long staircases, which she dimly noted would be good training in itself.

It didn't take her long to arrive at the Hokage's office, a set of double doors marked simply with "Hokage" on the front. She pushed the door open, a greeting for her master ready on her lips, only to pause when her eyes fell on the scene within.

Tsunade was lying back in her chair, sleeping as soundly as a child. There was a slight tendril of drool sliding from her mouth, and her mouth was open and wide. But it was not that that stopped Sakura in her tracks…it was the fact that her gi was half-open, revealing an obnoxious amount of her bountiful cleavage, so much so that one would only have to walk to the side to see her "assets" in all of their glory.

Which was exactly what Jiraiya, The Legendary Toad Sennin, former teacher of the Fourth Hokage, and then Naruto, was doing. The man, grinning his typical, horridly perverted grin was busily scribbling notes on a small pad of paper, his eyes never leaving the woman's form.

Sakura, at first, was shocked into silence. She could not believe that someone would have the audacity to ogle the Hokage, especially in her own office!

Of course, she was also annoyed by the fact that her master, being a shinobi, and a Hokage no less, was not waking from the audible giggling that was emanating from Jiraiya.

Her shock, however, quickly turned to a seething rage, causing her to clench her fists until they became white, and grit her teeth until she was sure they would crack. It took all of her willpower not to walk over to the man and clobber him in a manner not unlike Tsunade. But she didn't, not only because it would be disrespectful (considering Jiraiya was a Legendary Sennin), but because she believed Tsunade would be able to handle it in a much more appropriate way.

She stamped her foot once, alerting Jiraiya, who had been too caught up in his "research" to notice her before, to her presence. Before the Toad Sennin could say, or do anything, Sakura called out to the sleeping Hokage.

"Tsunade-shishou! PERVERT, JIRAIYA, PEEPING!" the words, despite not forming anything remotely resembling a coherent sentence, and leaving a bad taste in Sakura's mouth due to her poor grammar, had an effect on Tsunade similar to that of the awakening a sleeping dragon.

Jiraiya, halfway through a shout of "stop" froze. He shifted his eyes, ever so slowly, towards Tsunade's sleeping form, as if the slower he moved them, the less chance he would have of being seen.

He met two glowing, honey-brown eyes, filled with such rage that a grown man would be reduced to the mentality of a toddler upon gazing into them. Jiraiya hastily began to say something, but Sakura didn't catch it, having slammed her hands over her ears and closed her eyes, not wanting her innocence to be completely destroyed in watching what would happen.

She shuddered slightly as the screaming began.

It was over in moments, and when Sakura next opened her eyes, there was a sizeable hole in the wall opposite the Hokage's desk, and Tsunade was standing in front of it. One of her hands was covered in blood, and she was breathing heavily. Sakura winced when she heard a heard a gurgling sound from within the hole, that sounded suspiciously like "message from Naruto…"

Tsunade shot a glance at Sakura, who instinctively tensed up upon seeing the woman's savage eyes. They softened slightly, however, making Sakura relax, before Tsunade exited the room through the hole, and retrieved the leaky piece of flesh that Jiraiya had been reduced to.

"Alright, Sakura, you remember how you said you wanted an actual patient to practice on? Well here's one. I've got to get the Rookie Nine and their Jounin senseis in here in the meantime," Tsunade said, dropping Jiraiya on the table and wiping her bloody hand on the man's pants.

Sakura broke her stare of morbid fascination at the half-dead Sennin to look at Tsunade in surprise. "You mean…?"

Tsunade nodded, giving her a half-smile. "Yeah, we've got another message from that brat, Naruto."

Sakura broke into a smile, a feeling of relief overcoming her, in knowing that Naruto was still alive. She nodded to her master, who was already walking towards the door.

"You remember what I told you before, about anesthesia jutsu? Well, that only applies to people other than Jiraiya. Remember to reset the bones into their proper places, or else they won't heal correctly. Have fun," the Godaime called over her shoulder, before disappearing from view.

On the table, Jiraiya let out a small whimper. Sakura cracked her knuckles, planning to take a few years of frustration out on the man who supposedly wrote the perverted books that Kakashi was always reading in her face.

A little later, the Hokage's office was crowded with people. All of the Rookie Nine, as well as Gai's team, had gathered in the room, all eager to hear what Naruto was up to. Many of them (namely Lee, Neji, Hinata, Chouji, and Kiba) were eager to compare their power to that of Naruto's. They in particular had been training the hardest, wanting to live up to the blonde's expectations and not wanting to be outclassed by Naruto when he returned. Others, like Tenten, Ino, Shikamaru, and Shino, seemed to be a little peeved that they had been forced to get up at such an hour, only to listen to what Naruto was doing.

Of course, Sakura could see that they were as interested as the others, and were simply better at hiding it.

She saw Hinata, standing by Shino and Kiba, the former listening to the latter boast of his new techniques that would certainly make anything that Naruto did look stupid in comparison. The quiet girl was twiddling her thumbs, looking nervously excited about the news from Naruto.

She had been, to Sakura's knowledge, training as hard, if not harder, than the others, in an effort to bridge the gap that had formed between her and the others. She had gained quite a bit of confidence, too, in all things that didn't involve Naruto.

She spotted Lee, as well, who was busily shouting how much he wanted to hear of Naruto's actions since the blonde's last message to Neji, who stood like a mountain against the hurricane of Lee's words. It was clear, however, that the mountain was soon going to reveal itself to be volcano, unless something distracted Lee from his ravings.

Thankfully, something did, in the form of Tsunade, a heavily bandaged and sour looking Jiraiya behind her.

"Alright, as you guys know, I've called you hear because you guys insisted on being here for every one of Naruto's messages. Since I didn't think you guys would mind getting up so early. I called you as soon as I first heard of it from this perverted bastard," she said, casting a fiery glance at Jiraiya, who shrunk back, looking terrified.

The other Jounin in the room winced, especially Kakashi. The masked Jounin made a mental note never to even think of doing anything remotely perverted in front of Tsunade.

"Sakura was nice enough to repair whatever damage I might have done to Jiraiya, so he should be in perfect shape to summon that blasted toad, right?" she said.

Jiraiya nodded hastily, shooting an equally terrified glance at Sakura, who cracked her knuckles again, smiling warmly at the Sennin.

Kakashi swallowed, adding a small addendum to that mental note to include Sakura, as well.

"I CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR OF NARUTO-KUN'S NEWEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS! IF I AM NOT IMPRESSED BY THEM, THEN I WILL DO A THOUSAND PUSH-UPS UPON A BED OF COALS!" roared Gai, pumping his fists into the air.

"YOSH! AND IF GAI-SENSEI CANNOT COMPLETE THAT TASK, THEN I SHALL GO AROUND KONOHA A THOUSAND TIMES ON JUST MY HANDS, WEARING A NEKO-MIMI OUTFIT!" Lee roared, flames erupting into his eyes.

"OH LEE!"

"OH GAI-SEN–"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" roared Tsunade, a huge vein throbbing in her head. The two Green Beasts of Konoha quickly shut their mouths, but their eyes still glowed with the passionate fire of youth.

Still glaring at the two Bruce Lee knock-offs, Tsunade gestured to Jiraiya to get on with it. The Toad Sennin bit his thumb and preformed the seals necessary for the summoning technique.

"**Kuchiyose no jutsu!" **Jiraiya mumbled, his voice lacking the usual flair he had when summoning. All of that had spilled out onto the floor thanks to Tsunade's attack.

In a small puff of smoke, the occupants of the Hokage's room caught sight of the familiar orange hide of Gamakichi, who hopped from the floor onto the Hokage's desk.

Sakura inched a little away from it, her fears of frogs returning in full force.

"Yo! Been a long time, hasn't it?" the little toad announced, looking cheerful. His cheer seemed to grow even greater upon seeing Jiraiya. "Oi, looks like I was right, huh? Glad I got out of there before she woke up."

Tsunade twitched, making Gamakichi freeze, and gulp. "Hehehe…I mean, I have no idea what just happened! Yeah, uh… what happened to Jiraiya…cause, I dunno!"

"Just get on with it," grunted Tsunade, glaring at him.

Gamakichi nodded hastily, and his familiar attitude returned. "Well! The brat's sent another tale, and it's a doozy. But I think you guys'll love it!"

And so he began his tale, the tale of Naruto and the pirate captain, Thaddeus Blood.

And he was right, it did take a long time, but only because the little toad was doing his best to recount every action, and all of the feeling that had gone into the events. The group grew steadily more and more shocked by the tale, and Sakura was even surprised when the toad went on to describe the things that Naruto hadn't been there for. He described the fight that involved two people that none of them had ever heard of, until now.

Kira and Kylia, the former being the one who apparently sent Naruto on the journey that he was on at this very moment.

The story concluded, leaving the gathered shinobi once again in a state of shock. It seemed to Sakura less a recounting of what had actually happened, and more like something from an old fantasy novel. She did feel that he had glossed over a few parts, especially the ending when Naruto had finally awoken in the troll village. Nonetheless, it would seem that Naruto had done it again. He had nearly killed himself to save a group of people that he didn't know, and weren't even of his own species!

But what really shocked her was his power. Granted, she had suspicions that either Gamakichi or Naruto had done some embellishment, but even so, it sounded exactly like something Naruto could do.

'_That power…'_ thought Sakura, her eyes wide. The way Gamakichi had described Naruto's actions…using the mysterious red chakra that he had used to defeat Neji, made the blonde seem larger than life. She didn't even know the origin of that chakra. How was it possible for someone to have more than one chakra sources? She knew that Naruto's chakra was not all red, because he had often used the normal blue chakra that everyone possessed; but that still didn't explain what gave the blonde such power. A _kekkai genkai?_ Or was Naruto just entirely different from normal people?

Meanwhile, the rest of the Rookie Nine Plus Three had broken from their shock and were talking up a storm.

"That bastard! Akamaru, we're gonna have to train even harder if we want to keep up with that dumbass!" roared Kiba.

"Incredible, eh Shikamaru? Naruto's really something," said Chouji, grinning fondly at his best friend.

"Hmph…whatever, I wanna go back to bed," muttered Shikamaru.

"A-amazing! N-Naruto-kun…is s-so s-strong…" whispered Hinata, a slight blush coming over her features. She too would have to increase her training, so that when Naruto got back (in her mind, there was no question) he would most certainly notice her.

'_Hmm…Naruto is getting ever stronger…'_ thought Neji, smirking slightly, '_I'd expect nothing less from that guy."_

"Hmmm, Naruto certainly has grown," said Kakashi calmly, a visible smile appearing on his masked face. Inwardly, however, he felt a little sad. Naruto was growing by leaps and bounds, and he was not a part of it.

"Che, that brat," smirked Jiraiya, a smug smile on his lips. "He's getting stronger and I'm not the one who's teaching him. Well, it doesn't bother me much, seeing as how I have a lot more time to do my resear–…never mind," he finished, seeing Tsunade's eyes shift towards him.

"YOOOOOSSSSHHHHH! I MUST BEGIN MY ULTRA-SUPER-MEGA-TRAINING IN ORDER TO COMPETE WITH NARUTO-KUN'S GLORIOUS ACCOMPLISHMENTS! GAI-SENSEI, WE MUST FIND A PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING OPPRESSED, AND SAVE THEM!" thundered Lee, his eyes burning hotter than the sun.

"THAT IS A FANTASTIC IDEA, LEE! WE MUST SHOW THEM THE POWER OF YOUTH, AND IGNITE THEIR SPIRITS AS NARUTO-KUN HAS DONE! HOKAGE-SAMA, MIGHT YOU HAVE A MISSION LIKE THIS?" roared Gai, striking a pose that would have made the Ginyu Force proud.

"No," the woman snapped, rubbing her temples. She, however, was smiling, obviously pleased by Naruto's actions, as well as his progress.

"Ah, Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura suddenly said, grabbing the Hokage's attention.

"Hmm, what is it Sakura?" Tsunade said, turning to face her apprentice.

"That power that Naruto was using…the red chakra…what is it?"

The room suddenly became quiet. The teachers looked surprised at first, then downcast. They turned to Tsunade, who had an unreadable look on his face.

The other Genin looked towards the Hokage as well, their thoughts suddenly mirroring Sakura's.

Tsunade looked straight at the pink-haired kunoichi, and sighed.

"It's not my place to say. Naruto wouldn't want me to tell you anything, so I will respect his wishes."

Sakura looked down, sighing. She was annoyed. Annoyed that Naruto didn't trust her enough to tell her about whatever it was that the red chakra was. Her rational side told her that there must have been a good reason for it, however.

Tsunade's gaze lingered a few more seconds on Sakura, before she turned back to the rest of the group. "Alright, that's it, you guys need to leave now; I've got training to do with Sakura."

The group quickly dispersed, Lee and Gai heading the group as they continued to bellow out their typical speeches, which echoed in Sakura's ears long after they had departed the room. Jiraiya limped out after the group, wanting to get as far away as possible from the two demons that had caused him so much pain.

'_Geez,'_ Jiraiya thought, '_you sure know how to pick'em, eh brat?'_

Finally, when the room was empty save for Tsunade and Sakura, the woman gestured towards the stacks of scrolls in the corner. Sakura nodded, knowing that she still needed to practice the technique that she had learned the previous day. As she passed Tsunade's desk the woman spoke to her, quietly.

"I won't tell you anything, Sakura…but that doesn't mean that you can't find out for yourself. Just promise me…that it won't change your opinion of him, okay?"

Sakura stood, rooted in place for a moment, before she nodded flashing a smile in Tsunade's direction. She hurried to the scrolls, her energy, and her spirit, renewed.

'_Naruto…I swear that when you get back, I will be able to keep up with you."_

_

* * *

_

"C-cold…" Naruto muttered to himself, standing perfectly still in the pitch-black night.

The blonde was dressed in the baggy leather trousers and tunic that he had been since he had awoken, several days before. But it was not his clothes, nor the night air (which was actually quite warm) that were making him cold.

The reason for that would have to be the black markings that were now spread along his arms, and across his neck. There was no particular pattern to the markings, but they covered almost his entire body. Most of which wasn't visible. The markings themselves were made of special, chakra-infused ink that had been permanently grafted to his body. It was an eyesore, most of the time, but thankfully it disappeared when Naruto was not using the _Kagesui_.

Naruto grunted upon thinking of the technique that Vol'jin was teaching him.

It was, in short, a pain.

It didn't require a lot of chakra, of course, and even though it was a pain to get up so early in the morning, so that Vol'jin could teach him for several hours before he was called back to the duties of his village, and though the feeling that one got when using it, a feeling of being submerged in a cold, clingy substance, was annoying, those were not the reasons why it was such a pain.

The reason was because it was immeasurably frustrating. To Naruto, trying to surround his body in the chakra, which was filtered through the markings and molded into genjutsu, was like trying to keep water from seeping through the cracks in your hands, when trying to pick it up. Each time you try it, you continually lose more, and eventually all of it goes out, regardless of what you do.

'**_I didn't know you were so eloquent,'_** a voice interrupted his thoughts, making him frown.

Naruto cast an annoyed look down at the silvery fox that lay a few feet away from him, obviously bored.

"Geez, don't you ever have anything constructive to say?" the boy muttered to the newly christened Tsuwabuki.

The name had come to him after much deliberation, and he thought it fitting. It was a type of plant with a silvery sheen to the leaves that Naruto often saw around Konoha. While one didn't expect him to notice such things, Naruto had a fondness for plants and gardening.

The Kyuubi had accepted it, almost grudgingly, and Tsuwabuki didn't care much either way. She did say, however it had a nice ring to it.

'**_Constructive? Not really,'_** the fox said, yawning.

Naruto snorted.

From what he could tell, Tsuwabuki was not an ordinary fox. Both her color and her ability to converse with him made him believe she had to be a more spiritual type. She claimed, however, that she had no special talents of her own. The Kyuubi only reinforced this, saying that she was likely just a stupid, weakling normal fox that just had unique coloring. She did say, however that everyone in her family had grown to much larger sizes, and that Naruto could prepare to have someone much more effective in a fight soon enough. Vol'jin had also mentioned that the spirit link could be used in some way, most likely to transfer chakra, raw or molded, into the silver fox. He'd have to experiment with that.

Aside from the fact that she loved to tease him, Naruto found Tsuwabuki a good companion, and she was fun to talk to, in nothing else.

He then returned to his thoughts, gathering his chakra once more.

Vol'jin had told him that it was to be expected that he would have trouble with the _Kagesui_. The genjutsu that was created when Naruto molded chakra into the markings was not stable. When Naruto had asked why, the troll chieftain had pointed at his stomach in response.

The seal of the Kyuubi apparently interfered with the _Kagesui_ markings, and so it was impossible to complete them, due to the tattoo on his stomach. Rather than just making the genjutsu weak on that one area, it made the whole process unstable, and combined with Naruto's natural curse of being almost incapable of using genjutsu, the technique was far more difficult than Naruto had ever imagined.

But that didn't stop him from trying, of course. He couldn't use it for tremendous amounts of time, like Vol'jin could. But, after a week of training in it, he could hold it pretty well for almost a minute, which was more than enough time if used in battle. Combining it with the _Kazaashi_ made the technique ten times more deadly, as Vol'jin had demonstrated in their first meeting. And since Naruto wasn't usually one for complete stealth, then he supposed Vol'jin's teaching him how to completely suppress his chakra would make up for that.

Vol'jin had also taught him the Shadow-Walk, another portion of the Shadow style. Because it was more akin to ninjutsu, Naruto grasped it very quickly, and could already make small jumps using the shadows. Once again, his seal made it so that completely submerging his body in the shadow was difficult, but he planned to keep training, even after he had left Vol'jin, so that he could use it effectively in battle.

After all, that was one of Naruto's specialties, using something in effectively in battle that before he had been very bad at.

But that wasn't the only thing that Naruto trained in. Vol'jin only supervised his Shadow-style training for a small portion of the day, but a large portion of the morning, before he went off to manage the affairs of the trolls, in helping rebuild the villages, gathering food, water, and many things of that sort. He forced Naruto to get up very early in the morning, and because Naruto always stayed up late, he got very little sleep all in all. Naruto spent a large portion of that day training in the Shadow-style, but he then branched out, and began perfecting his use of the _Kazaashi_, which still hurt him slightly to use, and the _Kongou_, which he still hadn't used enough to make him react instinctively with it, which was what Thrall had said was its real power.

Sometimes he practiced chakra control, too, using some of the techniques that both Jiraiya and Thrall had taught him. But he usually found this boring, so it didn't last long.

That was, until, the Kyuubi had told him he needed to train using the demon's chakra.

'**IF YOU THINK YOU CAN GET BY USING IT AS YOU HAVE UNTIL NOW, THEN YOU ARE EVEN STUPIDER THAN I THOUGHT. YOU MUST TRAIN USING IT, ALLOWING YOUR BODY TO GET USED TO ITS EFFECTS, SO THAT YOU CAN LAST FAR LONGER. THE MORE YOU USE IT, THE EASIER IT WILL BECOME FOR YOUR BODY TO HANDLE IT.**'

Something about the way the demon had said it threw him off, but he couldn't deny that training to use the chakra would be a good idea. If he encountered someone even stronger than Blood, than he'd need to be able to access the power more readily, and if he could call on even more tails than just the second one, then he'd be set.

But still, Naruto could almost hear his conscience screaming at him that it was a bad idea…but he had no clue why. The Fourth's seal was perfect.

Wasn't it?

So he had spent the last portion of his days training using the beast's chakra. He did this far away from the village, in the middle of the jungle, so that he didn't accidentally go insane and destroy their village. It usually sent him back to the village completely exhausted, aching in every nook and cranny on his body. He did notice a notable difference however, after a few days, of how much easier and less painful it got.

This particular night, however, Naruto had decided to get in some last minute _Kagesui_ training before dinner. The trolls ate quite late, for some reason unknown to the blonde shinobi. They waited until the sun had completely disappeared before they even started.

He had already trained for several hours with the demon's chakra, and because this was his and Kira's last night with the trolls, and Vol'jin was undoubtedly going to test him the following day in the use of both techniques, to see if Naruto's earlier boast had substance to it. He felt quite confident, and although the Shadow-style was certainly not as strong as the other two portions of the Tetra Elemental style that he knew, it was dead useful, and he hoped to be able to truly master it one day.

When he heard the familiar blast of horns, signaling that dinner was served, Naruto released his hold on his chakra, letting it sink back into him. The tattoos quickly disappeared, as Naruto hurried towards the camp, his mouth watering at the thought of food. Tsuwabuki quickly followed him, her own thoughts filled with visions of food. Both of them could already smell it, giving them an even larger incentive to pick up the pace.

Without a doubt, troll food was among the tastiest he had ever consumed in his life. It was a lot like the food in Konoha, but had much more fruit in it, and was filled with types of meats that he had never heard of. The tastiest of the food that the trolls made, however, had to be men'ra, which happened to be Gen'rash's favorite. Men'ra was a lot like ramen, in that it had noodles, many spices, and many different flavors, but it also had several different kinds of fruit in it, and some spices that Naruto didn't recognize.

There was always a bowl of it when Naruto returned from his training, which he and Gen'rash happily served themselves to. Naruto guessed that it was one of the perks of being the blood brother of the village chieftain, something that he still couldn't believe. But he smiled at that thought– he was definitely glad that he finally had someone to call a brother, even if he wasn't truly.

He arrived at the edge of the village quickly, letting the warm light of the fire fill his sense of sight and touch. It was always a welcoming sight for Naruto, who for the past hour or so, had felt like he had been submerged in cold syrup.

"Hey Naruto!" called a voice from his right, as he entered the center of the village. Naruto turned, and grinned when he saw Kira waving him over, Kylia sitting next to her and Gen'rash already helping himself to a heaping bowl of men'ra. The three were sitting around a platter filled with many foods. The only one Naruto really noticed, however, was the men'ra in an extra-large bowl in the center of the platter.

'**_Don't I get a greeting?'_** Tsuwabuki muttered, padding alongside Naruto.

Naruto hurried over, ignoring his spirit counterpart, and said a quick greeting to the three before he grabbed his own bowl and began to heap men'ra into it. He then began to eat, using two sticks that he had found earlier in the week as chopsticks. Tsuwabuki took a seat next to him, and snatched a few pieces of meet from the platter.

"So how was training?" asked Kira, starting on her own food as Naruto sat down. Her own training had just finished, as had Kylia's.

The two girls had worked as hard as Naruto, in their respective training areas. Gen'rash had begun to teach Kira a lot about the darker and more powerful techniques that the trolls used, as well as more about the potions and ethers that they used. Kira had begun to learn the more body-based techniques, rather than the mind ones that she used. She had learned the Hex of Weakness, one of Gen'rash's favorite techniques, as well as a few other "hexes". She had learned the Hexes of Darkness, Silence, and pain; she had also learned the Shadowbolt technique that she had seen Gen'rash use against Gerethas, and several more powerful techniques like Mana Burn, and the truly nasty technique called Acid Mist, the effects of which she had never seen, but had heard were quite gruesome.

She had developed a new, burning determination rivaling Naruto's. She was no longer innocent, and so she felt now that she would do anything if it meant seeing her dream come true. She had done her best to learn as much as possible in the short time that she had a teacher, but Gen'rash had promised (or rather, Gen'rash promising through Vol'jin, since the Skullsplitter still didn't really have a good grasp of Orcish) to give her several scrolls that contained other witch-doctor techniques and recipes.

Kylia, on the other hand, had spent much of her time with an axe-thrower named Or'dash, who had taught her to improve her technique in throwing weapons. Or'dash had been quite impressed by the girl's aim, so he merely worked with her on enhancing the power of her throws, using chakra, as well as covering the weapons with chakra. The girl had little experience in using chakra, only to enhance her speed and strength, but quickly grasped the techniques that Or'dash was showing her.

The blonde quickly swallowed the men'ra in his mouth, and grinned at Kira.

"Great! I've got it down, so I told him that I'd get it in a week!" the boy said loudly.

"Dat so? We be findin' out tomorrow, little one," rumbled a voice from behind him, making him jump and Kira snicker.

Vol'jin sat down next to his blood brother, and helped himself to the small platter of food that was in the center of the group. He looked as worn as Naruto, having been out all day with the hunters and gatherers, searching for places to rebuild villages, and gathering all the sorts of things necessary for that.

Naruto slurped up some more men'ra, before flashing Vol'jin a cocky grin. "I'm definitely gonna pass. By the way, how long did it take you to master it?"

Vol'jin rubbed his chin in thought, "Hmm….'bout five months, most o' dem be experimentin'."

Naruto sunk a little; it was not as cool as learning something in a week that supposedly took three years for the developer to master. He opened his mouth to ask the troll chieftain something else, but whatever it was slid from his mind like a greased up deaf guy.

His eyes locked on to a group of troll women returning from a bath, and somehow forgetting to put on their clothes.

Naruto felt a small bubble blood build up in his nasal cavity, before he was ejected forwards by a sharp blow to the back of his head. He smashed right into his bowl of men'ra, submerging his face in hot soup.

He cried out, lifting his face out quickly and trying to wipe the hot liquid off his face. When it finally stopped burning, he turned to Kira, who had a glare on her face. He noticed that it wasn't directed at him, but rather at the troll women behind him.

While he was a little annoyed that she couldn't have done something else, he was grateful. Every time he accidentally spotted a troll woman without something that covered their necessary parts, he found himself passing out. It surprised (and terrified) him that he was so susceptible to the effects of naked troll women. Of course, he had rarely seen naked human women in person that he didn't know were men (such as Konohamaru). However, he promised that he'd get himself under control; he was NOT a pervert.

Gen'rash and Vol'jin seemed to find his reaction hilarious, while Kira and Kylia thought it disgusting. Though Kira seemed to forgive him every time he accidentally spotted a nude troll woman, Kylia seemed to look at him even more suspiciously, as if it were his fault.

'**_I think she likes you,'_** Tsuwabuki said sarcastically, licking her chops, having just finished her meal.

Naruto glared at her, giving a silent growl. The silver fox only snickered in reply. The two girls watched Naruto's interaction with the fox with amusement. Kira could occasionally listen in using her mind reading techniques, but found that their conversations consisted of little more than arguing. She still found Tsuwabuki cute, despite the fox's somewhat bratty personality.

After finishing off the men'ra, and eating two more bowls, Naruto decided to head off to bed. He said goodnight to his friends (and now family), and made for the tent that he slept in.

Tomorrow he would return to Orgrimmar, and he would finally get the chance he had been waiting for: to tell Thrall of what he had come to Orgrimmar for.

And, on a lesser note, to learn the last two styles of the Tetra Elemental style.

* * *

The day dawned as sunny and bright as the previous. Naruto, giving out another great yawn, stepped out of his tent, Tsuwabuki at his heels. He had been given nine glorious hours of sleep, and so he was ready to tackle anything that his blood brother could throw at him.

He walked out into the center of the village, where he found that almost the entire village had gathered. They stood around the center, so that there was a large space, about twenty-five feet in diameter, where Vol'jin stood.

The troll chieftain watched Naruto approach the makeshift-fighting arena, a pleased smile on his face. The ring of trolls parted, allowing Naruto to walk through, before it closed one more. Naruto stopped a few feet away from Vol'jin his face set. Tsuwabuki remained on the outskirts of the ring, loping over to where Kira and Kylia stood in the circle.

Then, Vol'jin said, "Dis be simple, little one. You must be getting' out o' dis circle without anyone seein' yeh, usin' only de Shadow-Walk and de _Kagesui_. You have all de time ye need."

Naruto nodded, and prepared to use the _Kagesui_, when something suddenly struck the ground next to him; an axe, landing so close to his foot that Naruto could almost feel the cold iron of the weapon. He yelped, stepping away, only to have another axe, this one whizzing by his head, slicing off a few hairs, before it was caught by a troll on the opposite side of the ring.

"Ah, I guess I not be mention' dat ye be under attack by everyone who be makin' up de circle," said Vol'jin, his grin growing even larger.

Naruto gave a soft growl, ducking to avoid another axe from his side. He also noticed that the trolls had begun to advance, steadily making the circle smaller. He tried to gather his chakra to use the _Kagesui, _however, Vol'jin decided at that moment to attack himself, and Naruto was flung backwards by a strong punch to the stomach. He dropped into a roll, coming back to his feet almost a foot away from the slowly advancing wall of trolls. He avoided a couple of swipes from the weapons of the nearest trolls, and leapt away from them, beginning to gather his chakra again. He felt the familiar cold, syrupy feeling drench his body, and he quickly held on to it, making a dash for the small spaces in between the troll wall.

To his surprise, however, his path was blocked, and he was knocked away by a kick to his ribs.

'_I forgot that they could still smell me!'_ he thought, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

Vol'jin, who had been taking his time making his way over to Naruto, suddenly quickened his pace and reached the blonde just as he was recovering. He lashed out with several punches, all of which Naruto was able to dodge or block, his naturally smaller size and build allowing him to avoid being hit. It seemed to Naruto that Vol'jin was forgoing any use of chakra to enhance his techniques, possibly in an effort to make it fairer for the blonde.

Naruto leapt away from Vol'jin, once again coming dangerously close to the edge of the ring, where he had to avoid yet another round of attacks from the trolls that made it up. His only chance, he realized, was the Shadow-walk. On the side of the ring he was currently on, the shadows were outside the ring, so he dashed towards the opposite side.

Unfortunately, the trolls had spotted this, and had begun to back up, moving away from him. He had to dodge three more axes, thrown by two trolls in front and another from the side, before he reached the cluster of shadows that the trolls created. Gathering his chakra once again, his foot began to sink into the ground, only to have Vol'jin suddenly appear, striking him hard in the chest. The blonde managed to stay on his feet, and avoided Vol'jin's next punch, cursing.

'_How am I supposed to…? Wait…am I really that stupid?'_ growling in annoyance with both himself and his situation, Naruto gathered his chakra, encasing himself with it in the form of the _Kagesui_. It was clear that Vol'jin didn't know exactly where he was, but a few twitches of the trolls nose alerted Naruto to the fact that he was listening. But that didn't matter, for Naruto had already come up with a plan. He dashed to the side, out of Vol'jin's peripheral vision, and then charged straight at him. Vol'jin, whether hearing or smelling Naruto's position, turned to meet him, only to have Naruto duck under his first attack, and gather the chakra necessary for the Shadow-walk. Almost as if he had fallen into a pit, the blonde vanished into Vol'jin's shadow.

He reappeared, seconds later, outside the ring, though he was a little off in where he had wanted to end up. He jumped away from the female troll that he had appeared almost an inch away from, before relaxing.

"Very good, child," rumbled Vol'jin, still inside the ring. The trolls had all turned towards Naruto, the majority of them smiling. Vol'jin walked out, stepping in front of the blonde, his face split in two by a wide grin.

"Heh, told ya' I'd do it," Naruto said, smirking.

Vol'jin nodded in agreement, before saying, "Aye, ye did. But ye took quite a bit longer den most trolls who be learnin' it do. De usually be learnin' it in only six days, and be figurin' it out much easier den you did."

Naruto face-faulted, while Tsuwabuki snickered, Kira and Kylia giggled, and Gen'rash looked confused.

"But you be doin' good, bro'. Go get some food­– ye be earnin' it."

Naruto blinked in astonishment, realizing that it was the first time Vol'jin had addressed him as his blood brother. His disappointment vanished, and he grinned cheerily, his heart expanding with pride.

"Common, Naruto, let's eat, we have a long trip, according to Vol'jin," said Kira.

Naruto nodded, "Guess you're right…I'm gonna miss the men'ra."

'**_I can't believe you haven't gotten to be the size of a zeppelin from eating that stuff. It smells disgusting.'_**

"Take that back, you stupid fox! It's the best stuff these guys have, as good as ramen!"

'**_Meat is better, and always will be."_**

"No it isn't!"

'**_Yes it is!'_**

"No it isn't!"

'**_Yes it is!'_**

"No it isn–"

"Naruto! Just come and get your food, you sound like a crazy person, arguing with a fox!" shouted Kira, rolling her eyes from where she had Kylia had already sat down.

Naruto pointed accusingly at Tsuwabuki. "She started it!" he cried childishly.

'**_No I didn't.'_**

"Yes you did!"

'**_No I didn't.'_**

"Yes you did!"

Kira groaned, while her handmaiden giggled.

As they went off to eat, Gen'rash walked over to Vol'jin, and asked quietly, in Trollish, "Why did you say that to him? He learned it remarkably quickly, even if he took longer to pass the test than most, it is truly amazing that he was able to master it, given his handicap."

Vol'jin nodded, grinning. "Indeed, but that boy thrives on his drive to be stronger. If I told him that, he would not work half as hard to improve it."

Gen'rash gave a nod of agreement, and was about to join the group of humans when he felt Vol'jin stiffen beside him.

"The air has changed…" the troll chieftain said in Trollish. "Something is going to happen…very soon."

* * *

Thrall sat upon his throne, only half-listening to the reports from the city magistrates. They met with him once a week, and alerted Thrall of everything that was happening in his city, and everything that they needed. He had heard all of it before, so he found it hard to listen when there were so many other things on his mind.

One of which was the situation with Vol'jin and the trolls, as well as Naruto and those two human compatriots of his. He had received a message; carried by a massive bird a few days ago, explaining what had happened, from when Thrall had lost contact with Vol'jin, to after Naruto had arrived and helped defeat the Bloodsail Buccaneers. He knew that he should be impressed by the blonde's display, but he found he couldn't be. Naruto had already demonstrated that he was capable of things that many would consider impossible. His actions didn't surprise Thrall, nor did the news of how strong the human girls were, either.

In his experience, humans were confusing people. They could commit the most terrible of crimes, and at the same time could be the most accepting of all the races. The people who had raised him were examples of the latter, while the terrible Admiral Proudmoore and his army had been examples of the former. But either way, humans were a tenacious, powerful species that Thrall couldn't help but admire for their strength of will, their character, and their potential.

Throughout history they had demonstrated that they could become the strongest of the defenders of the world, or the most terrible of antagonists. In either aspect, the character they had, the power, the will and the spirit; it was impossible not to be impressed by them.

Naruto, especially, was an example of this. He fought for people that he barely knew, under a set of ideals that were of his own devising. He would protect those he cared about, and fight for people he believed needed to be fought for, and inspiring them to fight for themselves.

Thrall could see that in the future, Naruto had the potential to be a great ruler, because of his ability to make allies, and to inspire those who needed to be inspired.

But his thoughts were not entirely on that subject. He was glad that Vol'jin was okay, and that soon the Horde might return to its previous state, before it had broken up, but he had much more pressing matters on his mind.

Rend Blackhand being the most prominent of such matters.

The so-called, "True Warchief" had been doing whatever he could to tear Orgrimmar apart, and he hadn't even attacked once. Many of the citizens of Orgrimmar, as well as a surprisingly large number of soldiers had deserted the ranks of the Horde, and joined the ranks of Blackhand's Horde. They had believed that Thrall was responsible for the Horde's current state, and they needed a leader that they could rely on.

So they had chosen Rend Blackhand, son of a former Warchief, Blackhand the Destroyer, back when the Horde was still under the hand of the Burning Legion, and brother of Maim and Griselda Blackhand, both of whom were dead. Rend, believing that it was his rightful place to be Warchief of the Horde, had launched a campaign against Thrall's position as Warchief even before the Horde had disbanded. When that had occurred, Rend took advantage of the situation by sending moles into Orgrimmar, spreading word of how much better it would be if Rend were Warchief.

To his horror, many had listened to these lies, and soon orcs had begun fleeing the city; leaving on zeppelins that would take them to the Blackrock Mountains, where Rend's base was located. Thrall had, of course, done his best to get rid of the moles, but the damage had already been done, and soon he had begun to hear whispers of doubt in his people, questioning whether he was a competent leader or not.

But he had held firm, and soon the whispers had begun to die away, especially with Naruto's arrival. They had almost disappeared completely when Cairn and the tauren had rejoined the Horde, and Thrall finally believed his position as Warchief was secure for the moment.

But somehow, he couldn't shake off a feeling of uneasiness surrounding the situation. He had heard little of Rend since the tauren had returned to the Horde, and that disturbed him. It made him feel as if Rend was planning something.

Rend was no genius, he knew, but neither was he stupid. He possessed the same Orcish charisma that his father had possessed, and Thrall knew that he even more control over his subjects than Thrall did. It was because Thrall had practiced a policy of clemency towards his enemies, and Rend, as far as he knew, was utterly ruthless; he inspired his people through strength, not through kindness. He catered to the most primordial instincts of the Orcish people, the instinct to fight, and to win.

That's why he knew that if Rend ever chose to attack, it would be an unmitigated disaster.

"Lord Thrall? Is something wrong?" came the deep voice of Nazgrel from beside him. The large orc walked up to the right side of Thrall's throne, his onyx eyes peering calmly at the Warchief.

Thrall shook his head. "No…it is nothing. Is that all?" he asked, gesturing to the magistrates, all of them having finished their reports. Nazgrel nodded, and Thrall dismissed them with a casual wave of his hand.

When the magistrates had departed, Thrall and Nazgrel were left alone, save for the Kor'kron Elites that stood outside the room, in their constant vigil to protect their Warchief.

"Are you sure that nothing is wrong, my lord?" Nazgrel asked again, not taking his piercing gaze off Thrall.

"No…I am not sure," the Warchief admitted. "I feel… uneasy these days. I feel as though something might happen, something that would not bode well for Orgrimmar or its people."

Nazgrel's eyes narrowed slightly, "You refer to the false Warchief?"

Thrall nodded.

Nazgrel shook his head, "Worry not, my lord. You are the true Warchief, and that fool will never compare to your might. Orgrimmar will never be taken with you on the throne."

The words gave Thrall small comfort, but he nodded anyways, giving a small smile of thanks.

"I can only hope that you are correct…I hope this feeling will pass."

His words sounded foolish even to his own ears.

* * *

DONE!

Another relatively boring chapter, but I did enjoy writing about Sakura and what was happening in Konoha in more detail. It also gives Sakura an incentive to look for Naruto's secret.

I love righting Gai and Lee scenes…its so much fun.

Thanks for all of you who helped with the name for Tsuwabuki, (I chose this one, mainly because it sounds cool and the person who suggested it, Death Raptor, made a good point that Naruto likes to garden.) I'll know in the future if I need to name anything else to ask you guys.

Hey, look, it's not one, but TWO OMAKES by Tatsu! Let's read them together, shall we?

* * *

**OMAKE 1 "Fun with Sai (part 2)" by MuhiTatsu**

(We once again see Tatsu, now back with Sai in a chair bound and gagged.)

Tatsu: Welcome back everyone to another rousing rendition of Sai's Fitting Punishment! I'm your host, Muhi Tatsu. Let's not dilly-dally though, shall we? Let's go to our mailbag and see what our terrific readers have suggested!

(A mailbag appears as if from nowhere and Tatsu begins looking for something good.)

Tatsu: Let's see… Bill, bill, bill, junk, Love letter to General Grievous… there are a lot of these… 'You may have won ten million dollars'… Ah Ha!

(Tatsu triumphantly holds out a real letter and begins to read it.)

Tatsu: Dear Tatsu and General, please cut Sai's nails and have them force-fed to him… through his eyelids? Huh, don't know how we're going to do that, but I can at least try.

(Apparently, Sai had heard this and his eyes go somewhat wide. Tatsu takes one of his daggers, and rather than merely cutting off the nails with it, he cuts the fingers and toes off one by one, rather impassively as well. However Sai doesn't scream. Tatsu then gains a contemplative look on his face and throws some spare rubbing alcohol on the open wounds, causing Sai to finally scream through the gag. Tatsu then delicately cuts off the nails on the torn appendages, getting the whole nails. Finally he removes the gag while grinding the nails into a fine powder… with his fists.)

Sai: Why? Why are you doing this? No matter how many times you kill me, I'll still be in that manga! It's not my fault; it's Kishimoto's!

Tatsu: I know, but you know what they say… the more of a person you kill off, the less they'll remember of them. Now, open wide, and I don't mean the mouth.

(The viewer hears distant screams, and the camera pans out.)

Tatsu: We'll be back, right after these messages!

Announcer: Are you tired of being weak? Sick and tired of being picked on or beaten to within a bloody inch of your life? Maybe you want quick revenge against someone who killed your clan? Well, than we've got the product for you!

Announcer: Introducing, Devil Fruit! Imported fresh from the Blue Seas, Devil Fruit comes in a variety of all natural fruit powers and flavors including rubber, sand, lightning, wax and even human to name just a few! Eat Devil Fruit and that big bully down the block now comes in both original recipe AND extra crispy!

Announcer: Only 99.99! Order now! Operators are standing by! (Really fast disclaimer) Devil fruit inc. is not responsible for any lives lost or drowning that may result. Devil Fruit only works properly with training, and do not attempt to fight evil pirate warlord gods under any circumstances, void where prohibited, under law.

Announcer: And now for adults, new Smoke Devil Fruit!

Tatsu: Welcome back! Unfortunately we don't have much time left as Sai has now hurled, and we've mostly run out of ideas for now. But, one more thing before we go. DORIS!

(Tatsu whistles and the viewer hears what seems to be a loud stomping coming ever closer.)

Tatsu: This should please fans of Icha Icha Naruto. Redjunko, this was your idea and I thank you for it. I did get your name right, I hope. For those who wish to know about Sai's fate, just read the story! See you later on Sai's fitting punishment!

* * *

**OMAKE 2 "When Worlds Collide"- By MuhiTatsu**

The majestic city of Ironforge, normally peaceful despite that enormous amount of training and forging that went on the city, was not peaceful for once.

The cause, and this was usually the case, lay in the tiny hands of the Gnomish tinkers, several of which had just arrived from Gnomeregan to work on a secret project that supposedly King Magni himself didn't know almost anything about. However, the great din that had arisen from Tinker Town had forced him to act. In fact, the whole area sounded like a war zone. When Magni and several of his best troops had arrived in the area, they were quite shocked at what they saw.

The poor groups of Gnomes were hiding wherever they could get cover as more than several dozen individuals… or creatures; he couldn't be sure which with all of them, who were attacking either each other or trying to attack the Gnomes. He could make out bits of what they were saying.

"The humans insult me even further now by taking me against my will and with short puny ones to boot! Well, eat this! SHARK ON DARTS!" a fishlike one charged.

"This isn't Hogwarts… AHHH! Fish-man charging straight at me! REDUCTO!" a small, dark haired boy let out.

"WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW? RANMA, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"You're going down Umbrella-teme! BAN-KAI!"

"I am the terror… that FLAPS in the night!"

Throughout all this, a single solitary young man leaned against a pillar, resting apparently, with his brow furrowing further and further as the noise increased. The Gnomes then spotted Magni and cried out.

"King Magni! Please, you need to help! An experiment went awry and now all these people have gotten loose! You have to hit the red button on the big black machine and they'll be gone!"

The young man then opened his eyes, which looked somewhat red, and growled out, "That's all I wanted to hear."

With immense speed, he took out a dagger and threw it straight into the machine's red button. Doing so caused a portal to open up in the middle of nowhere, sucking the remaining makers of chaos in. Finally, with a quick motion of the man's hand, the portal closed and he sighed in relief.

"Very impressive young man! Who might you be?" Magni asked after a few seconds of silence.

**DIMENSIONAL TRAVELER AND CUNNING FIGHTER**

**MUHI TATSU**

"Just look above. That'll tell you just about everything really, just like in One Piece."

Not getting the reference, Magni and his troops didn't face fault. Normally the Gnomes would have been quite upset over losing a machine that had taken them months to create, but seeing as how the core component of the machine, a bright green pendant was intact, as well as the awe they felt over Tatsu's mysterious power dampened any anger. Magni gave a smile.

"So Mr. Tatsu, would you care to partake of our hospitality? We really must thank you for saving some of our own." Magni said warmly. "You may be able to help us in our endeavors if your title is accurate."

Retrieving his dagger, Tatsu shrugged. "Got any bear or Dragon Brandy? Maybe some Elven Fizz?"

Undrig, who had come along with the king responded confusedly "Well… we've got bear tongue. No Dragon Brandy because we've never heard of it, and we're fresh out of Elven fizz unless the Night Elves come back to us. I'd suggest Blood Elf magic juice if it weren't so similar to cocaine, but I'm guessing you wouldn't want that…"

Tatsu sighed. "What I wouldn't give for some cherry Elven fizz right now." He muttered. "Well, okay, lead the way. And I'd appreciate a comfy bed right away if you don't mind."

"Right away." A Gnome in Magni's guard squeaked.

While the Gnome ran off ahead, Tatsu and Magni's entourage began to head through Tinker Town.

"Just out of curiosity…" Tatsu asked. "How were you able to open that portal? I've been traveling, but I've never seen so many different people at once."

Rurizzle sighed in exhaustion, "A few simple experiments…We weren't even trying to open it…it just did it by itself."

Tatsu nodded, "Guess you've been doing something special…but you could've asked a mage or something to just help you stabilize the portal, as it might've been easier than bringing so many…different people."

The three gnome brothers stared at each other, before proceeding to smash their heads repeatedly against the wall, while Tatsu whistled a catchy tune, smirking a little at their reactions.

* * *

Wasn't that fun, kids!

Hehe, seriously, give Tatsu a big hand, he's been a great help and is a very funny and clever guy. You will definitely be seeing more of him in the Omake world.

Now, reviewer mail!

**Kaerra- **Easily, all big demons have their own WiFi access, and what else would Kyuubi do in the meantime, aside from harass Naruto, of course.

**Binnybobarino- **Nah, Blood's eye wouldn't work well with anyone else. As for the pairing, let me say that there isn't going to be much in the way of romance for a while, save for hints and peeks. Both Naruto and Kira are not ready for romance, seeing as how both are far too focused on their mission, as of now. They are pleased just being friends, and Naruto has yet to give up on Sakura, because it isn't his nature to give up. Just wait and see what happens, in that area, k? Either way, Sakura is going to play a large part in the fic, later on.

**Dan Inverse- **Eh? Undead helping Rend? First I've heard of it. The Forsaken help the Horde, and pretty much everyone else hates the Lich King. If you're referring to the shadowed man in the previous chapter, he isn't undead…he's something else entirely. You'll see!

**Lutris Arguitiae-** Thanks, man, I'm glad that I have reviewers that are so helpful! I'll take your words into consideration, and you'll be added to my list of "people to ask if I need something put into Japanese".

**Gaul1- **g? What does that even mean? Please don't review unless you have something to say that isn't just a letter of the alphabet…

**Oldmagic- **There is a reason for that, mind you. I won't say anything yet, but the reason why Naruto is so quick to use the demon's chakra is not just my inability to think of anything else for Naruto to use. As for you last statement, I don't think so, because by the time he is as old as the Naruto in the manga, he will have way more practical experience, and that is a much better tool than simply training exercises.

**Tahari-** Timeline…eh…I don't really know right now. Probably a little over 4 months, maybe more, since Naruto has arrived? As for the rest of your questions, um…QUICK LOOK OVER THERE! (runs)

Well that's it…chapter should be out by next week, as promised, unless I get sidetracked by something. I didn't start this until late Friday night, having been addicted to replaying Final Fantasy IX and watching Hellsing, as well as playing Guitar Hero (such a cool game!)

Next chapter- The beginning of Rend's plan?

General Grievous

Spellbook- 

**_Kagesui- _**Using special chakra tattoos to pre-mold chakra without the use of seals into a genjutsu which causes the opponent to completely ignore the person, their brain simply glossing over the existence of the user of the technique. However, it only appeals to the sense of sight, and all of their other senses recognize the person.

**Shadow-walk-** Allows the person to transmit their entire body using the shadows around them. Can only use shadows that are visible.

Cookbook- 

**Men'ra- **A Trollish version of ramen- filled with an assortment of jungle meats, fruits and spices that leave a refreshing aftertaste! Also comes in low-fat!


	34. The Philosophy of A King

**Disclaimer: It's time forrrrrrrrr…..THE PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME SONG!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly time!**

**It's I don't own World of Warcraft or Naruto time!**

**It's peanut butter jelly t–wait…**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

It was late in the afternoon, the very same day that Naruto had passed the test Vol'jin had put forth. The three humans had spent much of the time after that simply enjoying the village in an effort to become as rested as possible for the journey, and to savor the last few hours of the peace that they had created only a week ago. For some reason, it felt like they were in the eye of a great storm– were everything was still, and it was soft and peaceful, with only the distant howling of wind to remind you of the ferocious winds that surrounded them.

But the difference was that they had no idea what the winds were; it was just a feeling in the pit of their stomachs, faint but still noticeable. Naruto couldn't get it out of his mind that he would not be able to see such peace as this for a while to come. He told himself that he was only returning to Orgrimmar, and as far as he knew, Orgrimmar wasn't in any danger; especially with someone like Thrall on its throne.

However, Vol'jin didn't share his optimism; he felt something was amiss, whether it be in Orgrimmar or somewhere else. Something was happening, or going to happen, that had set the clever chieftain on edge. And when the leader of a village is on edge, it is very hard for its people to not share his uneasiness.

But, the three humans made the best of their last hours in the village, speaking to their respective teachers, and saying general goodbyes all around.

Kira, dressed in a dark brown leather top (that covered everything), a Trollish kilt with the markings of a witch doctor (green, blue and purple), and short leather boots, continually thanked Gen'rash, speaking so quickly that it was very difficult for the Skullsplitter to understand what she was saying. So he simply nodded every once in a while, muttering words he knew in Orcish that expressed agreement, effectively recreating what every man does on a date with a girl who talks far too much.

Kylia, dressed in darker clothing, with a short sleeve leather top, dark leather pants with white and silver trimmings, and a long dark brown cloak, stammered her thanks to the giant Or'dash, who just gave a noncommittal grunt, and dropped a leather pouch into her hand.

"Dis' gon'a be 'elpin' yeh. It be poison, mae' from da' roo's o' de' feltrees a'roun' here. Be very helpful, it be," Or'dash rumbled, grinning toothily down at her.

Kylia looked at the poison in surprise and interest. She had already restored her knives to their hidden spots, having Kira heal the wounds instantly and without scarring. The trolls had also given her a new set of knives, which now lay around her belt. She smiled, and tucked away the pouch, stammering yet another thank you to the giant troll, who didn't look as if he was listening.

And finally Naruto, clad in the black and orange jacket (unzipped, his scar bared to all; it was far too hot for anything else, and, in his opinion, it looked cool even if he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath) that the gnomes had made for him; Mekkatorque's goggles on his forehead, and Magni's Pride slung across his back; a pair of black pants, coming down only to mid-shin, with orange markings that designated him a Shadowhunter that the trolls had just made for him, and finally his Konoha forehead protector slung around his belt, stood in front of Vol'jin with a fox-like grin on his face, his spirit animal, the fox Tsuwabuki, by his side.

Vol'jin matched the blonde's grin with one of his own toothy ones, and said calmly, "Thrall be knowin' you comin', as I sent him a letter not to long ago. I be sendin' a few o' my warriors wit ye, de ones dat be wantin' to head back to Orgrimmar first, as dey miss it de most," he then jerked his head in Gen'rash's direction. "He be goin' too, since he be ye good friend."

Kira looked up at Gen'rash, blinking in astonishment. She was about to ask him why he hadn't told them, but Vol'jin had already revealed the answer.

"He not be knowin' de words to tell you," the chief said, grinning at Gen'rash, who grinned back, oblivious.

Naruto, Kira, Kylia and even Tsuwabuki sweat-dropped. It was then that Kira noticed, making her sweat-drop even bigger, that the troll was wearing a large backpack.

'_How did I not notice that before?' _she wondered, her eye twitching slightly.

'**_It is me, or does he actually know less Orcish than when you first met him, Naruto?'_** Tsuwabuki asked, gazing up at the blonde in amusement.

Naruto scowled at her, muttering, "Why couldn't you have been a toad?"

Tsuwabuki looked affronted at the thought.

Vol'jin returned his gaze to Naruto, and said, "Be tellin' Thrall dat I be joinin' him in Orgrimmar, soon enough. I need to be helpin' de villages grow stronger an' more prosperous again down here, an' getting Booty Bay back into shape."

Naruto nodded, before Vol'jin turned and pointed down the dusty dirt road that led away from the village. "Head dat way, it be takin' ye to a zeppelin tower, near de ruins o' Grom'gol. I get de goblins in Booty Bay ta' bring one here, so ye be takin' dat back ta Orgrimmar." Then, his eyes softened, and he smiled widely at Naruto. "Take care o' yerself, bro'. An' be knowin' dat if ye ever wanna come back, ye always be welcome."

Naruto smiled, so brightly that even the sun couldn't compare, and nodded once more. Kira and Kylia said their goodbyes then, and the entire village saw them, along with the dozen or so trolls going with them, off. They continually looked and waved over their shoulders as they walked down the path, before the thick foliage of the jungle obscured their view of the village, and its people.

Their trek to the ruins of Grom'gol took a little over three hours, but the sun was still high and bright when they emerged from the jungle onto the sandy, warm beach of the Cape of Stranglethorn. Sure enough, amidst piles and piles of debris that likely once made up the wall of a large fort, there was a large zeppelin tower, as big as the ones both back in Orgrimmar and near Gnomeregan.

At the top Naruto saw many goblins busily preparing for the arrival of the zeppelin, which, according to a large Darkspear whose name Naruto didn't know, would arrive soon enough. So the group of trolls and their three (four if you counted the fox) companions rested near the base of the tower, basking in the light of the sun, and inhaling the salty sea air.

Naruto could certainly get used to this.

But, even as he rested, he couldn't help but still feel uneasy.

Kira shared his uneasiness, but for an entirely different reason. Her mind was back in Stormwind. She had had similar thoughts over the past week, but knowing that worrying about it would do her no good, she simply shook it off and threw herself back full-force into her training.

But now, with nothing to occupy her thoughts but her injured nation, she wondered what Benedictus was doing to keep everything together.

And she feared that it was quite possible that despite everything he did…things wouldn't hold together as he had promised.

* * *

Benedictus sighed, his golden orbs staring calmly forwards. It was nearly time for the Council to meet once more. However, he wasn't looking at all forward to it. Things were terrible in the city, and he didn't need a bunch of foolish, desperate nobles bellowing at him something that he already knew quite well. 

Things, as he had predicted, had taken a terrible turn for the worse after his public announcement that the Scarlet Crusade was no longer their ally. Thankfully, there had not been outright rioting, but there had been a massive emigration of people, heading north towards Lordaeron. He had even heard tales of ships, bearing the Scarlet insignia, sailing to pick up many of the people who had left seeking their sanctuary and guidance. He had sent several patrols of guards along the coasts, to prevent such it from happening any more, but it didn't do him or his standing as regent a lot of good.

Thankfully, the majority of the city's people still resided in it; but there was a tremendous amount of distrust. The people were quickly becoming divided. There were those believed it was wrong of Benedictus to have cut their ties with the Crusade, which made up a horrifyingly large portion of the populace, and the ones who believed he had done well, which made up a significantly smaller portion than he had hoped for. At this point in time, the division had not yet spurred on violence. What it did, however, was arguably as bad in Benedictus' eyes.

It divided. It ripped apart partnerships, friendships and even families. While it was still a good step away from violence, Benedictus had been alive long enough to know that relationships divided by such problems were very difficult to mend. Even then, there would be a scar in their relationship, and neither party would be able to forget what had happened for the rest of their lives.

But of course, it ran so much deeper than the issue on the Scarlet Crusade; Benedictus had observed the beginnings of this division soon after the disastrous events at Theramore. It not truly a division of those who believed the Scarlet Crusade had been a worthy ally, and those who believed not. It was a division between the people whose opinion of the leadership and governing of Stormwind had begun to drop, and those who still supported the government, holding desperately onto their old ways.

The ones who generally agreed that the Scarlet Crusade had been a good ally had been shown, through the king's death, Kira's flight, and Benedictus' installation as regent, that Stormwind was no longer in good hands. They were coming to believe that the current government of Stormwind was beginning to show through as incompetent, perhaps even corrupt. The nobles who supported this portion of the people continually told Benedictus that Stormwind belonged to the people, and only they could truly decide what was good for them.

It disgusted him, because in the hundred years of his life, he had never seen a nation's people that had truly known what was good for them. It left a terrible taste in his mouth, in saying it, but he always did.

A nation's people were fools.

They were pathetic, ignorant, and worst of all, prone to violence. They could not decide what was right for them, because they didn't know what was right for them.

That was why they needed a king. They needed a leader strong enough that they could put all of their faith and responsibility in. That man or woman needed also to have the strength, both in mind and body, to bear that tremendous responsibility; or else, the nation would fall.

This mentality was not limited to just humans, however. Benedictus had seen it many times, in many situations. In his experience, for a nation to remain strong in a time of despair, when the world is darker than any night, and every friend could be an enemy, a leader of great strength was needed. Through that leader's actions, the nation would prosper; it would be a beacon in the darkness, for other nations to flock to, and it would always whether the storm of war.

King Varian Wrynn had been a leader of this sort. He had gotten them through the Second and Third Wars, and Stormwind had been transformed into one of the strongest nations in the world. But when he disappeared, and his young son, Anduin had assumed the throne, the beacon of light had begun to dim. To be sure, it was a slow dimming, like a fire dying and turning to burning cinders, but it was dying nonetheless. But for a time, Benedictus had rested easy, hoping that Anduin would grow into a wise king who would lead their people through the slowly amassing darkness as his father had done so spectacularly.

And for a time, his hopes had seemed to be well founded. Though it took a incident like Theramore to do it, Anduin had seemed to fill his father's shoes nicely, marrying the only woman Benedictus had ever been able to trust, and bearing a daughter with the mother's talent and kindness, and the father's and grandfather's spirit and will power. Benedictus had begun to relax, knowing that Stormwind would be in good hands for at least another generation. The fire had begun to burn again, and the other nations of the Eastern Kingdoms: the gnomes, dwarves and then the elves, had approved of Anduin's methods and spirit, and flocked to him, keeping the Alliance up and strong.

But then, as if a bucket of the iciest of waters had been thrown upon the flame, dousing it in an instant, Stormwind had begun to spiral downwards, so quickly that it was almost surreal to the ancient Archbishop. First it had been Kira's mother's death, which had led to Anduin's state of mind's gradual decay into constant, volatile rage. Then the Alliance had begun to break apart, with Mekkatorque and his people heading off to Gnomeregan, then the elves leaving to deal with their own affairs, and finally the final falling out between Magni and Anduin. Then Kira had come to him, displaying the same determination that both her mother and father had displayed throughout their lifetimes, wanting to be trained. Then came the Scarlet Crusade, and finally Anduin's death. Before he had even known it, Stormwind had drifted into a state that he had feared above everything else.

While Naruto's appearance had alleviated some of his fears, more were still steadily piling onto him. He was an Archbishop of the Church of Holy Light; he was not a king.

He didn't believe he had he ability to bear the responsibility that the Wrynn's seemed to have a natural gift for. The evidence for this was clear enough. He was failing in his duty to keep Stormwind from falling apart.

But worst of all, he was failing Kira.

He felt a terrible sorrow within when he thought of that girl. His old body and mind were not meant for this, he knew. He did not have the spirit that she had. He was not meant to sit upon a throne, even as regent. He was meant to be an advisor. He had wisdom, but no charisma, the only thing that bound him to the people of the city was that he was human, as they were. It was the absence of that tie that made him a bad ruler.

Even so, it was because of him that Stormwind was not under the hand of an even worse ruler, who cared only for himself. That gave him a little comfort.

His thoughts were broken when the door opened, and the nobles began filing in; some were grim-faced, their eyes forward as if set in stone; others were red-faced, their eyes burning with barely suppressed rage; still others were merely solemn, their eyes were as tired as his own.

When they were all seated, Benedictus stood.

"There is no need to speak of why I have called you here, for you know it all too well. We must discuss what to do, and that decision must come soon, for we need it more so than ever now," he said, his eyes scanning the group.

Lord Sevenius Coutrend stood, and cleared his throat. "I propose an increase in patrols throughout the city. It is only a matter of time before the people of this city take to arms against each other. It would be best if we prevented this as long as humanly possible."

Benedictus nodded. Thought Coutrend was known for having a sharp, snake-like wit, and had had an almost youthful rebellion against the majority of the decisions that the Anduin had made, he was still a citizen of Stormwind. When Coutrend sat down, Bartholomew Shrund, a well-known supporter of the Crusade, stood, his face red with anger.

"Coutrend's proposition is foolish! We can trust the people to remain placid, for they have no need for violence! They hate is as much as we do!"

Coutrend smirked, "Is that so? Unless I'm mistaken, Captain Schaun has had to put down three large brawls in the streets between those who are outspoken against the crown, and those who support it. They were, in his words, I believe, scant seconds away from becoming riots."

Shrund opened his mouth to retort, but another noble, Dorian Black, spoke, cutting him off.

"Fighting is not needed here, gentleman, any more than it is needed on the streets. I agree with Coutrend's proposition. I also must confess that it would be in our best interests to allow the dwarves back into the long abandoned Dwarven sector. How have the negotiations been going, Archbishop?" he asked.

Benedictus smiled a little. "Well, both Magni and Mekkatorque have been sending messages regularly. They wish to make this work as much as we do." Then, he sighed. "Unfortunately, I would say that calling the dwarves back at this point in time would not alleviate anything. It might even invite more opposition, for those who seem to support the Crusaders."

Marcus Trenillias stood, and asked, calmly, "How many have left this week to head north?"

Benedictus grimaced, "At the least, five-hundred. Many are continuing to flee to their sanctuary, the Scarlet Monastery, and they are happily accepting any who appear. From what Schaun's men have told me, they have sighted Scarlet ships on four occasions in the last week. The reports from Southshore indicate that they have also sent caravans, to pick them up by land."

Trenillias grimaced, and sat down.

A tall man with spindly limbs and a thin, severe face stood. His name was Arcius Ambros, whose family had been advisors for past kings for many generations.

"I, for one, think it foolish to stall as we are now. You all can see it as well as I, that it was the dissention brought on by Archbishop Benedictus' decision to cut our ties with the Scarlet Crusade that is the crux of this problem. I have said it before, and yet I'll say it again. Now is the time for action, and we must seize the chance to unite the people of Stormwind again. What, pray tell, as the Scarlet Crusade done that is so terrible? There is not a person in here that is not hateful of the Scourge and Sylvanas' Forsaken. They have dedicated all of their power to destroying these monsters…these perversions of our noble race. If we bring the Scarlet Crusade back, and really with them, then we can work on convincing those who do not support them. The longer we stall, the more chance there is for violence in the future." His eyes, a deep brown, flitted across the room, as if daring to challenge any who opposed his idea.

Benedictus once another sigh, and said, his voice slightly raspy, "I will stand by my decision, Lord Ambros. So long as I am regent, then we shall not ally with the Crusaders."

The truly horrible thing about it was that he knew his decision was wrong. A true leader would, to stop his people from killing each other, simply ally with them, if only to keep an eye on them. The saying, "Keep you friends close, but your enemies closer" was never so true as it was then.

But, he wouldn't do it. He would not sully Stormwind's reputation, and he would not ally with murderers such as them. It went against everything he had ever believed, as a member of the Church of Holy Light.

It was just more evidence that he was not a true ruler.

Lord Ambros sat down, displaying no emotion on his thin face, but a look of smug triumph in his eyes, knowing that he was right.

Benedictus barely listened to the next council member who spoke, as his eyes had fallen on the seat that was normally occupied by the wondrous Lady Prestor.

It was empty.

'_Where could she be…?' _he wondered. Lady Prestor, as far as he knew, had been in the castle since the king's death. She had also never missed a council meeting, as far as he knew.

He did not dismiss it. He placed in the back of his mind, alongside the image of her face after Theramore had been mentioned, what seemed like a lifetime ago.

If there was ever a woman who couldn't be trusted, it was that one.

* * *

The night air rushed by Kira as she stood upon the deck of the large zeppelin, lost in thought. Though her body was high in the air, her mind was not. It was grounded firmly on the affairs of the earth, and ever since she had begun thinking about it earlier that day, she hadn't been able to stop. 

She feared for her nation.

She was beginning to wonder if she had made the right choice in leaving Stormwind, leaving her people. Wasn't the safety and security of the city now her responsibility? That, her father had always said, was the foremost job of a ruler. A ruler who didn't care for the people's safety was not a ruler at all.

But a ruler who cared, yet still didn't provide…wasn't that just as bad?

She sighed again, feeling miserable. Normally, her faith in Benedictus would have been enough to assure her that everything was going to be fine. But the look in his eyes, as she had left Stormwind castle via the Hearthstone, had cracked that seemingly unbreakable faith that she had in her master. Though his words had said to her that he would make sure everything was fine, his eyes hadn't.

It was a person's eyes that revealed everything about them.

Still staring off into space, she didn't notice Naruto walk up beside her, and give a cheerful, "Yo, Kira-chan!"

Startled by the boy's sudden appearance, Kira floundered about for a second, before turning sharply to him, clutching her chest.

"Naruto! You scared me…!" she said, taking a few deep breaths.

Naruto cocked his head to the side, his eyes squinted in a very vulpine way. "Somethin' wrong?" he asked, leaning forwards, so close his face was only a few inches from hers.

Kira backed up a little, flushing red. "No…nothing," she said, her spirits plummeting as her mind went back to the subject of her people.

Naruto, who in most circumstances was gullible as hell, wasn't fooled. "You're lying," he said, sidling up close to her again. "Your eyes are sad, and I think that means that something is wrong."

She looked at him, slightly surprised. So he noticed things like that too….

"Well," she began, turning away from him, back towards the endless night in front of her. "I was thinking of…Stormwind. When I left, so many things were wrong…and with my father's…d-death, things could only get worse. Benedictus told me that he'd oversee everything, but I cannot help but feel worried for everyone in the city. Something is terribly wrong…and I can do nothing to stop it. I know my dream is to unite the people of this world…but I don't think I can put the well-being of my people in jeopardy, if it means accomplishing that dream."

Naruto, by now, was also staring into the darkness. The boy didn't answer her at first, his clear blue-eyes, the color of the sky, slightly misted with the symptoms of heavy thought. When he did answer her, it was surprising.

"Don't worry about it," he said, simply.

She looked at him, blinking several times. "What?" she said.

He turned and grinned at her. "Don't worry about it. You gotta have faith that the people you're gonna rule over someday are strong. You said that your dad was a great leader, and if his dad was king too, he was probably great as well. You told me that Stormwind was destroyed, but the people rebuilt it, stronger than ever. After so many great leaders, I don't think that the people would be that weak. If you have faith in their strength, then they will still be there when you get back."

He turned back into the darkness, and continued. "I'm gonna be Hokage, and a Hokage is the strongest in the village. I have to get strong so that I can prove myself to the people that I am as strong as they are, and that I am worthy of their faith and trust. You do too. If you get strong, Kira-chan, then you'll be able to prove to them that you too are worthy of their faith and trust. That old weirdo…Benedictus or somethin', knew this too, and that's why he sent you away. We're both not ready yet, so we have to get as strong as possible that when the time comes, we'll show them all."

Then, he grinned his infamous grin, and turned to her again. "You gotta trust that weird geezer, and you've gotta trust your people. A leader who doesn't have faith in his people's strength isn't one at all."

Kira blinked, staring at Naruto with wide eyes. Right then…he had sounded so much like her father. He spoke with an air of absolute certainty. After all he had been preparing himself to become Hokage since he was very young. Even after the treatment that he had received from the villagers, he saw only their strength, and their indomitable spirit. He had not stopped believing in them, and probably never would. That was what a true leader needed to do: have faith in his people, and be strong enough to bear the burden of their faith in him. It was an effort on both parts that led to the success of a nation.

She laughed a little, and wiped away a few unshed tears. Naruto was right. She needed to focus, to get stronger, and to complete her dream.

Her people would be waiting for her, when she got back. They were strong, and could whether the terrible storm that had assailed them for so long.

"Naruto…" she said, smiling at him. "Has anyone ever told you…that you're very kind?"

Naruto blinked, a little surprised by the girl's statement. "Uhh…I don't think so…" he confessed.

She smiled, "You are. You're kind… and even though there are so many better words for it, I think that word suits you. You have to be the kindest person I have ever met. You're risking your life so much, just to help me…even when you have promises to keep back home…you're still here, comforting me, and helping me achieve my dream."

By this point, Naruto was blushing from ear to ear, a goofy smile on his face. Honestly, he had never heard such nice words uttered to him before in his life. And it was coming from a girl, no less.

A very cute girl, to boot.

'**TAKE HER NOW, BRAT. SHE WILL MAKE A FINE MATE.**'

'_Argggh! Shut up! Stupid fox!'_ he mentally howled, blushing even more.

Though she hadn't heard what the demon had said, she giggled a little at the look on the boy's face. He had obviously never had such a compliment before, so she had thought that it would be appropriate to give him one.

If she had been any wiser in the ways of love, she would have realized that her words had sounded somewhat like a confession. But, thankfully, she was as ignorant of those ways as Naruto was of Hinata.

Unfortunately for both of them (more so Naruto) Kylia had overheard much of the final portion of the conversation, having come up to see what had become of her mistress. Hiding behind a couple of boxes that had been strapped to the deck with ropes, she watched the two, her eyes focused with caution on the boy.

'_One move…'_ she thought, gripping a knife in her hand. '_If he makes one move on my mistress…a hand in the wrong place, a kiss on the cheek, or…any such inappropriate action, then I shall have grounds to kill him. He is a very nice person, but I will not let a ruffian like him defile my mistress.'_

Fortunately for Naruto, he gave a big yawn, and said to her tiredly, "Hehe…I'm gonna hit the hay, okay? Seeya in the mornin' Kira-chan!"

"'Night Naruto," the girl retorted, giving a little wave as the boy walked back, his hands behind his head, towards the stairs that led into the zeppelin's hold. He stopped on his way by to say a quick goodnight to a shocked Kylia, whose presence he had smelt almost as soon as she had arrived.

'_Man,'_ he thought, cheerfully, giving a little wave to Kylia, who backed away in shock and surprise, '_that girl's a little weird…kinda like Hinata.'_

He reached his cabin, and stepping over a sleeping Tsuwabuki, he kicked off his sandals, and dropped onto the rough bed sheets. He was asleep soon enough, his troubled mind at rest. Tomorrow they would be back in Orgrimmar, and the next leg of his journey would begin.

Or so he thought…

* * *

Above the numerous winding halls and many smaller chambers that made up the Blackrock Spire, there was a single chamber, so titanic that an army of ten thousand would still have had room to breath should they have been inside it. It was circular, and there were many openings in the wall, each shining with a distant, reddish light: the light of the outside world. 

But it was not an army of ten thousand that occupied it at the moment. No, it was only half that number, standing in the very center of the chamber. Surrounding them were thirteen gigantic zeppelins, the thirteenth being at least twice the other's size, each positioned in front of one of the holes. The largest of them was positioned in front of an even larger hole, and it was on the deck of this massive zeppelin, looking over the five thousand or so orcs and the occasional smattering of ogre, that Rend Blackhand stood, in his fullest glory. He was dressed in armor of the deepest black, covering the majority of his body. His grey hair was tied back in two long tails, and across his back was slung a giant sword; it had the shape of an elongated butcher's cleaver, and was glowing with runes. His single red eye scanned the thousands of orcs that had gathered. He could feel their anticipation.

He could feel their bloodlust.

He raised a single hand into the air, and their excited rumblings quieted.

"Today, my brethren…we reclaim that which has been lost to us for years. Today we depose the weakling that is Thrall, and we put Orgrimmar and the Horde under the rule of someone who is truly worthy: Me.

"Today we will rain fire on them, we will prove to the world that the Orcish race is the one to fear, and to respect. Even the Lich King shall tremble in his boots when he hears our name. Orgrimmar is rightfully ours, and it belongs in the hands of the strong: Us.

"Today, my brethren, the natural order of things will be returned, and the Orcish race will become as strong and noble as it once was. We will not falter, for this is our destiny." His voice got louder, and he began speaking even faster, his eyes wide with a crazed rage.

"WHO WILL MAKE THE MOUNTAINS SHAKE, AND THE SEAS RECEDE IN FEAR?"

"BLACKHAND!" they shouted, raising their weapons high into the air. "BLACKHAND!"

"WHO WILL MAKE THE TITANS TREMBLE, THE ELEMENTS QUAKE IN TERROR, THE SUN DARKEN, AND THE VERY SPIRITS OF THIS WORLD BOW DOWN IN AWE AND RESPECT?"

"BLACKHAND! BLACKHAND! BLACKHAND!" they roared.

"VERY WELL! THEN COME BRETHREN; LET US SHOW THEM THAT THE NAME BLACKHAND IS ONE TO BE FEARED. LET US SHOW THAT WEAKLING WHO IS MEANT TO SIT ON THAT THRONE!"

The chamber exploded into an incoherent frenzy of roars, cheers, cries and bellows. The orcs began to move into the zeppelins, chanting the name of their clan, and consequently their leader, all the way.

"BLACKHAND! BLACKHAND! BLACKHAND! BLACKHAND! BLACKHAND!"

Rend's mouth twisted into a smile, and he turned, walking along the deck until he reached the middle. A massive form stood upon it, eagerly watching the events unfold.

"Soon, Gyth, we shall rid Orgrimmar of that tick that is Thrall. Together we shall destroy any in our path!"

The chromatic dragon stood well over ten feet tall, its wingspan twice that size, and was a strange magenta color that seemed to shine many different colors, depending on how you looked at it. It's eyes were many colors as well, with bits of red, blue, green, yellow, brown, and black within them. It let out a terrible roar of anticipation and soon Rend joined it, raising both hands into the air as he bellowed out into the air.

"BLACKHAND!"

* * *

That day in Orgrimmar, it was unusually cloudy. It was also unusually cool, and though some enjoyed the chance to frolic about, without the danger of sunburn or dehydration, others began to question if something was wrong. The deeply spiritual, for example, were doing their best to discover the intentions of the spirits, some claiming that they were angry, and others claiming that they were helping out a little. As far as anyone knew, it had never been so unusually cool, especially in this time of year. 

There was also a certain degree of tension within the masses. If one were a visitor, and had not lived in Orgrimmar for very long, they would not have seen this. However, those who had lived there all their lives saw it quite well. Something was amiss, even though nobody knew what.

Within Grommash Hold in the Valley of Wisdom, Thrall, Warchief of the Horde, sat upon his throne, brooding. He too felt the tension in the city, and for the life of him couldn't discover what it was.

Nazgrel had come by several times reporting to him that nothing was amiss in the city, save for the strange tension that hovered in the air. His people, he realized, felt it too.

Nazgrel came by once again, several minutes later, his eyes filled with slight concern.

"My lord," he said. "Are you alright?"

Thrall chuckled, "I believe we have had this conversation before, Nazgrel. Everything is alright; with me at least. However, it would seem my fears have somehow spread to my people."

Nazgrel sighed. "Perhaps I should have the guardians prepare themselves for a battle? It is, as you always say, better safe then sorry?"

Thrall waved him off. "No…do not bother. It is likely I am just tired. I have been working quite a bit lately. Tell me, do you have any reports from Cairn?"

Nazgrel gave a swift nod. "He and his people have already succeeded in reversing much of the damage done by the Venture Company. They are working on rebuilding Windshear Crag and replanting the trees that were lost. Interestingly, we have learned that the Venture Co. has broken up, and has formed several independent companies, each one specializing in a different area of expertise. Two of them have even approached us with offers on oil, ore, and lumber."

Feeling better that he had something to discuss, Thrall said, "I hope you turned away that last one. The Warsong Lumber Mill provides us with all of the wood that we need. However, it would not hurt to have more ore in our stocks. I might like to meet with the president of that company, perhaps to discuss an arrangement with them."

"That would be beneficial, my lord," said Nazgrel, nodding. He too felt a little relieved to discuss something other than the tension that everyone was feeling then.

"And what of Sylvanas…has she replied to our offer, yet?"

Nazgrel shook his head, "No, we have heard nothing from her. I don't expect to, either, for she never seemed like a true part of the Horde."

Thrall sighed, "You are not the only one. But I feel that she is a worthy ally, and it would be for the good of the Horde to have her allegiance once more."

Nazgrel frowned, but said, "Perhaps. Know that I will trust your judg–"

Nazgrel suddenly trailed off, and he cocked his head to the side, so that his ear was turned upwards. His frown deepened, causing Thrall to cock his head as well.

He heard something, then. It was the sound of propellers, distant, very distant, but still there. It worried him, for he had never before heard a zeppelin from within the walls of Grommash Hold, especially since the zeppelin tower was outside the city walls.

He stood, his fears quickly escalating. He walked past Nazgrel, who followed quickly, and out of the throne room, and down the long hall. They passed the Shaman's den, and exited the Hold, there eyes immediately skyward.

Thrall's heart plummeted, and his eyes widened. It would seem that his fears were confirmed.

In the distance, high above the city, a group of abnormally large zeppelins flew. They were painted black, with a flaming symbol that Thrall knew only too well over that blackness.

The symbol of the Blackrock Orcs, the symbol of Rend Blackhand.

Then, his fear was replaced with determination and rage. If that fool thought he could attack Orgrimmar, his city, then he was an even bigger fool that Thrall had ever imagined.

His people were stronger than any enemy, and would be more than enough to stop Rend from succeeding in his attack.

But then, he felt something sharp against his neck, not quite piercing his first layer of skin. His eyes widened, and he turned slightly, if only to get a look at the person who had done it.

He growled. "So this is how you treat your lord?" he asked, his voice thick with venom.

* * *

High above Orgrimmar, on the largest zeppelin, Rend Blackhand let out a terrific bellow, which was echoed by his sky-high army, all with their weapons drawn, and their mouths frothing with the bloodlust that had overcome them. They were true orcs in their eyes, orcs who fought for the pride and power of their race. 

An orc's pride in himself could only be shown in battle. Their power could only be decided by how many times they have killed, and how many battle scars they had. Fighting was the only thing an orc could do, and they were the best of the best in that area.

Today they would prove that to the world.

There was not a soul upon those zeppelins that was not in some way anticipating the forthcoming battle.

Rend raised his hand into the air, and thundered to all of his orcs, "ANY WHO RESIST, SLAY! AND ANY WHO CONCEDE, LET THEM TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST THE FALSE ONE!"

He laughed at the accompanying cheers, before bringing his hand down in a swift arc. The zeppelins then began to descend towards the mighty city, moving as a single creature, a swarm of hate and rage that radiated throughout Durotar, saturating the unusually cool air with the fires of wrath and battle-lust.

Below, those loyal to Thrall were fast working to gather a group of fighters to combat the threat that was drawing closer and closer every second. However, they immediately encountered resistance in the form of many traitorous orcs, who had infiltrated their ranks long ago, long before Thrall had rooted out the moles in the city.

When the zeppelins had gotten to an appropriate height, hundreds of robes descended from them, hitting the ground in loud thumbs. Blackrock orcs began to pour from the zeppelins, climbing down with almost demonic speed, their faces twisted into the glorious joy of battle.

Others, far too excited to waste time climbing down a robe, simply leapt from the zeppelins, landing with thunderous crashes upon the ground, on both feet, unharmed. They were true orcs. They were not weak.

The guardians of Orgrimmar, however, did not plan to let them take the city so easily. They shouted into the air, as they lifted their axes and rushed towards the amassing Blackrock orcs.

"FOR THE HORDE!" they cried.

They smashed into the quickly growing crowd of Blackrock orcs, slashing at the wall with practiced ease. The first row was quickly cut down, but the second row quickly offered a more than competent defense, knocking them back, and charging in like berserkers, there weapons swinging with ferocious zeal, roaring as adrenaline poured through their bodies.

It was there that Golbarn, friend of Naruto, and Orcish Blademaster, found himself, slicing at any orc that bore a flash of the red symbol of Blackhand's Horde.

Golbarn growled, parrying a swift and merciless blow towards his neck. Redirecting the leverage, he pushed the orc off of him, and punched him in the face, before skewering him through the stomach and moving on.

He avoided a large axe directed at his midsection, and decapitated the offending orc with his gore-covered blade. He turned just in time to be slammed in the chest by a gauntlet-covered fist, which drove him backwards with far more force than he had expected. He was surprised by the orc's strength.

The orc that had attacked him ran towards him again, lifting up a large hammer. As he did, more ran at Golbarn from the sides and behind, intending to rip him apart. He held his sword out then, and gathered his chakra into it. With a terrible roar of "**BLADESTORM!"** Golbarn spun his body, causing chakra to explode outwards, forming a cyclone around him. The whirlwind of chakra expanded outwards, chopping up the charging orcs as if they were fresh vegetables.

But his attack didn't stop there. As the Bladestorm died around him, Golbarn leapt into the air, gathering more chakra into his blade. It began to glow with electricity, and after performing a single seal with his left hand, he brought it down into another group of Blackrock orcs, shouting, "**THUNDER CLAP!"**

His sword struck the ground, and there was a loud **BOOM** that was not unlike that of thunder. Chakra poured from Golbarn's blade and into the ground, blasting it apart. Blackrock orcs were flung away from the shockwave of pour, some landing in fatal positions upon their brethren, others simply senseless from the power and suddenness of the attack. It was clear to Golbarn, however, that the attack was not as effective as he had expected it to be. Most of the orcs were getting back up, dazed, but still alive.

'_Even against other orcs…'_ thought Golbarn, eyeing the swiftly recovering Blackrocks. '_This technique should have knocked out, even outright slain more. These orcs are stronger than most…what are they?'_

The attack had taken all of them unprepared. That was something that Golbarn didn't like: being caught unprepared. As such, it was difficult for him to adapt to such situations, because for the moment, he had no plan, and in his opinion, that was the worst thing possible in a battle.

Naruto had always proved him otherwise, of course, but the boy wasn't here, and therefore Golbarn was fighting blind.

'_I will find lord Thrall…'_ he thought, gathering another wave of chakra into his sword. '_That will be my plan, for the moment.'_

Swinging his blade in a wide arc, Golbarn unleashed a Mortal Strike. The blade of wind and chakra ripped apart a group of Blackrock orcs in front of him, giving him a path. He quickly charged through it, his mind set, already looking towards his goal.

'_You'd best hurry here, brat. I don't think we'll be able to do this without you.'_

_

* * *

_

"So, this is how you treat your lord?" said Thrall, his voice thick with venom.

The Kor'kron Elite dug the dagger harder into his neck, and growled in a low voice, "You are no lord of mine, Thrall. I do not serve the weak. My allegiance has always been with lord Blackhand, and it always will be."

Nazgrel, who was a few feet behind and was in a similar situation as his master, gave a snarl. "Such underhanded tactics… I thought Rend boasted that his were 'true' orcs. I see no 'true' orcs, only rats that are dressed within armor of the Elites."

The Kor'kron Elite holding him snorted. "There are no rules in battle, Frostwolf, you of all should be aware of that. We are not above using such techniques in battle."

Thrall heaved a sigh. "You should know that we aren't either."

He stepped forward, into the knife, but seconds before it cut the skin, his body hardened in the Earth form, _Kongou_. The orc drew his weapon across Thrall's neck, but it didn't even cut the skin. The Warchief suddenly turned, so swiftly that it was as if he had been facing that way all along. He smashed his head into the Kor'kron Elite's armored helm, the _Kongou_ still in place on his upper body. It dented the helmet inwards, so hard that blood gushed from an unseen wound upon the orc's forehead, and he dropped to the ground, dead.

Meanwhile, Nazgrel had pushed off his feet, slamming his entire body into the orc holding him, ejecting both of them backwards. The sudden action startled the orc into dropping his weapon, but Nazgrel didn't stop moving, not even when he slammed hard into the wall of Grommash Hold, repeatedly. The Kor'kron Elite dropped, unconscious, his armor in pieces from the repeated introduction of his body to the tremendously dense wall of the hold.

He turned to Thrall, his onyx eyes filled with a cold fire. The fire of the Frostwolves, some would say.

"What will you do, my lord?" he rumbled.

Thrall turned towards Grommash Hold, seeing the four Kor'kron Elite that guarded the inner sanctum running towards them, their weapons drawn, their faces filled with the maddened rage of a Blackrock orc.

"I shall first retrieve my hammer, Nazgrel, and then I shall find that fool, Rend Blackhand, and show him the true strength of the Horde. What will you do?" said Thrall, turning his glittering, icy blue eyes towards Nazgrel.

The Frostwolf grinned. "I shall be by your side, my lord, as always."

Thrall nodded, and started towards the orcs, who had by now reached the Shaman's den. Making a series of quick, effortless seals, the Warchief of the Horde thundered, "**Chain Lightning!"**

In a series of flashes, streams of lightning erupted from Thrall's outstretched hand, striking the first Kor'kron Elite in the chest, and then arcing to the next two, which then arced to the final one. The blasts ran more volts than even the orcs could take, and when Thrall walked past them, they lay charred and smoking upon the ground, no more alive than statues.

Nazgrel remained outside, his eyes turned skywards. Above them, the largest zeppelin of them all hovered, and it was there that Nazgrel knew Rend was, most likely staring down at him at that moment.

And he was right.

High above Grommash Hold, Rend stood leering down at the sight. The sounds and smells of battle were ringing in his ears. Nothing would be able to stop them now, he knew. Orgrimmar would see the error in making Thrall leader. He would make sure of that.

His smile widened as he felt Thrall's chakra join the Frostwolf's outside the hold. He turned his head sideways, to face the giant dragon that stood by his side.

"Ready, Gyth, to show them our power?"

The dragon let out a low growl, and Rend, with a grin, leapt from the zeppelin, Gyth following him quickly. The huge dragon dove beneath him, and he landed deftly upon its back as it swooped downwards towards the giant hold.

Gyth landed with a great booming sound, causing the entire valley to shake. Thrall and Nazgrel stood, unaffected by the dust that the dragon had kicked up, and as it cleared, they got their fist look at the terrible orc.

Rend grinned, standing up upon his saddle, and un-slinging his massive sword. His terrible red eye pierced directly into Thrall's, and his mouth had twisted into a terrible grin.

"Hello, weakling. Are you ready to die?" he said.

Thrall lifted the Doomhammer, his blue eyes shining with determination. "I think it should be me asking that question, fool, for it will not be me who dies here."

Rend's grin stretched open even further. He was going to enjoy this very much.

* * *

Naruto heard one of the goblins telling the Darkspear, whose name Naruto still didn't know, that they would be arriving in Orgrimmar very soon. Naruto had already known this, of course, as a little before he had begun to recognize the terrain. Rather than taking the purely sea route, the zeppelin was passing over Ratchet, and from then on going by land towards Orgrimmar. 

Having been sent to the Barrens for many missions, Naruto easily recognized where they were in relation to the Orcish capital city. He was anxious, as well. The feeling that had gripped him and Vol'jin the previous day was making it very difficult for Naruto to sit still, especially when they were so close to Orgrimmar.

In order to distract himself from this anxiousness, Naruto had busied himself in telling Kira and Kylia (and Tsuwabuki, but she knew quite a bit about it already) about Orgrimmar. He didn't remember a lot of the history behind it, but he did know a lot about it currently. He told them of the many exotic and cool shops and stores. He told them about Sarjak's loon'des, and the different valleys. Kira seemed very interested in it, because she confessed that there was little literature explaining the Orcish city, as no human had supposedly been allowed inside since Jaina Proudmoore, and she had been in Theramore for the majority of her final days.

He also told them about the surrounding area, and what was in it. Kira was particularly fascinated by the tales of the Wailing Caverns, and expressed a wish to see them, if that was possible. Kylia seemed a bit more interested in what lay in Mulgore, so Naruto told them about its peaceful beauty, as well as about Thunder Bluff and the friendly tauren that lay within.

"You guys'll really like Orgrimmar!" Naruto said enthusiastically. "It's a great place, even if it does smell a little funny."

Kira nodded, smiling, mostly in amusement at the enthusiasm Naruto was expressing. It seemed to her like Orgrimmar had become almost a second home to the boy.

"I be agreein'" rumbled the Darkspear from before, startling the three. "Orgrimmar be a great place, be home to many o' my people."

Naruto nodded in agreement, still wondering who the orc was. He was about to ask who he was, when there was a sudden shout from the bow of the zeppelin, which drew the troll's attention towards it. The three humans turned towards it as well, and quickly ran to the bow, along with many of the other trolls.

"What's going on?" asked Kira to Gen'rash. The Skullsplitter didn't speak, only pointed, his face grim.

Naruto pushed past one of the trolls, and looked in the direction Gen'rash was pointing.

He gasped.

In the distance, he could see rising plumes of smoke from the great city, and the smell of blood wafted into his nose.

Orgrimmar was under attack.

* * *

BLARGLE! This was most certainly a tough chapter to write. Dunno why…just was. Next one should be better, I think. 

Okay, since I missed April Fool's Day, I wrote this omake about the most recent chapter of the Naruto manga…please, if you are under at least 16 years old, do not read it, and salvage your dignity and pride. Also, do not ask me what the significance of the jutsu are, should you not know. They are not appropriate. If you really want to, just go to Urban Dictionary.

Okay, here it is!

* * *

**Omake (WARNING spoilers for chapter 301!) by General Grievous **

Sai was silent as he followed Orochimaru, the cruelest of the Sennin (arguably), and easily the creepiest. He had entered the lair of the Snake Sennin not a few minutes ago, and already he thought the place could use a little more décor.

The massive chamber they entered had seemingly no ceiling; it was consumed by the shadows, as were most of the columns. There were only a few dim torches on the distant walls, barely giving the room any light at all. The effeminate young ninja gazed around placidly, his trained artist's eye noting all of the wonderful shadings in the room, and he made a note to sketch the room as soon as he got a chance.

If he had had emotions, he would've expressed displeasure at the smell of the room. It stank of mold and mildew, and there was a warm dampness in the air. He also caught the pungent scent of sweat, as well as another odor, which he could not identify at that moment.

Then, he caught sight of a figure in front of him, sitting, etched in shadows, in front of a large statue of a massive snake. The figure was almost completely shrouded in darkness, save for his crimson eyes, which were focused on Orochimaru at this point in time.

Sai almost gasped, but then remembered that he had no emotions, and simply raised an eyebrow in what he hoped to be astonishment.

'_That is…Uchiha Sasuke,'_ he thought, feeling the power that the young man gave off, and almost shuddering.

"Hey," Sasuke said, coldly, his piercing Sharingan eyes boring into Orochimaru's golden, snake-like ones. "Teach me a new jutsu."

"Where are your manners?" roared Kabuto, scowling at the second defected Uchiha.

Orochimaru shot a look at the medic-nin, before smirking sweetly at Sasuke, his golden eyes glinting with amusement…and something Sai couldn't identify.

"Now, now, Sasuke-kun," the Snake-Sennin said. "We have a guest today…" he gestured towards Sai, who gave a slight bow.

"I am honored to meet you, Uchiha Sasuke," Sai said, smiling a very fake smile.

"Fuck off!" snapped Sasuke, note even looking at the boy. "Train me, now!" he said to Orochimaru.

Sai blinked, and opened his mouth to speak his apologies, but Orochimaru cut him off.

"Don't bother him," the Sennin said. Then to Sasuke: "Fine, I still have much to teach you, don't I?"

Sasuke snorted, "I've already mastered that technique, '**Egetsunai Sanchez (Dirty Sanchez) no jutsu'**" the boy said, his voice laced with arrogant pride.

Sai blinked at the strange name, as Orochimaru smirked and said, "Is that so? Then perhaps I should teach you the '**Shiroi Tatsu (White Dragon) no jutsu' **and the '**Houdini no jutsu'.**"

Sai was growing ever more confused as Sasuke stood up, his piercing eyes still on Orochimaru. The snake Sennin then gestured towards him again, and said sweetly. "He is inexperienced, I think, and might benefit from the training as well. He is to be your comrade now."

Sasuke stared at Sai, who was suddenly awash with a sickening, and naked feeling.

'_It's like…he's undressing me…with his eyes!'_ the effeminate shinobi thought, both shocked and aroused by the look.

Sasuke snorted, "Pff…whatever, he can join us if he likes."

The audible ruffling of clothes being removed was heard, and Orochimaru began to walk towards the shadowed form.

"Wait," the second sequel to the traitorous Uchiha said, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Orochimaru paused mid-step, then sighed, and pushed his hands together, shouting, "**Henge no jutsu!"**

The tall, dark, and heavily eye-shadowed man vanished, and to Sai' shock, he was replaced with the short, spiky-haired form of Uzumaki Naruto.

"Is this better?" Orochimaru said, even mimicking Naruto's voice.

Sasuke laughed, "Perfect…prepare yourself for my strongest jutsu, slave! **Atsui Carl (Hot Carl) no jutsu!**"

As the darkness enshrouded the two, and a plethora of sounds not meant to be heard by those in a Teen rated fiction, or by any straight man, Sai found himself smiling truly for the first time in his life.

'_I have…entered nirvana!'_ he thought, clenching his fist and crying in a frighteningly Gai-like way.

Meanwhile, Kabuto was busy slinking away, his hands over his ears, his stomach dangerously close to turning itself inside out.

'_And they think I'm weird…'_ he thought, shuddering. Maybe it would have been better for him to have remained Sasori's subordinate…

* * *

I love to hate Sasuke! 

Also, we have another Omake by Tatsu! It's a bit longer this time, too.

* * *

**The (Mis)Adventures of Muhi Tatsu, dimension traveler pt. 2: Tatsu's return to Konohagakure no Sato!**

After having helped the Gnomes and Dwarves of Ironforge stabilize their portal, Muhi Tatsu had decided to take their offer of rest for a night. Ironforge was alright, he supposed, but it didn't have any one of his truly favorite things: Oriental foods, sweet drinks, Dragon brandy, manga and women. Well, not human women anyway.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, King Magni had asked him to supply any and all information he had on dimension travel. For what he didn't know, but he at least wanted to repay their hospitality. So, giving them a copy of 'The Hitchhiker's guide to Dimension traveling' had been useful, but not really what they had been looking for. When he had tried explaining how he could perform dimension travel, they hadn't understood, as while the energies utilized were similar to those used by mages and warlocks, most were in Gnomeregan, helping to rebuild.

"It would be useful Mr. Tatsu, if you could travel to another realm. That would help immensely." Furnizzle explained patiently.

"Which one?" Tatsu asked rather bored and sleepy looking. "Hopefully one with good ale. Beer tastes like piss here…. Heck, it tastes like piss anywhere!"

Frowning, King Magni said. "Any will do I believe. And if you don't like our beer, get your own!"

"Any place huh? Well, there is one place I haven't visited in a while…" Tatsu mused thoughtfully. "Okay. When do you want me to start?"

"Now will be fine." A gnome with rather expensive looking equipment squeaked. "Whenever you're ready!"

Tatsu began to go to work. Raising a hand, light began to form in his palm, coalescing into a sphere. After enough energy had been gathered, the light shot out of Tatsu's hand and onto one of the walls of the room they were currently in, becoming the shape of an oval of sorts. The light vanished, and standing in front of Tatsu was a door with a leaf emblazoned on it's front.

"Amazing!" a dwarf exclaimed. "An yoo can go ta any place then?"

"Most, but not every place. I'll have to go in soon, this won't stay up for long." Tatsu explained.

"Uh, right! Good luck Sir Tatsu!" Undrig said.

Tatsu gave a salute, mocking or not they couldn't tell, and opened the door, going through into what could only be seen as darkness.

"You got all that right?" Furnizzle asked.

"Yes chief!" his engineers yelled.

"Good. Do you think he'll come back?"

Looking sheepish, no one replied to that.

TATSUTATSUTATSUTATUSTATUSTATSUTATSUTATSU

Shaking his head, Tatsu walked into another world. As fate would have it, it wasn't any old world, but none other than the ninja world! Right in front of Konohagakure no Sato too!

"Gee this is a little disappointing. Not much has changed since I've been gone." Tatsu mused. Making his way up the forest path, Tatsu slowly walked up to the gate.

"Halt! What is your business?" A guard at the gate had exclaimed.

"I'm here to visit whoever the current Hokage is. I'm an old friend." Tatsu replied.

Both guards raised their eyebrows in disbelief. "Be that as it may sir, I'm going to need some identification."

Tatsu sighed. "Oh well. At least you aren't as bad as American airport security." He mumbled. Feeling through his pockets, Tatsu took out a battered pouch and began rifling through the contents.

"Let's see… Lightsaber, Jet Dial, FOXHOUND unit patch, magic wand, ah! Here it is!"

Tatsu took out a golden medal in the shape of a leaf showing it to the guards. They took one look and their eyes bulged out within seconds.

"That's a Blazing Leaf medal! Only those who have personally helped the Hokage themselves have been given that! Who are you?"

Tatsu smirked. "Muhi…Tatsu."

The effect was instantaneous. "That's not possible! That was almost 50 years ago! That man... He was a living legend!"

"Believe it. Now could I please come in?"

The guards hesitantly let Tatsu through. Walking through the gate, Tatsu paused for a second.

"Shiranui-san, I have to tell you… you're grandfather did the same thing you did, only with a cigar."

Shiranui Genma's mouth opened and his toothpick fell to the ground as he passed out.

NARUTOTATSUNARUTOTATSUNARUTOTATSUFANBOYSRSTUPID

"Good old' Hokage tower. I still hope those lovely couches in the reception room are still as nice as they were before."

As Tatsu made his way up Hokage tower, he failed to glance at the stone monument. If he had, he would have been more prepared, but alas, Tatsu rarely if ever went out of his musings. Finally going inside, Tatsu walked through several rooms, jogging his memory in the process. Remembering where the main office had been, his quickly made his way there. Inside, the room was mostly empty except for a desk (presumably for a secretary) and to Tatsu's delight, the same soft comfy couches, nearly untouched from the day he had left Konoha the first time. Sighing at the fact that he couldn't sleep at the moment, Tatsu got up and knocked on the door, announcing his presence.

Opening twin doors, Tatsu was met with the sight of someone he immediately recognized, but then narrowed his brow.

"If it's been forty years, then how…" he mused.

Making his way around the sleeping Godaime Hokage, Tatsu lightly stepped behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. Immediately, a fist flew on reflex and Tatsu, also by reflex, caught it. Woken by this action, Tsunade opened her eyes quickly and gasped at the sight.

"I must be dreaming… This is a dream, isn't it Tatsu-kun?"

"Erm.. no Tsunade-chan. I'm really back." Tatsu replied.

Tsunade pinched herself, and after a quick yelp of pain, she gazed at him in wonder.

"Tatsu-kun. It really IS you, isn't it? I don't understand though… you're still so young! It's been forty years since you left, how can this be?" Tsunade asked.

Tatsu sighed. "Well, dimension traveling tends to do… very weird things to people. Especially when they can control it. What about you though? You look REALLY good! Find the fountain of youth or something?"

Tsunade blushed. "Um… no Tatsu-kun. It's kind of a delicate issue, I'll explain later." She then grew a sheepish expression. "Sorry for punching at you like that. I thought you were Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya? That letch is still around? I'm starting to think almost nothing changed in my absence!" Tatsu laughed.

Tsunade grew somber. "Actually Tatsu-kun, a lot HAS changed around here. Why have you come though?"

"Well, I'm still traveling and I happened to come across a world called Azeroth. I promised I'd help some people out with some research of a sort, and they just told me to go anywhere. I hadn't visited here in a while, so I decided to see what's been going on, that's really all." Tatsu replied.

Tsunade grew pensive. "I see. You've been gone a long time though Tatsu, why haven't you come back sooner?"

Tatsu became somber. "After Shodaime and Nidaime died, I didn't really have anyone here who just liked me for me. I also saw that Konoha seemed to be doing alright and I didn't think it needed me anymore, so I went off. I would have come back sooner, but I've been quite busy for at least thirty five years or so." After these words, his face grew even more sad. "I guess I thought no one would miss me."

"Tatsu-kun… I missed you." Tsunade said softly.

"Yes, but you weren't even seven at the time. Look at you now, Hokage! I didn't know what type of person you would become, if you would like me or not, if you would have even become a ninja! But… I am sorry Tsunade-chan." He slumped back into his chair. "Thanks though, for missing me." He smiled. "Now, what's happened since I've left?"

In the next half-hour, Tsunade informed Tatsu of what had taken place in both her own life and that of the village. She told him of the ascension of Sandaime Hokage, of the legend of the Sannin, Orochimaru's betrayal, Nawaki and Dan's deaths, the Stone-Leaf war, the Kyuubi and the Yondaime Hokage, the Uchiha massacre, and finally, the bright shining light of hope known as Uzumaki Naruto and how she had ended up as Godaime Hokage. She also mentioned her apprentices, Haruno Sakura and Shizune.

"That's quite a story." Tatsu said in a large amount of surprise. "Continuing Sarutobi's legacy… that's a good and bad thing I suppose."

"Yes Tatsu-kun, but-"

"Tsunade-sama! How could you? Leading me off to find a fake group of reports just so you could sleep again! I can't believe… who is this?" Shizune paused, embarrassed.

Thankful she had a reprieve, Tsunade explained. "This is an old friend of mine and my grandfather's, Muhi Tatsu. Tatsu, this is my apprentice and assistant Shizune."

Shizune blushed at hearing the name of the living legend. "Oh! Tatsu-sama! It's an honor to meet you!"

Shizune's voice rose steadily higher as she began to look at Tatsu's body underneath the coat he had placed over his chair, blushing even further. Tatsu in turn began looking at her through his sunglasses, which had been put on a while before, and blushed as well.

"Shizune-san… this may be presumptuous of me and please forgive me, but I must say it…"

Tatsu glomped onto Shizune even faster than an Android Cat-girl or a Chinese Amazon.

"HEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOO NURSE!"

Tsunade groaned, knowing this wasn't going to be a good day, especially when Shizune began to squeal in delight.

* * *

WEE! NOW FOR REVIEWER MAIL! MY FAVORITE PART! 

**Gaul1- **OOOOHHHHH! That helps, thanks. Sorry/

**Uchihaitachi13-** Mastering stuff to easily? He hasn't yet mastered anything he's learned. Sure, he is definitely strong, but come on, he learned the Rasengan in a week. He learned Kage Bunshin in a few hours. It's obvious he has a talent for that sort of thing. And as to your BTW, really? Kraken's Ghost is one of my favorite authors ever! I'm pretty disappointed that he hasn't continued with Foxhound, but I still feel quite honored that he linked to my story.

**Binnybobarino- **Hmmmm…not have any reasons for going back to Konoha other than his friends and a promise? Not entirely true, but that's still enough for Naruto, I think. Besides, he still has a dream to complete himself, y'know?

**Chibi nko- **Nope, no Burning Legion here. You'll find out soon, I think, if this chapter doesn't do it for you!

Well, that's it for this week.

Next week: Orgrimmar under Siege- Who will win, Strength or compassion?

**_Spellbook-_**

**Thunder Clap- **Delivers a massive explosive wave of electric chakra, stunning or killing anyone struck by it.

**_Bestiary-_**

**Blackrock Orc **(Humanoid)(**Elite)- **Stronger than your average orc, these beasts are enhanced by a mysterious power, that drives them almost insane with a lust for battle. Loyal to Rend Blackhand.

**Rend Blackhand **(Humanoid) (**Boss)**- Leader of the Blackrock Orcs, and possesses a massive sword, and a flying dragon mount named Gyth. His powers are unknown.


	35. Rumble of the Warchiefs

Disclaimer: 'I spy, with my little eye…something bl–' 'POTATOES!' 

'**I haven't even said the color ye–'**

'**POTATOES!'**

'**What the hell? This disclaimer doesn't even make sense anymore! I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft.'**

'**POTATOES!'**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Naruto grit his teeth in a combination of anger and shock as he stared at the distant city, high above the vast plains of the Barrens. His blood was boiling with a searing rage, in seeing a place that he had become so fond of under attack. He gripped the handrail in front of him tightly, so tightly that it began to crack under the pressure.

The smell of blood and fire now so saturated the air that it was almost sickening for him and his spirit companion. Smoke rose into a large cloud above the city, a halo of destruction, a crown of fire, displayed for the entire world to see. The recent experiences he had had in war suddenly served him a new purpose- he could feel the heat of the battle, even though he was high above it, and still so far away. He could feel the rage, the hate, the desperation; every negative emotion that battle brought.

But it seemed almost impossible that such rage could be generated, as the rage that he felt now. He also noticed that the trolls weren't exactly placid, and many were reacting in much the same way he was. Several still stood, muted in shock, as they tasted the lust that the Blackhand orcs gave off. It disgusted them, and yet at the same time, it appealed to their most primitive instincts, instincts that they were far more in touch with than humans were.

On some level, however, Naruto, Kira and Kylia felt this lust, too. Naruto was especially, as the bestial presence of the Kyuubi was touched particularly hard by the churning storm of emotions. It was, as Naruto watched, ramming its claws and tails against the cage in his stomach (or his mind) and laughing with at the glorious destruction that he so delighted in.

'**BEAUTIFUL! I HAVE NOT FELT SUCH KILLING INTENT SINCE THE DAYS OF OLD! HAHAHAHAHAHA!'**

Naruto ignored the demon fox, and turned, shouting to the goblins that were standing on the deck, also watching the city in the distance.

"Can't you make this thing go any faster? Come on!" he roared.

One goblin shot him an irritated look. "This is as fast as we can go, human."

"I don't care!" the boy shouted, "You have to go faster, we need to get there now!"

"Naruto…" said Kira, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We can't do anything, yet. We can only wait and prepare, so that when we get there, we can help as soon as possible."

Naruto growled in frustration, but knew that the girl was correct. But the desperation that he now felt was disgusting and belittling. If it was one thing Naruto hated, it was being in a position where he was helpless.

"Dammit!" he growled, once again gripping the railing, his eyes forward, his face filled with a mixture of worry and anger. He was not the only one, either; the trolls, all of them Darkspears, save Gen'rash, were growling obscenities in their own language, fingering their weapons and gripping the rail as tightly as Naruto. They shared his thoughts and feelings. But, unlike Naruto, they knew it would do no good to take out their frustration. They would wait.

Gen'rash laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder, and looked into his eyes, saying nothing. But blonde stared back, and saw the troll's words in his eyes.

'_Patience, we shall arrive, and we shall make hell for those who have done this,' _they said.

Naruto sighed, and nodded, before turning back to the scene of the battle, which was swiftly approaching them. He would wait, and when they got there he was going to kick the ass of every stupid bastard that had had the gall to attack Orgrimmar. A similar determination had flown through him, he remembered, during the attack on Konoha, what seemed like years ago. But instead of directing it at every Sound shinobi he had met, he had focused it solely on Gaara.

But this would be different. He had been within the village when it had been attacked. He had been part of the initial defense. It wasn't the case here. That's why he needed to get there as soon as possible, to make sure that the city would not crumble.

He was going to fight, as hard and as long as possible, to defend a city that he had become fond of.

There was no better reason than that.

* * *

Rend Blackhand smiled a sadistic smile as he stared down at Thrall from atop his massive, magenta dragon, Gyth. His single, shining red eye, so very like the color of the blood that flowed through his veins, stared, filled with an unearthly fire. By contrast, Thrall's glittering blue eyes, the color of the coldest of ices, burned a much different fire. It was cold, calm, yet still as powerful and influential as Rend's.

They were, one could say, equated to fire and ice. One burned hot with rage towards his opponent, the other remained serene yet cold, waiting for his opponent to react first.

Nazgrel, the other participant in the battle, simply watched the so-called "true" Warchief, his own onyx colored eyes noting the orc's weapons; in addition to the large sword, he carried two smaller daggers with reddish-tinged blades. He also noted the beast that Rend rode. It was unknown to him. He had never seen a dragon quite that color, meaning it had to be a product of some sort of dark experiment, perhaps transmuted by alchemy or involved in another type of ritual.

Either way, it looked incredibly dangerous. So, while Rend and Thrall remained staring at each other, Nazgrel readied his own weapons: reaching back behind him, and into the wolf-skin pelt that was draped across his back, he removed two large metal claws, shaped not unlike a wolf's. After affixing them to his hands, he then returned his attention to the situation at hand.

Rend then spoke, his voice as cold as Thrall's eyes.

"Tell me, Thrall. I will tell you this once, and only once. Give up your title to me…and leave this place forever. You have brought it, and this city, nothing but shame and misfortune, and your weaknesses can no longer be tolerated. Your title is mine by right, and I shall lead the Orcish race down the road to glory, as they deserve. Now, leave."

Thrall surprised him with a mirthless laugh.

"Honestly, you fool. Do you really expect me to give in to your demands? This city…is my own, and though I have made mistakes, it will be a far bigger one for me to give this city to you. Glory does not await down the path that you take…only ruin, only death," he said.

Rend nodded, and his grin, having vanished during his own speech, had returned. "Good," he said. "It means you are not as weak as I thought you were. This battle will decide who is truly Warchief. I shall prove to you that it is I, and not you, who deserves that title."

Hefting the Doomhammer onto his shoulder, Thrall slid into a battle stance, his feet planted hard on the ground, his knees bent, and almost every muscle in his body ready to explode into motion.

Rend grinned, and stood up, leaping off of the saddle on Gyth, and landing a few feet in front of the dragon. Thrall tensed, but Rend did not attack. Instead, he turned his attention to Nazgrel, a look of irritation on his face.

"We cannot have this fool interrupting our fight. Gyth, do away with him, will you?" he said, looking over his shoulder at his draconic steed.

Gyth let out a bellow that sent shivers down Nazgrel's spine, and it twisted its massive body towards him. Thrall swiftly turned, and prepared to aid his chief advisor, but it was then that Rend attacked, launching himself forwards with an unnatural quickness. Thrall pivoted, and met Rend's first attack, a falling slash at his head, with the Doomhammer. Grunting in effort as the large, and much older orc's attack struck him, Thrall tried to push him back, but marveled at Rend's strength as well. He hadn't budged an inch, forcing Thrall to abandon his efforts and backpedal.

Rend pursued the Warchief, his blade slicing through the air in a series of swift, amazingly strong attacks that Thrall was forced to either dodge or parry. He didn't trust that his _Kongou_ would be able to resist the cuts.

When there was no more ground to give, Thrall disappeared, moving faster than the wind, and was behind Rend, his Doomhammer raised. He brought it down in a fleet and deadly blow, onto Rend's scapula, shattering the armor pad covering it with ease. Because he had not yet released his _Kazaashi_, he brought the Doomhammer down again, and again, and again, all in the span of a few seconds. After a total of fifteen powerful blows, he backed off, waiting to see how Rend would react.

The armor on the large orc's back had been shattered almost completely, leaving very little to protect. But, to Thrall's shock, Rend hardly flinched; his body, now visible due to the ruined armor, was completely uninjured. He turned, and as Thrall had done just seconds ago, he vanished in a flicker, reappearing so close to Thrall that he could utter a few words that only the Warchief could hear.

"I came prepared, weakling. This power that you are so fond of…I have made it my own, and it is fitting that I shall destroy you with it!"

He then unloaded a series of lightning fast punches, moving almost faster than the eye could see. He fists met Thrall's unprotected face, landing more than Thrall had, and serving to lift the Warchief from his feet, knocking him backwards onto the ground.

Blood gushed from Thrall's nose and lower lip, but he stood, his eyes glowing angrily, staring at Rend's smirking visage.

"So you stole that style, too, then," Thrall said. He stood up straighter, and loosened the bones in his neck and shoulders. "Then this will be far more interesting, I think."

Rend nodded, grinning his wicked grin.

Thrall suddenly moved, his hand flashing upwards, diagonally across his body. The Doomhammer flew from his grip, streaking, a grey bullet in the air, towards Rend. The "true" Warchief slid to the side using the _Kazaashi_, avoiding the deadly projectile. It slammed into the side of Grommash Hold, pulverizing the immensely thick wall with a loud boom into rubble.

Rend, grinning at the loss of his opponent's weapon, launched himself at the other orc. Each step was like that of a charging kodo: thunderously loud, and heavy enough to crack the stone walkway.

"**Earth Shock!"** roared Thrall, weaving his hands in a complicated series of seals. He then rammed his hand into the ground, and the entire street to be torn apart as the tremendous surge of chakra passed beneath it.

Rend's charge was halted by this, and he leapt into the air, avoiding the flying debris and the shaking street altogether. In mid-air, he watched Thrall already weaving more seals.

" **Earth Prison!" **Thrall rumbled, pressing his hands to the earth once more. The stones upon ruined street began to rise up, joining the still falling debris. The swirling torrent of rocks gathered around Rend, and before the "true" Warchief could do much to defend, they had locked together, melding into each other, forming a perfect sphere of rock.

The prison struck the ground, sinking into the ground slightly, and remained still. Thrall had already begun moving towards it, as it fell to the ground. Weaving more seals as he did. He slammed his hand into the ball and bellowed out a jutsu that would end the battle.

"**Earth Spikes!**" His chakra moved through the solid stone, manipulating it as easily and fluidly as it had done previously. Thrall heard no sounds as many spikes sprouted from the inside of the hollow-centered sphere, but to be placed in such a state as Rend, deprived of the ability to move and then have spikes striking almost every part of his body, Thrall was confident that the false Warchief would not be recovering.

Turning away from the silent prison…now a tomb, Thrall held his hand out, and called for the Doomhammer. Bound to his chakra, the weapon floated from the rubble that it had created earlier, and landed swiftly in his hand. He had to, at the moment, get to Nazgrel. However, the orc, and the dragon that had attacked him, were nowhere in sight.

Then, a sound caught his attention, a sound so slight and silent, that normally he wouldn't have heard it. However, Thrall had been placed in situations where even the slightest of sounds could make all the difference in the world.

It was no different here, it would seem.

He turned, just in time to see a hand explode from the cracked orb of stone. Then, as more cracks blossomed across the surface of the sphere, it was obliterated in a roar of fury, as Rend, bereft of breastplate, emerged from it, completely unharmed.

The "true" Warchief blasted forwards in a fantastically powerful _Kazaashi_, appearing in front of Thrall in an instant. Bringing the huge sword up, the orc slashed it with terrifying speed across Thrall's chest, slicing through his own breastplate, and into his flesh. Growling, Thrall brought the Doomhammer up, preparing to slam it onto Rend's head, but the other orc had already pushed him forwards, moving with the speed of the wind. The charging orc moved both of them into Grommash Hold, and before Thrall could get off a single strike, he was smashed hard into the wall, hard enough to shatter through it, and into the room behind it.

With a final display of power, Rend hurtled Thrall across that room, so that he crashed into the opposite wall, and slid to the ground, grunting in pain. The Doomhammer was flung from Thrall's grip, landing with a crash a few feet away from him.

"You foolish weakling…" growled Rend. "You think that you can defeat me? I've trained for years for this very encounter. I know all of your strengths, your weaknesses…I have trained myself to be stronger than you in every aspect, even forsaking my title as a Blademaster to become a Shaman! It is with this power and determination that I shall take Orgrimmar from you!"

Staring back at the orc, whose glittering red eye seemed to glow in the dim light of the hold, Thrall lifted himself to his feet.

He would not let Rend take this city from him, and he would not die, fighting such a person.

After all, he still had to teach the brat a few more things.

Smirking, Thrall stood up straight, his blue eyes glittering once more. "Fool, this battle has only yet begun. I shall show you how truly powerless and insignificant you are."

* * *

The zeppelin floated above Durotar, Orgrimmar only a few miles ahead of them. It, at their altitude, seemed so small, but at still expressed the same awe and beauty that it held up close. The occupants of the zeppelin watched as it began to descend towards the great capital of the Orcs, and once again a deep sense of urgency entered their thoughts, and even their bodies.

Naruto stood next to Gen'rash and Kira, both of whom were as tense as he. The rage he had felt earlier was still there, but he had it under control now. But not once since he had discovered the attack's existence had he relaxed. His body grew ever more tense as they neared the city, floating down through clouds both white and black. The smell of blood was even more noticeable now, so much so that even Kira and Kylia could smell it.

But once again, the most prominent feeling of all, filling the air with a foul, sour taste, and making the hairs on the back of Naruto's neck stand up, and his teeth unconsciously clench, and his heart beat far quicker than normal, was the overriding hatred, the rage; the most destructive of all emotions.

Before, when it had simply saturated the air, it now filled it, like a cloud. It was almost asphyxiating, and the constant onset of this terrible emotion almost released his own. It made him unsteady, his breath short, and his heart pump. Even though he had not yet begun to fight, he could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins, he could feel the heat of the oncoming battle already beginning.

"What are we going to do when we get down there?" asked Kira, glancing towards Naruto.

The blonde blinked at her, "We're gonna fight, that's what!"

Kira sighed. "I know that, but do we have a plan?"

Naruto once again gave her an incomprehensible stare. "Plan? I'm not so good at coming up with those in advance…if Golbarn were here he could do it, he probably force to have one. Do you have any ideas? I plan to just attack…I think they do to," he said pointing at the trolls.

Kira sweat dropped, and suddenly didn't feel so safe with Naruto around. "You don't have a plan? How did you…?"

Naruto flashed her a grin. "I'm good at thinking up things in the heat of battle! Gives me more room for modifying them, 'cause if I do it any other time, and it goes wrong, then it's hard to do anything to recover."

Kira leveled a blank stare at him. "That doesn't make any sense…we should have a plan, you know!"

Naruto sighed, but nodded anyways. "Okay…have any ideas?"

Kira nodded, "Yeah, I do. If we find Thrall, we might be able to better learn who the enemy is, and how to stop them. I don't think they'll do anything but fight," she said, pointing to the troll's, who seemed slightly irritated that the humans kept pointing at them.

Naruto nodded, it seemed like a good plan; not exactly Shikamaru or Golbarn material, but then again, given both the situation and the person, it was not exactly surprising.

"Okay! So we find Thrall, and defeat anyone who gets in our path!" said Naruto, grinning in a most vulpine way.

Kira nodded in agreement, and turned to Kylia, who nodded as well. She turned to Gen'rash…and received a blank stare.

'_This is becoming pretty troublesome…'_ she thought, sweat dropping.

As the zeppelin descended, gradually, the sounds of the battle below began to fill their ears, blotting out everything else, in both their minds and hearts. Naruto walked forwards, and looked over the railing, down into the streets below. Slowly, his eyes began to make out activity below, in the form of a large, moving mass of forms. Pushing his goggles down in front of his eyes, the blonde used the zooming feature set in, and gritted his teeth in anger as he identified the mass.

They were orcs, hundreds, no…thousands, fighting, screaming, and dying.

The sight filled him with an overwhelming anger, and a need. He would no longer simply stand by and watch this. Now that he was so close…he would start the fight. He couldn't wait any longer, not for such an important task.

He glanced at Gen'rash, and said, simply, "I'm going."

Gen'rash understood, remarkably, and nodded.

Kira opened her mouth to speak, but Naruto shot her a grin, making her stop. "Seeya down there!"

The boy's body then tensed up, and she saw the dark lines of the Shadow style appear on his face and chest. Then, forming a seal in front of him, his body began to sink into the shadow cast by the zeppelin's balloon. Kira gaped, and watched as the boy sunk down past his waist in the shadow. She knew what he was going to do.

Tsuwabuki suddenly hopped onto Naruto's shoulder, saying gruffly, '**_Were you thinking of leaving me behind, Naruto? We're partners, remember?'_**

Just before the shadow consumed his face, Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Heh, forgot about you for a second there…"

And then, he, and the fox were gone.

Kira stared dumbly at the shadows then quickly turned to the rest of the trolls.

Only to find them gone.

"W-w-w-w-w-where did they go?" she spluttered, pointing in their direction.

Gen'rash, the only troll still on the zeppelin, pointed over his shoulder, over the railing. Walking over, Kira looked over, and her eyes suddenly bulged from their sockets. The trolls, visible even from this height, were falling swiftly towards the ground. They had, to her horror, leapt straight from the zeppelin, apparently without any fear of dying.

And, to her even greater horror, Gen'rash was preparing to follow them.

"W-wait! If we ask those goblins, I'm sure they'll keep taking us down…!"

"Actually," came a voice at her side. She jumped, and looked to see the captain of the zeppelin staring at her expectantly. "We aren't going to stay here much longer, or get any closer. You'd best get off when you can."

Kira's mouth dropped open she quickly sputtered, "How you do that!"

He shrugged. "You didn't pay extra, so what can I say?"

'_I really hate goblins…'_ she ground out, her glare filled with fire. He once again shrugged, and turned around.

Kira then turned to Kylia, gulping, "What are we going to do, Ky'? We can't survive a jump from this height!"

Kylia gulped, and rather than speaking, pointed, in a rather Gen'rash-like fashion.

Kira half turned her body in the direction Kylia was pointing, only to suddenly have her entire body lifted up, off the deck. She gave an indignant squawk, but didn't struggle as Gen'rash tucker her, as one would a sleeping bag or a sack of grain, under his arm. Without another word, he picked up Kylia as well, and then walked, both girls under his arms, towards the railing.

Kira's eyes bulged.

"W-w-w-waitaminute!" she cried, trying to pull away from him. It was in vain, however, as Gen'rash didn't let go in the slightest. She continued to struggle, her eyes growing wider and wider, as Gen'rash put one foot over the ledge, then a second, so he was literally sitting on the railing. Kira looked over to Kylia, whose eyes were as large as hers. The two girls gulped, and then, as Gen'rash slid off the railing, and they plummeted downwards, they began to scream like they had never screamed before.

* * *

Naruto and Tsuwabuki emerged so suddenly from the shadows of a building, deep in the Valley of Strength, that a Blackrock orc who had been rushing past it, stopped, wide-eyed to witness the blonde boy and the silver fox appear. Naruto, not intending the orc to do much else other than stare, emerged with a Rasengan in his hand.

Stepping back, the Blackrock orc growled, bringing up his weapon to deflect the attack that Naruto had prepared. However, the swirling, churning ball of pure chakra tore straight through the metal of his axe, and slammed into his chest. His body was rocketed away from the blonde, and landed in a heap against the building on the opposite side of the street.

Naruto nodded in satisfaction, noting idly the orc's armor as well as his smell. It was different from other orcs; it had much more of a rotten eggs type of smell. He turned to his left, towards the main square of the Valley of Strength. A mass of orcs had gathered in the center, fighting each other in the most violent, and primitive manner he had ever seen.

Part of him practically screamed at him to join the battle, and to just cause as much damage as possible to the enemy, but another part, one that he had become increasingly aware of since his arrival in Azeroth, advised him to follow through with the plan that Kira had come up with.

But it just so happened, the battle-desiring part noted, that he fastest way to the Valley of Wisdom was through the main square.

"I'll fight my way through then," he said, nodding to himself.

'**_I'll go around,'_** said Tsuwabuki, loping off.

Naruto didn't bother contesting the fox's decision. In fact, he thought it best. Tsuwabuki didn't exactly seem like the most battle-worthy, considering her size. Placing his hands together in a seal that had become almost second nature to him, he said, forcefully, "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu."**

A line of six clones appeared, three on either side of his body. All six drew their short swords, showing them off in a rather comical display of their dexterity. Naruto, too, drew his blade, twirling it like a baton in his hand. He smirked, and his clones mirrored the action.

Then, they charged.

His clones went first, carving a hole in the seemingly impenetrable wall of orcs. Some Naruto instantly recognized as citizens of Orgrimmar- the fact that they wore anything but the red and black armor of the Blackrocks, and their smells were much more familiar, Naruto was able to pick out which to attack, and which not to.

But almost as soon as his clones initiated the attack, the darker, bigger orcs quickly adapted. In literally two seconds, four of the six clones had been dispelled; two had been hit by unseen attacks from behind, one by failing to resist an attack using the _Kongou_, and the final going toe-to-toe with a particularly large orc, who cleaved him in half with hardly a thought.

The final two quickly retreated to Naruto, standing on either side of him. Two huge Blackrock orcs appeared in front of the blonde, their blades wet with blood, and twisted, wild grins of their faces. One of them thrust a long spear at Naruto's stomach, but the blonde leapt over it, and kicked the orc in the face. At the same time, his two clones had slipped beneath the other orc's guard, and had driven their swords deep into his chest.

On both accounts, however, the attacks were ineffective.

The orc that Naruto had kicked in the head looked as if he had barely felt the attack. He swiped at the blonde with his fist, but Naruto dodged again, landing behind him. The blonde weaved a seal, and created three clones, two of which kicked the orc, who had only managed to turn his upper body, in the back of the knees, causing him to buckle backwards. Along with the third, they grabbed him and lifted up off the ground, while Naruto bent down and slapped an explosive seal on his back. Then he, and his three new clones hurtled the gargantuan orc into the air.

The note had obviously been a short one (Naruto had grabbed at random, something that, in hindsight, hadn't been the best thing to do), as it detonated before he even struck the ground. The explosion sent orcs flying, but only injured a few. Naruto leapt out of the way to avoid being struck with wayward body parts, grimacing at the sickening sound the Blackrock orc's death made.

Meanwhile, Naruto's two other clones had been reduced to wisps of smoke by their opponent, who, shaking off the near fatal damage as if it were a scratch, had slammed their heads together with enough force to fuse them together for a brief moment, before both disappeared. The orc then turned towards Naruto and his new group of clones, and rushed at them with the ferocity of a berserker.

One of Naruto's clones was the first to identify the new threat, as he was destroyed with a swipe of the orc's wicked looking curved blade. The other two leapt to their summoner's defense, only to be dispelled in much the same fashion. Naruto himself dodged the orc's powerful follow-up slashes, but before he could retaliate, another Blackrock orc had appeared behind him, delivering a blow with enough force to lift the boy off his feet, flinging up directly into the arms of the orc that had been attacking before.

The orc grinned, and punched Naruto in the chest, so hard that it almost cracked his sternum. Pain erupted through him, and all of the air that had been in his lungs was forced out, leaving the boy bereft of any ability to move. Seizing this chance, his two attackers rushed towards his prone body, raising their weapons to deliver a simultaneous and fatal blow.

Whether it was Naruto's damnable luck, or simply an act of whatever god that existed out there, one of Naruto's attackers was disabled, and slain, all in the same instant, as a blue-skinned, tusked, and heavily armed troll landed with enough force to create a crater with a diameter twice his own size. He landed on the shoulders of the Blackrock orc, and the effects, were, to say the least, most gruesome. Yet somehow, the troll was uninjured, and having spotted Naruto in front of him, grinned.

"I hope ye not mind me droppin' by, child," he said, showing his teeth in a bright smile.

Naruto twitched in annoyance at the delivery of the one-liner, but said nothing in response. He looked around, briefly, and saw (as well as heard) the sounds of other trolls landing about the area.

He hoped that Kira and Kylia were alright…

Meanwhile, the other of the two Blackrock orcs that had been mere seconds away from killing him had recovered from his momentary shock. Roaring in fury, he raised his weapon to follow through with what he had been doing previously, only to have the troll hammer him in the face with a large, bone-handled hammer.

Getting quickly to his feet, Naruto looked over his shoulder, towards the path that led eventually to the Valley of Wisdom. Knowing that he had no time to lose, he rushed in that direction, leaving the trolls to their fates.

Seeing that his path would be once again barred, the blonde decided that he'd need to clear a path before he could effectively proceed. Summoning a pair of clones, the blonde leapt into the air, grabbing both of them by the arms. Focusing his chakra into his feet, the blonde then expelled it roughly, shooting him as fast as an arrow forwards.

Having gathered his chakra into his arms, and forcing it into the pure-chakra systems of his clones, he began to spin, roaring into the air, "**Bladestorm Revised: Horizontal!"**

Chakra erupted from his body, surging out in the form of a massive tornado, which whipped around the trio of blondes. Orcs, both Blackrock and Orgrimmarian, leapt out of the way of the powerful attack. The ones foolish enough to challenge it, despite their unruly strength and durability, were sliced apart by the tremendously deadly winds.

Landing, his head spinning, in a far less occupied area, Naruto dispelled his clones, breathing heavily. He turned around, and saw that though the damage he had done had been great, it had not broken the orcs from their seemingly endless desire to fight each other. None had even stopped to pursue him, which was, in a way, a little annoying to the blonde.

'**_You got out of their alive…I'm not surprised,'_** came a familiar voice from behind the blonde.

Turning, Naruto spotted Tsuwabuki, standing in a deserted alleyway. Sighing, he walked up, and muttered, "Geez, I thought you were supposed to be _my_ counterpart. But you just run away whenever the fighting starts."

Tsuwabuki sniffed, '**_Not all of us possess a whiny old fox in his stomach that gives him almost unlimited stamina.'_**

'**I ASSURE YOU THAT ONE DAY, I'LL BE USING YOUR TAIL AS FLOSS.'**

Naruto ignored the two arguing animals in his head, and made to start moving again.

Only to feel cold steel against his neck.

"Hmph, it's about time that you got here, brat, I was beginning to think that you'd abandoned us."

* * *

Kira grumpily squeezed the water from her shirt, making the large pool of it at her feet even bigger. She stood at the shores of a small, placid pond, whereupon several houses had been built, on sticks a few feet above the very water that she, Kylia, and Gen'rash had just emerged from.

She dimly noted that the area around her was almost completely deserted, save for them. From Gen'rash' troubled look, she took that it was not common for this place to be so deserted.

Looking around, she saw more houses; many with their doors wide open, swaying slightly in the breeze. Others were simply dark and silent, making her shudder unconsciously.

"What do we do now mis– Kira?" asked Kylia, wringing out her shirt as well.

Kira glanced at Gen'rash. "I don't know. I don't know how to get to that place we were before, where Thrall was. If Naruto were with us…" she grumbled that last bit, still a little annoyed at the blonde for disappearing without giving her a chance to respond. And to add insult to injury, just moments after that she had been lifted off her feet like some sort of rag doll, and was then carried straight off the zeppelin, so she and Kylia plummeted hundreds of feet down. Gen'rash had thankfully used some sort of jutsu to slow their fall, and another to protect them, and had somehow managed to maneuver them over a pond.

She then turned to Gen'rash. "I don't suppose you know where to go?"

Gen'rash blinked at her. "Go? That way," he said, pointing past her.

Now it was Kira's turn to blink. "You know where Thrall is?" she asked hopefully.

Gen'rash shook his head. "Battle. That way," he said, again pointing.

Kira sighed. "I suppose its somewhere to start," she mumbled.

Gen'rash took this as a yes, so he started off in the direction he had pointed, Kira and Kylia quickly following in his long strides. They turned down the road, away from the pond, and walked along a row of deserted houses and huts. She also passed a few shops, all of which were deserted as well.

'_Did they flee?'_ she wondered.

The small road of houses then took them to an even larger, much more winding road, which split off into two different directions. To her right, it grew much smaller, and in a few hundred feet, before it split again; one disappeared into a small cavern and the other into another path, which winded out of view. She strained her ears, but couldn't hear anything in that direction.

Turning to her left, the path grew slightly larger, and winded around, so that she couldn't see very far into the distance. She looked at Gen'rash again, who seemed to be thinking hard. He turned his head to the side, listening in one direction, before turning in the other, and listening that way. He then sniffed in one direction, and turned to sniff in the other.

He pointed left. "There," he said.

This time Kira didn't argue, and simply nodded. They were about to walk in the direction he had indicated, before a scream ripped through the air, directly behind them.

Whipping around, Kira spotted a group of orcs, a little over a dozen and all of which were women and children, that were fleeing in their direction. They had emerged from the winding fork of the road, and looked desperate to get away.

She could, however, see why.

Moving with frightening speed, five huge, dark-skinned Blackrock orcs emerged, all of them brandishing their dark tinted weapons, roaring and snarling in wild abandon. They were steadily closing in on the group of female and child orcs, who had looks of the utmost terror on their faces. It was a look that immediately resonated with Kira, for she had adopted the very same look many times.

But that had been before.

She suddenly rushed forwards, Kylia and Gen'rash following quickly behind. They swiftly moved towards the group, but to Kira's horror, a child slipped on the uneven, dirty street, and fell. The orc that was presumably his mother broke away from the group, and leapt to shield her child from the approaching orcs. She was pleading with them, offering them things that she hoped would appease them, even her own life and dignity.

But Kira could see that in their eyes, that woman, and that child, were nothing more than pieces of meat; insects, that if squashed, would have no effect on their conscience. They didn't plan to listen to her. They would rip her, and the child, apart, and just move on to the rest.

Her heart ignited in a great blaze of rage, so forceful and sudden that it was not until she had finished that she knew she had preformed hand seals.

"**Power Word: Shield!"** she cried.

The Blackrock orc's ax, which had been only five inches away from decapitating the female orc, bounced off the glowing chakra shield, making the orc lose his balance. The other orcs stopped, their animalistic snarling subsiding somewhat as they briefly wondered who had cast the spell. Then, their eyes fell on Kira, and at once, their snarling returned, growing loud and filled with a wild rage.

They moved past the now protected female orc, who stared at Kira with wide, but thankful eyes. Kira allowed her a half-smile, and with a nod of her head, told the orc woman to leave as fast as possible. She did so, carrying her child and disappearing in an alleyway between two houses.

The Blackrock orcs, meanwhile, had ceased their charge, and stood, a few feet in front of Kira, their bloodstained bodies and grinning, terrible maws now so close that she could almost feel their hot breath. Kira settled herself into a stance, ready to perform any jutsu that she needed.

One of the orcs suddenly lurched forwards, hurtling his huge ax at her. Kira immediately sidestepped, her hands weaving several seals as she did. Two more orcs then charged, hoping to stop her from performing the technique that was already on her lips.

"**Hex of Darkness," **she said, suddenly extinguishing the light of their world, leaving them without the ability to see.

Imagine her surprise, however, when the two orcs who had begun their charge didn't stop, and instead closed in on her position as if she were still visible to them.

'_They can smell me!'_ she thought, cursing as she remembered this very thing had happened to Naruto, during his test with the trolls. She quickly forced it into her mind that unless otherwise noted, all non-human races had better senses of smell.

At that time, however, Kylia and Gen'rash had joined the fight. Kylia swiftly appeared in front of Kira, brandishing two daggers, which left her hands in a flicker of silver. One reappeared, buried in the orc's neck, making him drop instantly, while the second impaled the other orc in the eye, also killing him.

Gen'rash growled, grabbing the orc's sword, which was inches away from his face. He was appalled by the orc's strength, which was far greater than he had imagined it would be. He had faced orcs before, and none of them had been this strong.

Another Blackrock orc moved at Gen'rash's side, while the final one shot towards Kira and Kylia.

This time, Kira moved her hands in a rapid movement of seals, shouting, "**Hex of Weakness!"**

On his next step, the orc toppled as his leg broke in a sickening crack. He struck the ground, causing his armor to instantly break his ribs and sternum, though his head was spared from striking the ground, as he had managed to keep it aloft.

It was not spared, however, from Kira's vicious kick, which though it certainly did crack it, ended his life by the snapping of his neck.

Now facing off against two Blackrock orcs, Gen'rash had pulled away, and his hands had begun moving in a rush of seals.

"**Multiple Shadow Bolts!"** he rumbled in his own language. He thrust his hands forwards, causing two spheres of pure darkness, shaped vaguely like skulls, emerge from his hands, and soon multiply into many, which crashed into the attacking orcs, halting their charge. They did not die, but were stunned enough so that they were unable to defend against Gen'rash's follow up attack, driving a pair of his detached tusks into their exposed necks.

His hands slick with gore, Gen'rash let them drop, twitching, to the ground, before he turned to the two girls. He grinned, and gave them a very Naruto-like gesture: a thumbs up.

Kira nodded, trying her best not to think of the orc that she had just killed. Oddly enough, she felt no remorse. She had killed a monster, and monsters deserved to be killed. She unconsciously glanced at her palms, only for a second, to remind herself of that.

She turned, and looked in the direction that they had been intending to go. "Shall we go?" she asked, looking at Kylia and Gen'rash. They nodded (even Gen'rash, which surprised and delighted her), and quickly rushed off in that direction.

Only, that is, until the sounds of movement from behind stopped them.

'_More?'_ she thought, quickly turning to meet what she thought was a new threat. However, as soon as her eyes fell upon the seen, any thoughts of battle were drive from her mind, as horror began to quickly well up inside of her. Kylia and Gen'rash had also turned, and were staring, in different degrees of shock, at the grotesque scene that met their eyes.

All five orcs had gotten to their feet, despite their fatal injuries. Two daggers clattered to the ground, as they popped from the bodies of the two orcs that had been killed by them. The sickening pops and cracks of bones breaking and dislocating continued, as the orc righted his snapped neck. The two orcs had removed the tusks from their bodies, flinging them to the ground with snarls.

Then, they began to change.

Their bodies began to grow, swelling at least two or three feet in height, and their skin began to darken until it was completely black. From their backs, another pair of legs grew, and they began to distort even further, their lower torso lengthening to accommodate these new legs, and large tails sprouting from the ends of their new lower bodies. Their Orcish faces lengthened, becoming more reptilian, more draconic. Their skin became scales, and large horns sprouted from the crowns of their heads, growing smaller and smaller as they traveled back along their spinal cords. Finally, their eyes burned a smoldering crimson, and Kira, Kylia, and Gen'rash suddenly knew what they faced.

They said it together, in a word that was virtually the same in every language on Azeroth.

"Dragons…!"

* * *

"I have not yet traveled to the Valley of Wisdom, as there are many foes that keep interrupting my path. Thankfully I have found you, so it will be that much easier to get there,' rumbled Golbarn, as he, Naruto, and Tsuwabuki rushed along the road in the area of Orgrimmar known as The Drag. At the end of it was the Valley of Wisdom, where they intended to go.

"Have the tauren been called…?" asked Naruto, shooting him a sideways glance.

"They have, or so I have been told. But we cannot rely on them, for the moment," said Golbarn, shaking his head. "And what of the trolls? Are they coming?"

Naruto shook his head, "Vol'jin-niisan said that he'd be staying for a little bit longer, so that he can get his people's life back on track. He said he would join Thrall back in Orgrimmar after he had done that."

Golbarn raised an eyebrow. '_Brother…? Hmph, only that brat could be made the brother of the chief of the trolls.'_

They continued their rush through the streets of the Drag, moving ever closer to their goal. They didn't encounter any resistance, as most of the fighting was taking place in the outside areas– The Valley of Honor, and the Valley of Strength. The streets were effectively deserted, allowing them to run unimpeded through them.

"They escaped, long ago," said Golbarn. "They went through the Cleft of Shadow, and many are hiding in Ragefire Caverns, while even more simply fled through the Valley of Spirits, and out into the Barrens."

Naruto nodded, a little thankful for the explanation. He didn't want the people of this city to be hurt any more than he wanted the people of his own city to. With their safety assured in his mind, he could now fight as hard as he wanted, for he no longer worried for their safety.

After what seemed like hours, they spotted the looming exit to the Drag, and the consequent entrance to the Valley of Wisdom. They increased the speed of their run, as the sounds of battle reached their ears again, as loud as it had been before.

But it was Golbarn who spotted something else, out of the corner of his eye, just as they reached the end of the huge cave. It was an orc, lying, half-obscured by shadows, in an alleyway between two of the large, looming buildings that characterized The Drag. Both Naruto and Golbarn immediately recognized the orc.

It was Nazgrel, Thrall's chief advisor, and the man who had poured so much scorn on Naruto that the boy could've drowned in it. Golbarn was quickly at his side, grunting in anger as he spotted the heavy injuries that the orcs sported. In addition to cuts and gashes of varying sizes, he sported several burns, wounds where it looked like the skin had melted off, and one of his claw-covered hands looked like it had been frozen stiff, as ice and frost coated the glittering metal of his claw.

"Nazgrel," rumbled Golbarn, "what happened?"

Nazgrel glanced at the orc, his deep onyx eyes cloudy. "I was beaten…obviously." He grunted out, trying to sit farther up. "I take it…you are looking for Lord Thrall?"

They both nodded, so Nazgrel lifted a hand, pointing towards the Valley of Wisdom. "He is there, as we speak. He is fighting with Rend Blackhand, the one who created this entire mess. I don't know what has become of him, as I have had my own problems to deal with since."

She shifted again, growling in pain, and stared deeply into Golbarn's eyes. "Beware Rend's mount…Gyth. It is the creature that defeated me, and left me in this…detestable state. But…its power…is tremendous. It…is a dragon, but unlike any of which I have seen. I has…the power of all the Dragonflights, it would seem."

Golbarn's eyes widened slightly, but instead of showing his surprise to the weakened Frostwolf, he stood. He looked at Naruto.

"Let's go, Naruto."

Naruto nodded, and when he turned to follow Golbarn, Nazgrel stopped him in a way that surprised Naruto.

He spoke his name.

"Naruto…" the orc said, "Lord Thrall has a lot of faith in…you. I once…thought it was…misplaced…but if you can fight this hard, for our people…then I shall accept you, should we win this foolish war."

Naruto stared at him, shocked. Nazgrel…who had before done nothing but throw him disgusted looks, or speak to him in a condescending manner, was now saying that he'd accept him?

"Geez…" he muttered, slightly embarrassed, "you're probably delirious, old man."

"You're probably right," the orc deadpanned. "And I shall probably forget everything that happened here, so enjoy it while it lasts, brat."

Naruto flashed him a cheeky grin, and nodded. He turned, and made to follow Golbarn, only to suddenly bump into him. Rubbing his nose, he stepped up beside the orc, shooting him an irritated look.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"That is," said Golbarn, pointing.

Naruto followed his finger, and his eyes bulged upon seeing what the orc was indicating. Almost as soon as the blonde laid eyes on the creature: a massive magenta dragon, hanging upside down upon the ceiling of the cavern, it moved, letting out a terrific roar which echoed into the distance, and made Tsuwabuki shiver slightly beside him.

'**_That thing…is unnatural,'_** she said, taking a few steps away from Naruto.

Nazgrel gave a soft laugh. "Looks like it found me. I hope you two are up for a fight…because this beast…will certainly give you one."

Unfurling his great wings, Gyth dropped from the top of the cavern, the air catching the leathery skin that was stretched over the great bones of his wings so that he took flight. He swooped downwards, straight at the group that had gathered by the alleyway, roaring terribly once more. Opening its gaping maw, a stream of greenish smoke erupted, making Golbarn growl, leap backwards and grab Nazgrel's limp form, before leaping completely out of the way.

"It's poison!" he roared at Naruto. The blonde nodded, quickly following his example. The stream of smoke spread out as it struck the ground, slowly dispersing, but Gyth had already turned its body, twisting and this time launching a ball of pure fire towards them. It struck the ground, which Golbarn and Naruto had vacated just seconds earlier, causing it to explode in a cloud of fire and stone, raining the latter upon the two fighters as they circled around the beast.

Naruto's hands flew together in familiar seal, and he shouted, "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"**

Four clones appeared in puffs of smoke, while Naruto shouted to Golbarn, "Oi! Gimme the old man, so they can get him to safety, while we kick this thing's ass, okay?"

Golbarn nodded, at once handing off the now unconscious Nazgrel to the four clones, who quickly traipsed off in the opposite direction. Thankfully, the beast didn't even glance in that direction, its attention focused entirely on the two new threats that stood before it, eyes shining with defiance.

Gyth then sucked its breath in, and upon exhaling, a blast of ice-cold air erupted, so cold that the very air began to condense, and freeze almost in the same instant. Golbarn and Naruto separated in a flash, avoiding the rather large area that the ice breath affected. Tsuwabuki was hot on Naruto's heels, doing her best to avoid being caught in whatever breath the beast intended to use.

Gyth turned, then, deciding to follow Golbarn, as he was a bigger target. Sucking in his breath again, the dragon expelled at beam of pure energy this time, not unlike the Ventursaurus' breath. Golbarn dodged and leapt, doing his best to avoid being caught in the tremendously powerful blast.

Meanwhile, Naruto had summoned quit a few more clones, creating a miniature army of them. They all retrieved handfuls of shuriken (which by now, Naruto was running quite low on) and quickly moved to surround the dragon.

Raising the deadly throwing stars, they cried as one, "**Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki! (Cyclone of Shuriken from Every Direction)" **

The clones let fly the mass of shuriken, which moved as a single mass towards Gyth, who had by now abandoned his attempts to attack Golbarn, in response to the larger threat. Beating his great wings, Gyth blew away the shuriken coming towards his front, and simultaneously rose above the rest, avoiding being hit entirely.

Rather than remaining in the same place and cursing their failure the clones had converged beneath the dragon, with half of them unsheathing their swords, the other half grabbing the ones who had armed themselves by their jackets.

"**Naruto Seisha! (Naruto Fusillade)" **the clones cried, hurtling the ones they had grabbed upwards with all of their strength. Those who were flying up towards the dragon, lifted their blades above them, and further enhanced the speed of their flight using the_ Air Grasping_ technique that Naruto had been taught by Thrall.

However, moving far more gracefully than the volley of Naruto clones, Gyth out of their path with the grace and speed that only a creature of the air could manage. It flew beneath them, and streaked towards the Narutos on the ground.

Those Narutos however, didn't intend to fall so easily. Drawing their blades as well, they leapt at Gyth, at the same time that the clones that were now above the dragon suddenly changed direction, and blasted themselves back towards the ground, and consequently, Gyth himself.

Trapped between two sets of multiple adamantium blades, Gyth took the only course of action that he deemed necessary to survive. Folding his wings, the dragon literally dropped from the sky, and lashed out at the clones below him with tooth and claw. Some dodged out of the way, using the _Air Grasping_ ability, and attempted to attack his sides, only to have the dragon's tail sweep them away.

He roared in agony when several did manage to clip him with their weapons, but the wounds were so shallow that he was hardly affected, and dispelled them by abruptly extending his wings, so that the wind sent them flying.

He landed with a thunderous crash on the ground, and at once looked upwards, sucking in his breath in preparation for a breath attack.

The real Naruto, who was among those in the quickly descending group, flashed through the seals for _Kawarimi_ _no jutsu_, just in time to avoid being incinerated by a stream of fire that had erupted from Gyth's mouth. He reappeared on the ground, near the shop whose sign he had switched places with. He was panting heavily, watching the dragon reduce the remainder of his army of clones to cinders. He hadn't been effective in harming the beast much, but he had, however, succeeded in getting it on the ground.

Which is exactly what Golbarn had been waiting for.

The Blademaster charged, his sword humming with the chakra he had gathered into it. "**Heroic Strike!"** he thundered, swinging his sword down at the dragon's neck.

In a flash, however, Gyth's tail flashed in between the blade and his neck, the hard, boney spikes trapping the chakra enhanced blade before it could pierce his flesh. Gyth then flicked his tail, attempting to remove the sword from Golbarn's grip.

The orc, however, rather than resisting the attack, went with it, and once his blade was free of the dragon's tail, he regained his footing with a burst of chakra, and rushed forwards, so that he was barely a foot away from Gyth. With a roar, he thrust his weapon forwards, driving it up to the hilt in the dragon's side.

Gyth let out a true roar of pain this time, and bashed the orc away with a swift turn of his head. The sword went with the Blademaster, causing bubbling, dark blood to gush from the wound. Roaring in anger, the dragon then swept his tail, and flung Golbarn far away from him, so that the orc landed hard on the ground several yards away.

Hissing in anger, the dragon breathed a gaseous, greenish substance on the wound, and though the wound remained, it stopped bleeding.

Golbarn stood up, breathing as heavily as Naruto, and glanced at the blonde, who stood only a few yards away from him.

"Brat…this may go a lot faster, if you used that toad…" he said.

Naruto looked at him, surprised, before wincing, "Uh…he's probably still mad at me for the last time. But there are others, that won't take as much chakra from me, and are probably better for fighting something that isn't Bunta's size."

Golbarn nodded. "Do it, then."

Biting his thumb, Naruto swiftly weaved the seals for the _Kuchiyose no jutsu_, announcing his attentions seconds later.

There was an explosion of smoke, much smaller than the one that accompanied his summoning of Gamabunta, but bigger than the ones that announced Gamakichi's arrival. Swaying unsteadily, Naruto was suddenly aware of a strange, yet not unpleasant odor. As the smoke began to clear, he found the source of said odor, and suddenly wondered if summoning the toad boss, despite the fact that he was most likely still angry with Naruto, would have been a bit better.

The toad, a dull brown, about as large as Gyth, wearing a opened gi and smoke a pipe that was probably as big as Gamabunta's, exhaled a puff of the fowl smelling smoke, and yawned.

"Ooohhhh man…whas' goin' on? Ooohhhh…damn…any'a you guys, got like, somethin' to eat? I gotta serious case of the munchies…yeah…"

* * *

Rend smashed Thrall through a wall, throwing him across the hallway that led to the throne room and into the room across from it. The Warchief grunted, absorbing most of the damage with the _Kongou_, and regained his footing as Rend emerged from the wall he had just created, still grinning malevolently.

"Powerless? Insignificant? You are the fool, Thrall! You cannot hope to match my strength!" the "true" Warchief thundered.

Thrall wiped blood from his mouth, and gave a low chuckle. "Power is not always about how hard you can hit, fool. Nor is about how much chakra you have, or what weapons you possess. It is on most occasions having a mastery of what you possess. I can see, that though you have indeed learned the capabilities of the Tetra Elemental style, you are far from a master. I shall show you what a true master is like."

Standing up, ramrod straight, Thrall took a deep breath, and a slight, bluish glow covered his body, though faded quickly. His body, oddly enough, began to shake slightly. It was an unnatural shake, too, more akin to muscle spasms than actual, conscious shaking. Thrall had closed his eyes, but when he opened them, they, too, were shaking.

Wisps of chakra began to crackle off the orc's skin, but he still didn't move. Rend, who was watching the process intently, suddenly realized what he was doing.

"**Shunsuigai (Flash Flood**eh? I know that too, weakling. But it is almost pointless for attacking a single person, since you are hardly able to control th–"

Before Rend could finish, he was suddenly assaulted with dozens, perhaps even hundreds of punches, striking at him all over his body. He was pushed back through the hole that Thrall's entrance into the room had made, and then flung backwards through the wall opposite.

Roaring in pain, Rend got to his feet, staring in fury at Thrall, who stood before him, still shaking slightly. There was a hum of power in the air, emanating from Thrall.

Growling, Rend shot forwards, moving faster than the eye could see. He swung his huge sword at Thrall, who simply glided out of the way, hardly moving his body. The "true" Warchief attacked with even greater ferocity, slashing at Thrall, who continually glided out of reach, his body moving so smoothly and quickly, that it was almost like attacking water.

Bending his body backwards to avoid another of Rend's strikes, Thrall thrust his foot upwards, and hardened it with the _Kongou_. He then twisted his body to the side, so that his foot crashed into Rend's jaw, and continued past, so that just as it landed, the other came up, also hardened, and smashed in the very same spot.

Lifted off his feet by the force of the attack, Rend was also rendered senseless by the two immensely powerful blows, and thus unable to prepare for Thrall's next attack.

Thrall's body suddenly stopped shaking, and seemed to completely relax, his shoulders slumping, his posture drooping, and his arms hanging like dead weights. Unlike previously, when Thrall's body had hummed with energy, this was the exact opposite: there was no energy, no chakra, and it appeared as if he was asleep.

But he wasn't. He had simply entered the other part of the Water style: **Heisui****(Placid Lake)**.

Moving his hand out in front of him, Thrall began to slowly make seals, not unbearably slow, just slow enough that he appeared calm, and collected. When he finished, he intoned, in a slow, collected voice, "**Lightning Element: The Titan's Fist!"**

Then, he thrust his hand out, and it began to glow brightly with chakra, which soon turned into the crackling energy that he had wanted it to. Abruptly, a fist of pure lightning erupted from Thrall's hand, shooting across the distance between him and the slowly recovering Rend. It smashed into him, sending thousands of volts of electricity churning through his body, and at the same time, possessing enough substance and force to lift him from his feet, throwing him down the length of the hallway, and into the throne room.

Releasing his grip on the chakra, Thrall dispelled the technique, and walked calmly down the hallway, towards Rend's resting place. The Blackrock leader lay against the ruined throne, an almost fitting place for the failure of a leader.

"Do you see, fool? The real power in this style is not its individual powers, but the ability to combine the aspects of each part of the style. You have spent your time simply learning their individual powers, not learning to combine them. That is why you are a fool, Rend, for trying to defeat me with my own power," he said.

Slowly, Rend got to his feet. Though his skin had been blackened by the electric attack, and his hair had been almost burnt away, Rend didn't look at all ready to give in. The "true" Warchief then grinned.

"Hahahaha…Thrall, it doesn't matter that I haven't learned to combine these techniques…their power alone will be enough to destroy you, and this disgustingly weak regime."

Rend's body then began to glow, not with the blue chakra of an orc, but with a sinister crimson colored chakra. The room was suddenly filled with the sound of his roar, and he suddenly moved, so much faster than ever before, slashing Thrall across the chest with his blade. He followed up, a fraction of a second later, by head-butting and then backhanding Thrall in the face.

Thrall countered the next attack with his own _Kazaashi, _and punched Rend in the face.

Rend's _Kongou_ absorbed it entirely, and then he slammed his fist over a dozen times into Thrall's stomach, rendering him unable to move for a short time.

Grabbing Thrall by the throat, Rend pulled him close, so that their noses were almost touching. His single eye burned terribly, a foreign fire now burning in it, along with his own.

"He taught me how to use this power, the power that was given to me by the demons, he gave me control over it. You can't compare to it, Thrall, my power will always be above yours!"

Bringing his fist back, Rend focused chakra into his fist, thrusting in forwards so fast that it couldn't be seen.

"**KAENHIRA (Fire Palm)!" **

The moment his fist struck Thrall's exposed chest, there was a triumphant boom, and an explosion of chakra erupted from his fist, lighting the area with a tremendous orange flash. Thrall was flung away from Rend, ejected by the stream of fiery chakra that had been expelled from Rend's fist.

Thrall smashed into the wall opposite Rend with such force that he nearly broke through it. He slumped to the ground, senseless, his consciousness quickly slipping away from him.

Through his quickly fading vision, he spotted Rend walking towards him, one hand engulfed in fire. The orc was smiling, and his eye was glittering with such terrible power that Thrall new, somewhere in the back of his mind, that this was the end.

He had been defeated…

Orgrimmar would fall.

* * *

WOW! That was extreme, wasn't it? I thought it was a pretty good chapter, myself.

To give credit where credit is due- Frankto once again helped me out with the translations, such as Shunsuigai and Heisui. Give him a round of applause!

Next, we have your weekly fix of MuhiTatsu's adventures, and the end of Sai's mistreatment…damn…

* * *

**Omake pt. 1**

"Thus concludes Sai's fitting Punishmeeeennnnntttt…"

Muhi Tatsu opened his eyes from a most beautiful dream he had been having. He dreamt that he had managed to capture the ANBU ROOTS operative Sai, the bane of several multiverses, and had (after several very painful methods of torture involving a waffle iron, a hermit crab, a tazer, some bubble gum and a rather enraged Grizzly Bear) managed to kill him. He began to sigh, wondering if it had all been a dream.

The form beside him began to stir. Despite not being within his dreams, Shizune had been a wonderful companion and had managed to soothe his rather nasty hangover from the previous night after having tried to out drink her master. He had succeeded, but at a rather high cost. While Shizune had left Tsunade to her hangover as punishment, Tatsu had been helped by the rather striking kunoichi who had become smitten with him for some reason. They had enjoyed each other's company immensely ("We didn't have sex you perverted letches!" Tatsu yelled mentally) and eventually had gone into bed. ("Again, no sex!") After that, things had become a bit hazy, and for all he knew, Tatsu very well COULD have found Sai.

"Tatsu-kun…" Shizune whispered. "Last night was... wonderful." ("Do I even NEED to say it at this point?")

"In what way?" Tatsu murmured groggily.

"Well, not only was it nice to have someone to cuddle up to, but the entertainment you provided in the middle of the night was rather nice as well." She purred.

Tatsu looked ecstatic. "So… I really did finally manage to kill Sai?"

Shizune nodded. "Yes…" she paused and looked behind her, then looked at Tatsu somewhat forlorn. "There's still a problem."

Tatsu raised an eyebrow. "What kind of problem?"

"Us, Tatsu-kun!" a chorus of voices sounded behind him.

Very slowly turning his head around, Tatsu saw at least a dozen more Sai's, all smiling that extremely irritating grin. His eyes widening, Tatsu scooped Shizune into his arms and ran THROUGH the wall of the apartment complex he had inhabited just a few seconds before.

The Sai's all chuckled and then poofed out of existence with only one remaining. A seal was made, and then smoke was made and then dispersed to reveal a now awake Tsunade.

"That'll teach him to steal my assistant away from me. Though he did do a service to the village, I must give him that…"

Tsunade then clutched in her hands the only copy thus far of 'Sai's Fitting Punishment'. She knew that it would sell for at least ten thousand yen per copy, at least in Konoha, and soon, she would be able to finally get some gambling done. She knew she would win it all this time…

* * *

**Omake 2 **

**The (Mis)adventures of Muhi Tatsu: Dimension Traveler pt 3 (Nobody's perfect!)**

Muhi Tatsu was once again in the office of the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade, but unlike the last time he had been in here, she was not welcoming or happy at all. Glowering at Tatsu, who had her assistant Shizune holding his hand, Tsunade asked,

"Shizune, I must ask. Other than strength, what do you see in Muhi Tatsu as a boyfriend?"

Shizune pouted. "Why must you ask such things Tsunade-sama? I'm happy with Tatsu-sama right now, and that's what matters!"

"Yeah!" Tatsu got out

Tsunade sent Tatsu a murderous glare that promised punishment if he didn't shut up. Tsunade then took out of her desk a rather large file. "Shizune, are you aware of what Tatsu has done in the five days he has stayed in Konoha? I have it all right here!" She began to read.

"Drinking, disturbing the public, getting Rock Lee drunk-" she was interrupted

"That's a crime?" Tatsu and Shizune asked at the same time.

"Yes, we had to make it a crime or else who knows what could have happened!" Tsunade slammed her fist against a wall, and naturally it broke. "Now enough interruptions!"

Tsunade continued. "Public indecency, trying to make my pet pig into bacon, groping, helping Jiraiya write Icha Icha Paradise, writing bad fanfiction, jaywalking, littering, putting chewed gum into Haruno Sakura's hair-

"It doesn't matter though, her hair looks like gum anyway!" Tatsu blurted out

Ignoring him, Tsunade still continued "Making Hyuuga Neji become hyper due to excess sugar, kicking Inuzuka Kiba's dog Akamaru, forgetting to use a coaster on drinks, demoralizing several of my Shinobi by having them watch Titanic, and somehow demolishing several blocks in a fight with a boy named Hibiki Ryoga. I'll work on your punishment later, but again Shizune I must ask you… why do you still insist to go out with Muhi Tatsu, despite his strength?"

Shizune's face became determined. "Because Tsunade-sama, despite all his faults, he is still kind, compassionate, smart, and most importantly of all, he's the only man I've ever met who has stayed with me and hasn't shown interest in you later by constantly staring at your chest!"

Tsunade flushed, turning away in embarrassment while Tatsu, who had at first also looked embarrassed due to Shizune's praise, now looked confused and awkward.

"Um…thanks Shizune-chan." He said.

Shizune giggled. "You're welcome Tatsu-kun!"

* * *

Hehe, that Tatsu's a crazy guy isn't he?

Now, on to a few Reviewer answers…

**Laser Crusader- **Not the toad boss, but a toad nonetheless. I figured Gamabunta would be a bit sore about losing, and I don't think he'd fit in the place where they are fighting, so he's summoned a totally different one… And yes, Naruto has mastered the Air Grasping which he used in this past chapter quite a bit. He might fight Rend, but you have to keep reading, to find out. This isn't really a stealth mission, so aside from the Shadow Walk, he probably won't be using the Shadow style much. And no, there is no chance for Naruto getting a match with Hinata. At all.

**The-Xenocide- ** Sweet! I like having fans this cool! As for romance, it will show up, but not for a while…there needs time to build it, and both Naruto and Kira aren't really interested in each other as more than friends, yet. And, I too, cannot wait for Kira and Sakura to lock horns…cat fight!

Well that's about it. See you guys next week!

General Grievous

**_Spellbook_**

**Earth Prison- **Surrounds opponent in a prison of earth, can be used in conjunction with Earth Spikes to instantly kill opponent.

**Bladestorm Revised: Horizontal**: Rather than a vertical tornado of chakra, this revised Bladestorm is more like a torpedo…with slicing winds around it. Has a glaring weakness, (the middle), but generally moves too fast and too powerfully for it to be exploited.

**Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki- **Used by Naruto in the anime, flings shuriken from every direction at the opponent, via the clones.

**Naruto Seisha –** Sends a group of clones flying upwards, their swords rasied, impaling anything in their path. Can be modified to go downwards, and even from side to side.

**Shunsuigai- **Flash Flood state of the Water style of the Tetra Elemental style. By speeding up the flow of a person's chakra, they enter a state of increased awareness, and their body begins to react quite a bit faster than before. It is generally effective for attacking large groups, or for simply dodging, and it is very difficult to use jutsu in this state, due to the increased flow of chakra. Can be combined with the Wind style to correct the attacking ability, and Earth as well.

**Heisui-** Placid Lake state of the Water style of the Tetra Elemental style. By slowing down a person's flow of chakra, they become a lot more relaxed, and slower. However, at the same time, their chakra control goes through the roof, and they are able to perform jutsu that are very difficult to control with ease. The biggest weakness is that it slows down the mind, as well.


	36. Dragons

**Disclaimer: Cue long, weird opening anime with a strange song with even stranger lyrics and a bunch of random scenes of the characters posing together, ending with the statement: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR WORLD OF WARCRAFT!**

**Additional Statement: Drugs are bad. You'll see why.**

_Here's the next installment of the Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Rend stood in front of Thrall's fallen body, his face having transformed into a look of pure disgust. His single eye glowed brightly in the dim light of the room, and his face was cast in both shadows, and the fiery light of his _Kaenhira_, the name for the Fire Style.

It worked by molding the chakra into an explosive form, which was then expelled through the hands, fingers, feet, even elbows and head, if the person was skilled enough. It could easily destroy anyone hit by it, no matter what type of armor they wore.

It was Rend's strongest attack. The power given to him by the demons of the Burning Legion, and his already incredible chakra reserves gave it enough power to destroy almost anyone that it struck. It could annihilate an orc completely in a single strike.

Thrall was strong, but he was stronger.

He towered over the fallen Warchief, casting his glowing red gaze upon the orc that he had called weakling. Perhaps the orc wasn't so weak, after all.

He said calmly, despite knowing that his words would not reach the orc. "You are strong, Thrall; therefore, I shall address you by your name. But you were leading our people down the path to destruction. Your nature, your _kindness_, would have led to the defeat, or worse, the weakening of our people. I cannot allow that. But I will honor you in death, for you have proved your strength to me. I will lead the Orcish race to victory Thrall, you can be sure of that."

Lifting his massive sword, he prepared to end Thrall's existence in this world. There was a grudging respect in his eye, for Thrall was no longer weak in it. He felt triumphant, and a little honored. He was the true Warchief, and always had been. This final act would prove to all that it was so.

But a voice stopped him.

"**_I see that we have arrived just in time."_**

Rend turned, slowly, to face a shadow that had appeared in the doorway of the throne room. It was huge, hulking, and held two gleaming axes in its hands. Two amber eyes glittered from beneath a wolf skin helmet, they were filled with a controlled fury, as if they held the very chaos of the world at bay. The look and eyes were mirrored in the mighty bear that stood beside the giant, growling menacingly.

"You…" said Rend, his eyes flashing.

"**_I'm afraid that I cannot allow that one to die. He is too important to this world, and he is a dear friend to me. Prepare yourself, Rend Blackhand, for I will unleash the fury of the wilds upon you."_**

With that, Rexxar, Champion of the Horde, fell into a battle stance, his axes raised, his eyes narrowed. His bear, Misha, let out a roar of such fury that Rend could feel the primal rage of it in his very soul.

He lowered his weapon, and his terrible grin returned.

"Then I shall lay the dog to rest beside his master. Don't think, Beastmaster, that you can hope to defeat the true Warchief!"

Kira was breathing heavily, and grunted as she got to her feet, wiping sweat from her brow. The healing chakra that was emanating from her hand had stemmed the bleeding on the nasty wound on her back, as well as lessened the pain that was shooting through every bone in her body at that very moment. She gazed not at her wounds, however, but steadily forwards, her eyes locked on the two monstrous beasts that were currently intent on tearing her best friend and handmaiden apart.

The dragons.

Or, more specifically, the dragonspawn; not true dragons, due to the fact that they were far more humanoid, and also (thankfully) far less powerful, but still possessing several of the dragon's most dangerous traits, as well as a few of their own. Her master had told her on many occasions that the origins of the dragonspawn were unclear. Some say that they were once elves, or humans or dwarves or trolls, and after spending many years in the company of dragons, the power of the dragons had rubbed off on them, transforming them, over the period of several thousands years, into what were known as dragonspawn today.

Others said that the dragonspawn were simply those who had been looked on favorably by a flight of dragons, and rewarded their loyalty and constant service by transforming them into the draconic humanoids, so that they could be of far more use to the dragons. No one knew whether either was true, because it was unknown if dragonspawn reproduced or not. No one had ever laid eyes upon a juvenile, nor had they spotted any sort of egg that might hatch into one. But there was also very little evidence of the second theory, as nobody had ever seen a creature being turned into a dragonspawn, or any evidence that they had once been an orc, troll, human, elf or otherwise.

That is, of course, until today.

After witnessing the five Blackrock orcs metamorphosing into the hulking, reptilian brutes, with a dark, scale-covered, humanoid upper torso, an elongated, draconic lower torso, with four legs, and a long tail with several spiky horns jutting out from the end. Similar horny protrusions had sprouted from the back, all the way up to the back of their heads. Their faces were purely that of a dragon's, with a long snout, small, beady red eyes, and a mouth filled with rows of sharp, dagger-like teeth.

As soon as their transformation had been complete, they had launched themselves into the attack once more. Now quite a bit faster, they had quickly crossed the distance between them, with three of them attacking Gen'rash, who they deemed more dangerous, and the other two heading for Kira and Kylia. Gen'rash had ducked down an alleyway, leading the three dragonspawn attacking him away, and Kira had seen neither hide nor hair of them since.

Of course, Kylia, being who she was, had stepped in front of Kira and drawing her daggers, had protected her with everything she had. Her daggers did very little damage, however, to the dragonspawns' hides, which were supposedly as strong as iron. Kira had done her best to weaken them so that Kylia would better be able to injure them.

Her _Hex of Weakness_, unfortunately, had had little effect, but that was to be expected. One of the traits that dragonspawn inherited from their masters was an increased resistance to damaging chakra of all types. Their scales, infused with their own chakra, repelled foreign chakra as well as steel would stone.

Only Kira's mental techniques were left, due to that little fact. Their minds were difficult, but not as difficult as their bodies, to assault, but first and foremost, she had to consider Kylia.

In order to keep Kylia from being torn apart by the dragonspawns' immense strength, she had needed to protect her using_ Power Word: Fortitude_, which enhanced her stamina, and _Power Word: Shield_. With Kylia protected, one would think she would have the perfect opening to attack them with a _Mind Blast_ or _Mind Flay_, stunning them sufficiently so that Kylia could slip in and kill them without worry of being ripped in half. Unfortunately, that was not the case, because after a few swipes at Kylia, and discovering that she was not going to be as easy a target, they abandoned her and rushed straight at Kira, claws and teeth glinting in the sunlight.

Though she was weakened terribly from the use of the _Power Word: Shield_ on Kylia, Kira managed to create a flimsy shield, just strong enough to absorb their initial strikes. She was, however, flung away by the force of the attacks, crashing hard into a wall behind her. The impact sent bolts of pain across her back and body, driving the air from her lungs, and the cracked stone created a nasty wound on her back spilling blood onto the ground.

Having collapsed to the ground, she looked up to see that they hadn't pursued her. Kylia had rushed immediately to her defense, hurtling a pair of daggers at the dragonspawn. The daggers had done nothing, however, but divert their attention back to Kylia. Charging at her, their claws slashed at the glowing shield that had still surrounded Kylia, quickly ripping it apart, leaving her defenseless once more.

Slowly getting to her feet, Kira wondered if it were possible for them to win this fight. Humans, even pirates like Shanker, could not compare to the power of the Dragonflights. The dragonspawns' coloring, a deep black, led her to believe they were from the most fearsome of the flights.

The one that had destroyed Theramore.

The Black Dragonflight.

But she dimly noted that mixed into the black, there were wisps of other colors- red, blue, green, even brown. They were difficult to make out unless the sun was shining directly on them, casting a sort of perverted rainbow upon their scaly hides. It made her doubt that they were of the Black Dragonflight at all. From what she had heard from her master, they were blacker than the blackest night, voids that devoured all light, in every sense of the word.

Weaving her hands together in a complicated motion of seals, Kira couldn't stop to think any longer. Once again, Kylia was in danger, and she would be damned if she let the now one-eared girl suffer another wound such as that, or worse.

"**MIND FLAY!"** she cried, thrusting a tendril of chakra out into the air, rushing towards the two dragonspawn as she did. It stretched out, wavering and winding in the air, before splitting in two, and striking both beasts in their foreheads. They immediately halted their attack, letting out twin roars of pain as the effects of the attack struck them.

Kylia leapt away from them, landing just in front Kira as she stopped. She clutched two daggers in her hands, and had not yet gone for the ones buried in her skin.

"Mi– K-Kira. Please go. It would be better if you were not caught up in this…" the girl said, gazing stonily forwards, her head slightly bowed.

Kira snorted.

"No," she said. "I'm not going to leave you here. I thought we went over this?"

Kylia opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off when Kira hissed, "Here they come!"

The dragonspawns roared in triumph as they finally threw off the effects of Kira's _Mind Flay_, but strangely did not fling themselves at the girls as they had previously done.

Instead, they both began to suck in air, their chests swelling greatly. Wisps of smoke began to escape from a small crack in one of the creatures' mouths, while an acidic green mist began to trickle from the other's nose. Then, they simultaneously exhaled, one spewing a stream of white-hot fire, the other a cloudy stream of green smoke.

Kylia immediately dodged to the side, Kira following her quickly. Both breath attacks hit the spots that they had just been standing in, the fire melting it, while the green smoke simply dispersed into an opaque, quickly expanding cloud. The two dragonspawn wasted no time in returning to their pursuit of the two girls, with one preparing another breath attack, and the other simply raising its claws and gnashing its teeth as it ran towards them.

Neither girl stopped moving, as each prepared her own attacks. Kylia had gotten the small leather pouch given to her by the trolls out, and was applying the dark green powder within it to her largest dagger. Kira was weaving her hands into a series of seals, in a slow, obviously unpracticed way.

One of the dragonspawn then expelled from its mouth a great blast of freezing cold air aimed straight at Kira, while the other slashed at Kylia with its clawed front two legs and clawed hands. At the same time, however, Kylia had immediately stopped, and with a sudden burst of speed had driven her dagger solidly into the dragonspawn's stomach, sliding it up with such supreme dexterity that it went underneath the scales, and was driven straight into the soft skin beneath.

The dragonspawn roared in pain, twisting away from her, but almost immediately its movements became sluggish, the poison that Kylia had covered her knife in working quickly. The creature's joints seized up, its blood flow began to slow, and it began to sag and stumble, unable to support its own weight any longer. Finally it fell, twitching, to the ground, and lay still.

As that happened, Kira dodged away from the blast of ice, and thrust her hand out, having finished her hand seals. "**Shadow Word: Fire!"**

She cried out when a searing heat appeared in her hands, so hot it was as if her hands had been immersed in molten rock. From her hand there was a rush of heat as her chakra carried the infernal heat that had been in her palm just moments before towards the dragonspawn. There was a bang like a gunshot, and the dragonspawn was soon covered in flames, turning it into a blazing inferno, with the roars of its agony transcending the roars of the flames.

But the dragonspawn did not fall. Instead, it charged at Kira, its arms stretched wide so that it might grab her and take her with it in death. Kira avoided its death grip, feeling the heat of the infernal flames against her skin as she rushed by, leaping over the creature's tail as it swung at her.

She suddenly felt like she was in the clear. The dragonspawn's movements had begun to slow as the extra hot fire seeped through the tough scales and burnt away the flesh beneath. Having inhaled a tremendous amount of the searing hot air, there was no doubt that its insides were burnt as well. Finally, it too collapsed onto the street, its wails dying away as it stopped writhing and lay still.

Kira breathed a sigh of relief, wincing slightly when she felt the pain of her use of the Shadow Word come at her full force. She glanced at her hands, seeing charred, burnt flesh, which somehow hadn't managed to cover the black markings from her last venture into using the dreaded forbidden jutsu.

Kira then spared a glance at Kylia, and was relieved to see that she was okay. The dragonspawn she had been fighting lay on the ground, dead, a dagger in its stomach that Kira had to guess was covered in poison.

"What about Gen'rash?" Kira suddenly asked, looking around for the troll.

"I don't know," Kylia confessed, looking around as well. "But I think he can take care of himself, mis– Kira."

The wayward princess nodded, but still felt a little troubled. She pushed it to the back of her mind, however, and focused on what they had set out to do in the first place.

"We should go," she said. "Thrall is just down this road, and likely Naruto as well."

Kylia nodded, but as they finally resumed their original goal, there was a horrible screeching from behind, as well as a sickening ripping sound that immediately caused both girls to whirl around, hearts beating quickly.

'_You've got to be kidding me!'_ Kira silently raged, as, to both her and Kylia's horror, the bodies of the dragonspawn began to move.

They did not get up, but their bodies began to twitch and writhe, and strange, unearthly screams began to emanate from their mouths. Finally, in a spray of blood and the sound of flesh and bone being ripped apart, the backs of the two dragonspawn split open, and a head emerged from each. The split then continued down the backs of their long bodies, and torsos, arms, legs and tails emerged, covered in the dark blood of the dragonspawn.

If the dragonspawn had been horrible to look upon, these were even worse. They were a soot color, and stood upright on two powerful legs. Their faces were as draconic as the previous incarnations', and had long, swishing tails sprouting from their lower backs.

But they were not perfectly proportioned. They looked deformed, or, in a sense, incomplete. One had a withered arm, so thin and bony that it looked like it might break off from the slightest amount of force, while the other had a grossly deformed face, with a single multicolored eye where it should be, the other facing upwards, mounted on a gross swelling of flesh that half the creature's face. They had no visible genitalia, and both had a slightly hunched, unbalanced posture.

But either way, Kira was stunned and horrified by their appearance. She had never seen such a creature, or heard of one for that matter, in her life.

'_What are these things…?' _

The creatures looked wildly around, their heads spasming oddly as they did. The one with the deformed face then looked straight at her, and let out one of its horrible screeches, alerting the other to look towards her as well.

She swallowed deeply, and upon meeting their terrible eyes, flecked with many colors, as they rushed at her and her best friend.

'_We could really use some help…'_ she thought.

* * *

Naruto stared, mouth open, his eyes wider than he one could possibly imagine, at the toad that he had just summoned. It wore a red gi that was opened in the front, and had murky brown skin. He was large, about as big as the dragon Gyth, and clutched a pipe that was easily as tall as the toad itself. There was a dull, glazed look in its eyes, and had a strange, yet pleasant smell surrounding it. 

It rolled one of its hazy eyes to look at Naruto, who stood atop its head.

"Nicccceeee ta meeetcha, man. Name's Gamatsutsu. What's yours, man?" the toad said, grinning lazily at Naruto.

The blonde didn't answer, his brain trying to process what, exactly, he had done wrong. Instead of summoning a battle-hardened toad, he had summoned a complete and utter stoner!

Gamatsutsu, not waiting for Naruto's answer, began to snicker.

"Oh, man…dude, hehehe, hehehe, you've got somethin' on your head…hehehe, looks like a dead animal…hehehe…dude, not even I'm that much of a party animal…hehehe."

Naruto blinked, patting the top of his head, and feeling nothing but hair. It then occurred to him what the toad was talking about.

"Oi! Shut up! My hair's cool!" the blonde bellowed, annoyed by the toad.

Gamatsutsu yawned lazily, taking a drag from his pipe, and exhaling the strange smoke with a relaxed sigh. "Yeah man…it is… Ohhh man…you got somethin' to eat? I gotta serious case of the munchies…"

A vein throbbed in Naruto's forehead. Where all the toads dysfunctional in some way? Gamakichi was annoying, Gamabunta was grouchy, and this guy was just stupid.

'_Why the hell did Ero-sennin make a contract with these guys, anyways?'_ he wondered. Then, '_Why the hell did I, for that matter?'_

Golbarn clapped a hand to his forehead, wondering just how this brat could be both so strong, and so stupid. Though he didn't understand what the toad was saying, the way it spoke the words, and the look on its face, and the smell that surrounded it suggested that the creature was not going to be much help.

The smell in particular, assured him of that. He had seen Orcish youths smoking stuff that smelled much the same in an alleyway once, all giggling and making fools of themselves. He knew why the blonde had not summoned the huge toad, due to the limited space they had, but to summon something that wouldn't be of any help at all…?

"Wooooaahhh! Dude! Whose that guy, he's lookin' a bit peeved, gotta a chill pill ta give him?" Gamatsutsu said, indicating Gyth, who was standing several yards away, sizing up the new threat.

The magenta colored dragon gave a low growl, but did not move. It appeared to be waiting for Naruto to make the first move.

'_It isn't stupid…'_ he remembered, having seen the creature effortlessly defeat his army of clones earlier. It knew how to react to attacks, and could easily deliver a fatal counterattack if he wasn't careful.

"It's the bad guy," Naruto said, pointing for good measure. "We have to kill it."

Gamatsutsu took another puff on his pipe. "Ehhh? Kill him? Dude…that's harsh."

Another vein throbbed on Naruto's head. "Oi, don't tell me that, we have to defeat him, or else more people will die! I have'ta find Thrall, and we gotta end this war as soon as possible! To do that, we need to beat that thing!" he cried, his patience, which he never had much of anyways, wearing thin.

"Dude, chill. I'll help you out, I guess. The boss man put in a good word for ya, if you're that Naruto guy everyone's been talkin' about. Sigh…too bad I couldn't get any munchies before this, I hate fightin' on an empty stomach."

Crouching low, the toad took a final puff on his pipe and then sprang forwards, using his powerful legs to shoot across the distance between him and Gyth.

The dragon, letting out a thunderous roar, opened its mouth and spewed a sphere of molten rock at him. Gamatsutsu, however, slammed the pipe handle down, into the ground, pushing him out of the way of the projectile. It soared harmlessly past as he catapulted forwards again, reaching the dragon who had only just begun to beat its wings, preparing to dodge.

"Sorry dude, nothin' personal!" the toad cried, bringing the huge pipe to bear and delivering a swift and crushing blow to the dragon's head.

Gyth was knocked off balance by the blow, and was then smashed into the ground when the toad landed squarely on top of him. Gamatsutsu then pushed hard off the dragon, and flew high into the air, tucking his legs in as soon as he reached his zenith and began to fall back towards Gyth.

Gyth recovered swiftly, pushing itself to its feet and then beating its wings to leap out of the way seconds before Gamatsutsu crashed back to earth, causing the street to explode beneath and around him. The force of the landing traveled all the way through Gamatsutsu and up to Naruto, numbing the boy's legs and making him slightly unsteady.

The toad blew a puff of smoke out, and whistled. "Dude…that was hardcore."

Gyth gave deafening roar, launching himself at the toad and shinobi with renewed vigor. Gamatsutsu bounded out of the way, putting a fair amount distance between himself and the dragon. Breathing in deeply, he filled his mouth with smoke from his pipe, and then waited as Gyth charged at him, exhaling only seconds before the dragon reached him and his summoner.

The stream of smoke hit the dragon in the face, not only obscuring its vision, but its enhanced senses were easily overwhelmed by the smoke's powerful stench. Gyth roared, shaking its head and stumbling as it tried to clear its mind and vision.

Smirking in triumph, Gamatsutsu delivered a bone-shattering strike with his pipe to the dragon's head, followed by a second, and finally a third. By the last strike, Gyth was on the ground, its head firmly implanted in the stone of the street from the force of the blows.

It fell limp, and ceased to move.

Lifting his pipe up, Gamatsutsu let out a sigh of relief. "Oooohhhh dude, that was intense! I think I deserve a little break now, don't you? I gotta find my munchies, anyways."

As the toad fished about in its gi, in search of its "munchies", Naruto was staring down at it in slight surprise. He hadn't expected him to be so…effective.

Nor had he expected it to be so anticlimactic.

Golbarn seemed to share his feelings, and was staring in unconcealed shock at the toad, who suddenly lifted a bag of something (he couldn't read whatever was on the side) from its clothes, and had proceeded to dig into the bag of strange food, a look of pure bliss coming over his face.

"Ooooohhhhh man! That hits the spot, damn, Itamaegama makes the best chips in the world!" he moaned, savoring each bite of each chip he ate.

Naruto sweat dropped, shaking his head in disbelief at the strange toad.

Tsuwabuki had come up beside the giant toad, watching it in interest. **_'What a strange creature; I don't think I've met a toad that was this size, or could talk.'_**

Naruto grinned at her. "Heh, you should see his boss."

Tsuwabuki nodded and might have said more, but her ears suddenly perked up, and she looked towards Gyth in alarm.

'**_Watch out!'_**

Naruto spun towards the dragon, and to his horror discovered that it was moving. Lifting its mighty head, the creature opened its mouth, and a golden glow began to emanate from it. He cried out to Gamatsutsu, who was still in the process of satisfying his craving for junk food, and the toad looked up just in time to see a beam of golden energy erupt from the dragon's mouth.

In a heartbeat, Tsuwabuki bounded away from the dragon, while the toad rocketed into the air using its powerful legs. However, in his frantic escape, Gamatsutsu had lost his grip on the chips that he had been eating, only just realizing it in mid-air. Looking down, he saw to his horror that his chips had been caught in the dragon's lightning breath, and as the beam of energy faded, only a few burnt tatters of the bag that had held his precious chips were left.

When he returned to earth, he was still in shock. He dimly heard Naruto shouting something at him, and saw the dragon that had done the deed turn towards him, its joints cracking as it did. His eyes, however, had not left the remains of his chips.

It is known that, in grief, people go through various stages. The first is typically shock. Gamatsutsu, upon seeing his munchies destroyed so swiftly, so callously, reacted instantly with this. The next reaction is denial.

'_Nooo…man…this can't be happening…those were my last munchies…no way. I don't believe it…'_ he thought, despite the haziness generated by the hash he had been smoking not two minutes ago. To reinforce his belief that nothing had happened, he began to pat the pockets of his gi, searching for the bag that, in the back of his mind he knew was gone, but simply refused to believe it. Upon finding none, he sat still for a moment, staring blankly forwards at Gyth, who let out a throaty growl, spreading its wings in preparation to take flight.

The third reaction is typical for something in this, rather absurd, situation.

Anger.

"YOU BASTARD!" the toad thundered, rocketing forwards so quickly and so suddenly that Naruto very nearly fell off, only just managing to stick to the toads flesh using his chakra.

"THAT WAS MY LAST BAG, MAN! ITAMAEGAMA DOESN'T GIVE THOSE OUT FOR FREE YOU KNOW! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

Before Gamatsutsu reached him, however, Gyth took to the air in a swirl of dust generated by his massive wings. Gamatsutsu sped beneath him, immediately turning as soon as he landed a few yards away.

Lightning fast, the toad whipped his pipe downwards, and carved out a large streak in the road, gathering a bundle of rock and dirt into the tip. Taking a deep breath, the toad blew deeply into the pipe, the burning hash in the tip suddenly burning white hot from the wind as well as a little chakra; it was hot enough to almost instantly melt the rock, and then with a flick of the massive pipe, the end, which was usually turned upwards, suddenly snapped down so that it formed long tube.

Sucking in deeply a second time, and aiming the long, cannon-like pipe at Gyth, Gamatsutsu roared, "**GAMATSUTSU DANGAN! (Toad Pipe Bullet!)" **

The molten projectile exploded from the pipe, shooting like a bullet towards the air-born dragon. It struck the creature solidly in the chest, exploding in a splash of molten rock and foul smelling hash. Gyth roared in fury, twisting and flailing about in mid-air, while Naruto, Golbarn and Gamatsutsu watched from below. Hissing in anger, it began to scrape the now hardening rock off, revealing the ruined, blackened scales beneath.

Gamatsutsu cursed. "Man…that was my last batch of hash, won't work much now."

Naruto stared in wonder at the toad, suddenly realizing how useful he would be.

"Hey, stoner-toad! Think you can get me up there, too?" he cried, grinning.

Gamatsutsu rolled his rapidly clearing eyes up to Naruto, blinking a few times, before catching on.

"Sure thing, little man!" he said, grinning. He then slammed the pipe into the ground beside him, and said excitedly, "Hop in!"

The tip of the pipe was, fortunately, wide enough for Naruto to climb into, though just barely. For once, he was a little glad that he was rather slight and short.

Though he'd never admit it, of course.

Squeezing up to his shoulders into the pipe, Naruto could go no more. His nose was almost on fire from the stink of whatever the toad was smoking, but he managed to gasp out, "Ready!"

Gamatsutsu nodded, and lifted the pipe up, "Hold on, little man!"

Before he could raise it, however, Gyth was upon them, his claws and jaws slashing furiously at the toad. Leaping back with enough force to damage the street beneath him, Gamatsutsu avoided the dragon's attacks, all the while doing his best to keep Naruto from falling out of the tube, or getting even more stuck.

The blonde was jostled to and fro by the toads movements, and combined with the stench, was feeling a little nauseous.

Roaring, Gyth shot upwards again, sucking in air as it did. It then stopped, high in the air so that it had a perfect view of the area, and looked down, ready to expel its infernal breath upon its enemies.

It locked eyes with the toad, who was grinning. Gamatsutsu then lifted his weapon/ leisure instrument up, and with as he blew into the pipe, bellowed, "**Gamatsutsu Naruto Dangan!"**

Naruto erupted from the end of the pipe, shooting straight towards the dragon. Immediately, he made a seal and cried, "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"**

A swarm of clones appeared in mid air, all around him, and using the _Air Grasping_ technique taught to him by Thrall, shot ahead of him, drawing their swords as they did. Gyth roared, expelling a stream of hellish flames into the air, but using the same technique the clones avoided it, shooting off to the side, and then forward again, plowing into their intended targets.

Its wings.

Their blades sliced into the leathery skin of the dragon's wings, ripping through and suddenly depriving the creature of quite possibly its most dangerous ability. They then grabbed onto the bony parts of the wings, using the force of their travel to pull the dragon onto its back, and then down towards the ground. With the cuts as well as the added weight, Gyth was unable to right itself or escape, and soon struck the ground in a colossal explosion of dust and rock, generating a massive crater beneath it.

The clones still pinning it down, and still stunned from the attack, Gyth was unable to protect itself as the original Naruto fell on top of it, driving a swirling ball of demonic chakra into the dragon's chest.

"**Oodama Rasengan!"** he cried.

The orb obliterated the weakened scales caused by Gamatsutsu's earlier attack, and carved straight through to the creature's vitals, ripping them to shreds in a cascade of blood. The ground beneath Gyth exploded outwards as the chakra traveled through the creature and into the earth; then, with a final gurgling cry, the dragon fell limp.

For a brief moment, all seemed silent. Even the sounds of war seemed to recede as Naruto stood, breathing hard. He painted quite a badass picture at that moment, something Gamatsutsu didn't hesitate in pointing out.

"Nice one, dude! That was totally sweet!" the toad cried, his earlier anger apparently forgotten. He hopped over, while Naruto dispelled his clones and jumped off the dead mount of Rend Blackhand. He grinned down at the blonde.

"Dude, all that stuff the boss man said about you…totally true. You're a cool dude in my book. Maybe when you get outta this, we can chill out together, knowwhutimsayin'?"

Naruto sweat dropped. "Hehe. No way." He said the last part firmly and without so much as a single blink.

Gamatsutsu laughed, "Alright, it's a date! Now, you gonna be usin' this?" he asked pointing to the dragon's body.

At this, Naruto blinked. "No…why?"

Gamatsutsu patted his stomach, "Dude, that bastard took my munchies…figure he can't taste too bad, maybe with a little barbecue sauce, ya know?"

The blonde sweat dropped again.

Tsuwabuki padded over, coming to a rest beside Naruto. '**_Now do you wish I was a toad?'_**

Naruto shook his head, smiling a little, before he remembered what he had fought this creature in order to accomplish.

"Oi, Golbarn!" he called out to the orc, who had not moved from his spot in the middle of the battlefield, simply staring at the fallen dragon, even as Gamatsutsu began building up wood for a fire around its body. "Come on! We gotta get to Thrall's!"

Golbarn looked steadily at him. He then chuckled.

"Boy, you have no need for me, it would seem. I will go to where I am truly needed. But if Lord Thrall is not alive by the time this is all over, I assure you that whatever camaraderie we know share will cease to exist. Don't fail us, Naruto."

The blonde was taken a back a little by the force in the orc's voice, but knew that to the people of Orgrimmar, Thrall was everything.

He nodded.

"It's a promise!" he said, grinning his familiar vulpine grin.

Golbarn nodded, and without another second's hesitation, turned and ran back towards the Valley of Strength.

Naruto didn't stop to watch him go. With a cry of "Come on!" to Tsuwabuki, the blonde bid goodbye to Gamatsutsu and ran towards the Valley of Wisdom, where he could see Grommash Hold in the distance, oddly tranquil in the torrent of the war around it.

* * *

Kylia leapt immediately in front of Kira as the creatures moved, faster than before, but jerking erratically with every step. Unlike before, there was no pattern to their attacks. They seemed to have lost all sense and reason, and were now relying purely on instinct. 

Kylia hurtled another of her daggers, and it pierced the dragon-beast with the withered arm in the chest, but the creature almost completely ignored it. Having no time to apply any poison, the girl had expected as much. With blazing speed she grabbed another pair, preparing to throw them, but the dragon-beasts were already on top of her.

The one with the deformed face crashed into her with absolutely no coordination or intent other than throwing her off balance. Quick as a whip, the other moved in and twisted around, swinging its long, thick tail into Kylia, launching her across the street; she skidded along the ground until she came to a stop by striking the opposite building. She didn't move after that.

They did not pursue her, and immediately turned towards Kira, the closest one in reach. The girl was hissing in agony with every seal she made, but was having an enormous amount of trouble molding her chakra into the form that she desire it to be.

She was unable to finish, as the withered arm dragon-beast suddenly grabbed her, throwing her down the street, so that she landed in a heap on the ground.

The deformed face dragon-beast followed quickly, delivering a bone-breaking kick to her ribs, and launching her even further in the direction of her original goal. She spat out blood as she landed for the second time, as an explosion of pain blossomed inside her body, leaving her bereft of breath and unable to move.

The dragon-beasts, still jerking slightly, went after her again, their mouths open with drool and blood flying out as they ran towards her, screeching all the way.

She tried to stand, but all of her limbs refused to obey, wanting to rest, to sleep. She felt like doing the same, and she began to drift away into unconsciousness, her mind and body begging her to give up.

She was so tired.

'_You've gotta trust your people_.'

Why was Naruto's voice coming to her like that? What was the point? She already knew that…her people were strong, and they'd get by without her. They were strong, and she was weak. So she was going to die because of that, and they would still be strong without h–…

No.

They wouldn't.

They needed her.

'_The foundation of every great nation is in the strength of the leader, who gets their strength from the people, and vice versa. It is a two-way exchange, daughter; never forget that.'_

How could she be so stupid?

Her people were strong, but unless she was there for them as well, they would fall.

She couldn't die here. She had her people to save, and she had a dream to fulfill. She felt sick that she had forgotten that, even for a second.

She wouldn't forget it again.

With renewed strength, she got slowly to her feet, staring steadily ahead at the quickly approaching monsters. She had no idea what she was going to do, but she wasn't going to die. Her hands began to weave seals, despite the intense pain she felt in them; each one was slow, methodical, and precise. She gathered her chakra into her hands again, preparing to shout the words that she had done once before, and preparing to commit that terrible act once more.

Then, something huge landed in front of her, obscuring her view of the two dragon-beasts and breaking her concentration, as well as her footing. She toppled backwards, and landed painfully on her rump, her heart beating wildly. Looking up, she spotted a massive hairy back, a small, thin tail with a tuft of hair on the end, and a pair of massive hooves, all belonging to something she had only seen in pictures.

A tauren.

"Wow, you pinkskins are tough. The only other one that I know who could get up from that is that blonde idiot, Naruto."

Kira's mind screeched to a halt, and she stared dumbly at the tauren, her eyes wide.

"Y-you…" she stuttered, making the tauren laugh.

"Actually, it's Kaine! Kaine Bloodhoof, the number one strongest Shaman in Thunder Bluff! Just sit back, pinkskin, I'll help you out," he said, hefting the massive cylindrical weapon off his shoulder.

The two creatures had stopped their charge at the appearance of Kaine, but only for a second. They quickly returned to their attacking, but Kaine rushed to meet them, his body enhanced by the power of his Windfury totem, which he had planted earlier. Raising his massive wartotem, he brought it crashing down onto the stone street, smashing it apart and causing both dragon-beasts to stumble and flail about.

Kira, jostled by the powerful attack, watched the events unfold with wide eyes. This was Kaine Bloodhoof, the grandson of Cairn Bloodhoof, the chief of the tauren, the one that had helped Naruto defeat Cyrussian T. Venture and his monster?

She felt a slight swelling in her heart, and the despair that had filled it before vanished. If Kaine was here, than that meant there might be other tauren, too! They now stood a much better chance!

Under her enraptured eyes, Kaine rushed towards one of the dragon-beasts, the one with the withered arm. With a cry of triumph, he slammed his wartotem into the creature, creating a thunderous, gong-like sound as it blasted the dragon-beast away; it slammed with earth-shattering force into a building on the edge of the road, crashing through the wall with enough force to bring the roof down on top of it.

Kaine then whirled, just in time, to block a vicious attack from the deformed face dragon-beast's tail. Throwing the creature off, he kicked it hard in the chest, pulverizing the scales and likely the bones beneath.

The dragon-beast spat up blood, and gave a choking screech before it was silenced forever by Kaine's wartotem, which came down on top of it, annihilating it in an explosion of blood, bone, dust and rock.

Kira just gaped.

She felt almost jealous of the young tauren's power, he had just destroyed the creatures that she and Kylia had almost died trying to kill in a few seconds. Shaking off that feeling, she managed to get to her feet again, as Kaine walked towards her, grinning.

"Need some help?" he asked, grinning widely.

She shot him in a slightly irritated glance.

"No," she said, hotly.

She then gathered healing chakra into her hands, and began to repair the most pressing injuries on her chest. She then hurried past the tauren, rushing to Kylia's side in a heartbeat.

She was relieved to discover that she was okay, and began to at once to heal the girl's injuries. Kaine came up behind her, watching with slight interest.

After finishing her work on Kylia, Kira stood, and looked straight at Kaine.

"Thank you," she said, sincerely, and smiled a little.

Kaine returned the smile, and nodded.

Kira then said, "Did the other tauren come, as well?"

Kaine nodded, smirking. "My grandfather led a huge group of us as soon as we got the message. We used Kodos, and imagine our surprise when we met a huge group of trolls led by the Vol'jin guy outside!"

Kira was stunned. "But that's impossible…we just got back from their village, they shouldn't…"

Kaine winked. "Apparently, he's thought ahead, and had a bunch of Hearthstones created for just this purpose. My grandfather sent me off to find Thrall, while he and the others fought in the Valley of the Strength."

Nodding her head, Kira said, "I'm trying to find him as well… It can't hurt to try together, right?"

Kaine grinned, and nodded. "Guess it can't, just try to stay out of my way, okay? You don't seem to be in the best of states to do any more fighting."

Kira didn't argue, instead stepping away, she pointed at Kylia. "You'll have to carry her, then."

Kaine nodded, and lifted the girl up, slinging her over his shoulder. As they moved, Kira suddenly heard a sound from behind. Not taking any chances, she whipped around, and came face-to-face with Gen'rash.

The Skullsplitter was covered in cuts and wounds, as well as several burns and a lot of dark blood, but appeared to be fine, as they were quickly healing. He carried the three dragonspawns' heads in his hand, gripping them by the horns atop their heads.

Kaine recoiled slightly upon seeing the troll.

"He with you?" he asked, glancing at Kira, who looked relieved.

Kira nodded. "Yes. Are you ready, Gen'rash?"

The troll nodded, but didn't speak. He dropped the heads where he stood, and walked past her and Kaine, down the street.

Without another word, they followed.

* * *

Rexxar and Rend met in a clash of steel and sparks, with Rexxar's twin axes smashing hard against Rend's mighty sword. Though enhanced by the power of the Burning Legion, the fel orc Warchief was forced to give ground to the sheer power that Rexxar commanded. The half-orc half-ogre pushed Rend back, and flung him away a few steps, knocking the orc slightly off balance. He then slammed one of his axes hard into Rend's side, but it was deflected by the power of the true Warchief's _Kongou_. 

Rend roared in a primal ecstasy, the excitement generated by the battle overcoming all his other senses. He swung his sword with impossible swiftness using the _Kazaashi_, but Rexxar was able to parry the reckless, wild strikes with his controlled, almost passive strength.

Meanwhile, Misha, the great bear that had accompanied Rexxar, had managed to drag Thrall out of range of the fight, propping him against the wall with a few nudges of her huge head. She then turned back to the battle, a low growl erupting from her throat. She had been waiting for a fight like this.

Rushing at Rend's back, the bear called out to Rexxar in a way that only he could understand. Throwing off a final strike from Rend, the Champion of the Horde focused the wild, immense chakra within him into a perfectly controlled slash that knocked Rend off balance. Using the chance, Misha rushed around to the front, and let out a bellow that shook the very foundations of the hold.

Normally, this wouldn't have had any effect save for perhaps causing slight irritation to Rend's ears, but when Rexxar was helping her control the chakra, it came out in a miniature sonic boom, driving Rend back and throwing off his equilibrium.

Shooting forwards, Rexxar cut two long slashes across Rend's chest, causing dark blood to spurt onto the ground, and Rend to growl in pain. He then made a move to decapitate the true Warchief, but Rend was able to manage a feeble parry, which prompted Rexxar to bring up his other axe in a sweeping gesture, smashing it into Rend's throat.

Or rather, he would have, if Rend hadn't vanished using the _Kazaashi_.

The Blackrock Warchief gasped as he reappeared on the other side of the room, attempting to regain his balance. He had gotten careless.

"So the wild one isn't as weak as I thought…but know that I shall have the hide of both you and your bear by the time this battle is at an end."

Rexxar turned slowly, his amber eyes shining darkly beneath the wolf's helm. Misha walked up beside him, growling deeply.

"**_Then do it, rather than speaking of it, Blackhand. I have yet to see what truly makes you strong,"_** he said.

Rend snarled in barely suppressed fury, before managing a brutal smile.

"Fine then," he said. "I'll show you."

The same crimson aura that he had generated in the last moments of his fight with Thrall returned, and the two wounds on his chest began to heal. His skin also changed slightly, becoming lighter, and taking on an almost orange color beneath the green. Shooting forwards, roaring in wild abandon, he slashed at Rexxar's throat, but was parried. However, he managed to push the half-orc back, and so he reached out and grabbed Rexxar by the throat, squeezing hard in an attempt to crush his windpipe.

Before he could manage it, however, Misha interrupted, biting down hard on his arm and clawing the orc across the face. Rend immediately retracted his hand, bashing the bear in the head, as well as freeing Rexxar.

Shooting forwards, the Champion of the Horde head-butted Rend, and then slammed the tip of his axe hard into the orc's chest, just to the right of his heart between the ribs, right atop the lungs, as he had no room to cut with it.

Rend spat up blood from the force of the attack, and doubled over, gasping in agony. Rexxar followed by punching the orc in the jaw, and then a kick with the force of the wild straight into his chest. Rend flew backwards, still immoveable from the pain, and landed in a heap a few yards away, near the wall of the hold.

As Rend struggled to stand, Rexxar spoke.

"**_You are as much a fool as Thrall believed, Blackhand. You have no right, as I have no right, to decide the fate of the Orcish people. You gave up your right to call yourself such a thing when you tainted your blood with the power of the demons. You can never be Warchief, for only a true orc can hold that title."_**

Rend's eye blazed, and his breathing increased. His single eye burned brightly with the flames of his anger, as he at once stood straight.

"Shut up, half-breed," he growled. "I am the essence of what an orc should truly be. No matter what power he gets, he does it simply to become stronger. Thrall is leading the people of this city down the path of the weakling, one where orcs do not fight to get stronger, but simply to protect what they already have! He is turning us into what we have hated since we arrived in this disgusting world: Humans!"

Rexxar's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"It is only you who has no right to speak of it! A disgusting mix between those pigs, the ogres, and our noble race!" Rend thundered, throwing his blade away, and hunching over, the crimson aura flaring brightly.

"I assure you, half-breed, that upon your death, I shall entomb your body in iron, then fling it into the sea. They say that you have harnessed the power of the beasts, and the spirits of the wild, and that is what gives you such power and wisdom. I will not allow you to return to the wilds that you so cherish. Is it not fitting?"

Shooting forwards with his remarkable speed, Rend drew back his fast and smashed it so swiftly that Rexxar couldn't dodge into the half-orc's chest.

"**Kaenhira!"** he roared.

There was a flash and a bang, and Rexxar's leather chest place was obliterated in a flash of fire and force, and he was thrown backwards. He smashed into the wall behind the ruined throne, grunting in pain, but stayed conscious. Rend followed through, aiming another punch at the same spot.

Rexxar batted away Rend's approaching hand with his axe, and cut across the orc's chest flinging blood across his face. Rend staggered back, but recovered swiftly, and as Rexxar swung at him again, he punched the axe, blasting it from the Beastmaster's grip. He moved in again, and punched Rexxar again and again in the chest. The blasts of explosive chakra tore through and ruined the flesh of the half-orc's chest, but there was so much muscle that it didn't travel through to his organs.

Rend prepared a final punch, aimed at Rexxar's head, but once again completely forgot Misha, who swiftly interrupted the attack by grabbing his arm in her jaws, and biting down hard.

With a roar of fury, Rend spun and slammed his fist hard into Misha's upper chest beneath is arm. The explosion threw the spirit bear backwards, and she crumpled to the ground against the wall, unmoving.

Turning again to finish Rexxar off, he was suddenly seized with an intense, overpowering fear, which cut straight through the rage that he had been possessed by seconds ago. He stared wide-eyed into Rexxar's face, whose eyes churned with a terrible, wild power.

"**_All who harm those important to me will taste the fury of the wilds, Blackhand."_**

Rend stepped back as a huge surge of chakra exploded around Rexxar, and though he managed to rein his fear, it was meaningless, for even before he could react, Rexxar had slammed his axe, tip first once more, into the Blackrock orc's chest, impaling him with the force.

Rexxar then began moving, each step ripping away the stone floor beneath him, as he charged across the throne room, Rend gored upon his axe. He was like herd of enraged kodos, channeling the fury and power of the natural world.

Upon reaching the wall on the opposite side, Rexxar thrust his bleeding cargo into the wall. The incredibly thick wall exploded from the force, driving Rend through many feet of solid stone, and into the room next to the throne room, and was ejected from Rexxar's axe as he met open space, before crashing throne the wall of that room.

Through three more rooms he moved, finally skidding across the floor, and cracking the wall of that room, before he came to rest, and finally stopped moving in a spasm and a bloody cough.

Rexxar grunted, lowering his blood-soaked axe, and gave a deep, wheezing cough, as an incredible pain welled up in his chest from Rend's final attacks. But he did not fall, but remained a statue of power, still and silent despite the wear and tear upon his person.

He was like that when Naruto, Kira, Kaine and a still unconscious Kylia, Gen'rash and Tsuwabuki entered a few moments later.

They had met, to both their surprises, just outside Grommash Hold. Naruto had been shocked but happy to see Kaine, before Kira had told him he was an idiot and a bad friend for abandoning her as he had.

"Sorry Kira-chan…" he said, wincing a little from her slap. She wasn't at all as strong as Sakura, but it hurt, for some reason, just as much.

"You should be," she said stiffly. "It was only because of Gen'rash and Kylia, and Kaine too, that I'm alive. Next time you run off like that, think of who you're leaving behind, okay?"

The blonde nodded, feeling almost as downcast as when Sakura had turned down one of his requests for a date.

Then, Kira sniffed him, frowning. "What's that smell?"

Naruto flushed a little, scratching his head. "I'll tell you later," he said.

They then hurried up the steps into the hold, shocked at the display of destruction as they entered the hold. It was there that they saw Rexxar, standing, covered in serious looking wounds, at the entrance of a ruined throne room.

He turned in surprise at their arrival. "**_Ah, it is you, child,"_** he said, looking at Naruto.

Naruto blinked in recognition of the giant half-orc and said loudly, "Ah! It's you, that guy who beat me when I first got here! Reszar or something!" Then he said, "You owe me a rematch, asshole!"

Kaine smacked him in the head, "That's Rexxar, you idiot! The Champion of the Horde, you know? He'll kick your ass!" Then he switched gears, saying urgently to Rexxar, "But what are you doing here, Rexxar, sir?"

Rexxar gave a soft smile, turning and looking at the fallen Thrall, who still lay against the wall, unconscious. Naruto's eyes widened, and he rushed, along with the rest of the group, into the room and to Thrall's body.

"**_Doing my duty, young Bloodhoof, to the Warchief,"_** he said, limping over, every step more painful than the last.

Kira laid her hand against Thrall's wounded chest, pressing healing chakra into it. Naruto then stood, and looked hard at Rexxar.

"Where's the guy that did this?" he asked, coldly.

Rexxar's eyes shifted to the giant hole in the wall, and he said, "**_You passed the room where his body lies, dead. One who taints himself, willingly, with the power of the demons is not meant to exist on this earth."_**

Naruto felt a glimmer of fear run through him, but Rexxar gave him a reassuring smile, as if he knew what Naruto was thinking about.

"I've done as much healing as I can," said Kira, drawing their attention. She finally retracted her hand as the wound healed. "But he should really rest for now. I don't think he's going to get up."

"**_Then let him rest, child,"_** said Rexxar. "**_This war is over, Blackhand has lost, and so he can now rest easy."_**

Kira began to smile, but stopped halfway, her eyes suddenly going wide. Naruto noticed the reaction and spun, far too used to that sort of reaction by this time. The others looked as well, and had similar reactions upon seeing the specter of death that had appeared in the hole in the wall created by Rend's body.

"WaR…? ThIs…wAr…WiLL…NeVer…EnD…aS…Long…As…I…LIVE!"

Rend's body began to change, his skin darkening, his muscles swelling, his single eye blazing. His body grew, scales began to appear over his skin, his hands became claws; sharp, bony spines eruped from his back and shoulders, and a long tail sprouted from his back, similar bony protrusions ripping through the newly formed flesh around it.

'_He's changing…just like them!'_ Kira thought, eyes filled with terror.

Rend Blackhand then let out an animalistic roar, which struck fear even into the fearless forms of Rexxar, Naruto and Kaine.

Then, he attacked.

* * *

High upon Blackrock Spire, in the ruined, dark throne room that he had occupied before, a man, his face cast in shadow save for two smoldering orange eyes, gave a soft laugh. 

"**_I Wonder If He Has Noticed It Yet? I Am Curious What He Will Become, With The Power That I Have Given Him?"_**

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* * *

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Done.

Now, some apologies are in order.

I am sorry that the chapter is so late, but I do have a reason. Last week, I had vacation, and was visiting relatives in Georgia and Florida, so I was unable to get the chapter out as I had hoped to.

Sorry!

Since you guys are really cool about it, I won't beg and moan like I usually do…you guys are cool with it…right?

If you're not…I AM VERY SORRY! I WILL TRY NOT TO DO IT AGAIN!

That's said.

No review answers today, because I'm feeling a little spiteful. You guys need to review more!

Will it help it if I capitalize it?

REVIEW MORE!

Kay!

By the way, Gamatsutsu means: Toad Pipe, or Pipe Toad, if you want. Itamaegama means Chef Toad. I figure than since all of the toads have names befitting their characters, these should as well.

Next week, The Climax of the Battle against Rend Blackhand, and the revelation of who the dark man is, as well as the strange dragon-beasts!

General Grievous

**_Spellbook:_**

**Kaenhira (Fire Palm): **The essence of the Fire Style, he enhances a person's attacks with explosive chakra, making it almost lethal to be hit by. The downside is that it does cause damage to the user, as the explosion is happening at such a short distance.

**Power Word: Fortitude: **Enhances stamina.

**Shadow Word: Fire: **As a shadow word, it does both damage to the user as well as the opponent. It burns the hands of the user, but creates a super hot fire that is almost impossible to put out by normal means. Usually those struck by it don't survive.

**Gamatsutsu Dangan: **The toad Gamatsutsu expels whatever he gathers into his pipe, and superheats, shooting it out as a powerful projectile. Has been modified to include people, and without the burning part.

**Bestial Roar: **Creates a miniature sonic boom, and can only be used by spirit counterparts.

**_Bestiary:_**

**Gyth (Rend's Mount)(Dragonkin)(Boss): **A Chromatic dragon that thusly has the ability to use all of the breath attacks of the Dragonflights: Fire (Red), Magma (Black), Poison (Green), Ice (Blue) and Lightning (Bronze). Though it cannot speak like most dragons, it is incredibly intelligent nonetheless, and extremely powerful. It can fly very fast, and possesses very sharp claws and teeth, as well as the breath attacks, and difficult to pierce scale armor.

**Chromatic Dragonspawn (Humanoid)(Dragonkin)(Elite): **Creatures who existence was somewhat of a mystery until now, they are humanoids that have adopted several powers that full grown dragons possess, and serve them without question. It appears now that they are created by some strange procedure, though by who or what is still unclear. They possess all the breath attacks of the Dragonflights, as well as swift speed and ample hand-to-hand skills.

**? (Humanoid)(Dragonkin)(Elite): **Called dragon-beasts by Kira, these creatures, deformed and entirely insane, a birthed apparently, fully grown, from the bodies of the dragonspawn. They resemble more humanoid dragons, with only two legs rather than for, but don't seem to possess any breath attacks, or any fighting ability other than instinct. They are dangerous nonetheless, with erratic, unpredictable movements and extremely sharp claws.


	37. The Beast

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft.**

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**Bet you thought I'd say something funny, huh?**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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Rend Blackhand was changing.

His mind, while never entirely stable, had once been able to hold a sense of self-worth.

Of pride.

He had always, since he had been a young orcling watching his father go about his business as Warchief of the Horde, believed that orcs were the strongest. There was never anyone to say otherwise. Even after his father had perished, overthrown by the vile traitor Orgrim Doomhammer, and Rend had gone on to lead the Blackrock clan with his brother Maim, there was no doubt in his mind that nothing could defeat the Orcish race. It was this belief in his own natural strength that had led him to declare such a war on Thrall in the first place.

Thrall was perverting the strength of the orcs. No…not perverting, but lessening, and crippling even. Orcs had always fought, always conquered. They had done it ever since they had formed the Horde in the now inaccessible world from which they had come from, a place called Draenor. But Thrall didn't do that. He fought, yes, and though he was loathed to admit it, he fought well. But for him, fighting was only a means to an end; a way of achieving peace for his people, so that they could live out their lives in happiness, without fear of death.

Fear of death.

He would generally laugh at such a phrase. What fear could be derived from death? It was merely a process of life, which everyone had to go through. But for orcs, it was also a way of measurement. How an orc died was almost as important as how he lived. If he died old, sickly, in his bed surrounded by those he had known in life, it was disgusting, shameful, in Rend's eyes. An orc who died in captivity, under torture, was no better; for even if he did not break, and died keeping whatever information that he withheld from his captors, he still had managed to get caught, and had not fought hard enough to die, even if it was from sheer exhaustion.

No…there was only one way that an orc could die honorably.

Battle.

To fight and to die in battle was an orc's greatest desire. That is not to say that they willingly seek death; no, they fight as hard as they can, staving it off until they can fight no more, and it is only then that they embrace her, lovely Death, covered in the blood of their enemies as well as their own, and their minds still clouded by the wonderful haze of bloodlust. It did not matter how one died, as long as they died in this fashion. They could be impaled upon spears, have their brains crushed by hammers, stabbed by swords and daggers, pierced by arrows or bullets, burnt by fire, frozen by ice, shocked by lightning, swallowed by the earth, ripped in half by a fearsome giant, or devoured by a dragon and still, if they fought to their last breath, it would be enough in Rend's eyes to consider them a true orc.

That was his belief.

No matter what power you accepted: whether it be the tainted power of the Burning Legion and its terrible leader, Kil'jaeden, or stolen techniques from another, it did not matter. He had heard the term for what he was…a Fel orc, one who had tainted their own noble blood with that of a demon's. He scoffed at the name. He was an orc; no matter what power he used or was bequeathed, as long as he followed that doctrine– fight and fight and fight until fighting is no longer possible, and then die at the hands of the enemy, then he was still an orc. A true orc.

Even as the change began, and the hate and fury that had been raging within him, far stronger than any storm, clouding his thoughts memories, this belief still remained. It had become rooted so deeply within his mind, never far from his thoughts, that even as all excess thoughts were stripped away, he clung to this belief; it became his sole reason for existing, suddenly, as the power given him to that man…the man who had given him Gyth, consumed him, changed him.

His thoughts of taking over Orgrimmar vanished, his thoughts of being Warchief along with them.

All that remained was the desire to fight.

The desire to win or lose had gone, too. He would simply fight. Fight until he died.

As Rend's mind was dominated by this idea, his body was changing under the horrified scrutiny of his enemies. It grew larger, his muscles swelling and distorting in such a fashion that it was truly sickening to behold. His arms grew longer, almost ape-like, and bulged with immense muscles, as his chest and shoulders sculpted themselves into massive mounds of dark green flesh. His legs muscles grew far less, but there was still a change to them. In a loud series of snaps, as the bones rearranged themselves, his ankles and feet became jointed like a bird's; bending back slightly and he rose up onto the balls of his feet.

When this was finished, dark scales began to sprout, erupting from his skin and overlapping with the ones behind and adjacent so quickly that his entire, huge body was covered with them, save for a few patches that ran along his spine, in only a few seconds. They were small, and conformed completely to his new muscular body, almost as if they were now his skin. They were a deep, void-like black, tinged only slightly with green.

Then, from a larger spot on his lower back that hadn't been covered, Rend's flesh began to distort, growing outwards as if something was going to rip through from within. And that something it would seem, as the flesh broke and a long spike of jointed bone sprouted out, growing out behind him in only a few seconds to a length of about five feet, was a tail. As soon as it had reached its desired length, muscle, blood vessels, flesh and finally scales grew upon it, and it began to swing back and forth, twitching slightly as the changes upon its owner finalized. From the other holes upon his back, long, bony spikes shot out, forming a line up the spine, and finally two large horns sprouted from just below his temples.

One of the horns snapped the leather that held the eye patch over his right eye, and the scar of the ruined sense organ was revealed. But ruined it was not, for long, as the flesh suddenly healed, and Rend Blackhand opened his right eye for the first time in years. It was a smoldering orange; the color of the eyes of the man that had given him that power.

Now his transformation was complete.

Those who had witnessed it were still in varying degrees of shock and disgust. Naruto, Rexxar, Kaine and Gen'rash did their best to conceal the sudden lance of fear that had been driven through them simultaneously as they watched Rend become the monster that stood before them. Kira and Kylia, whether it was because of their inexperience or their gender, were frozen in shock, still kneeling by the unmoving form of Thrall. Tsuwabuki, unable to show such emotion on her face, was shocked nonetheless as she moved back towards the wall, from where she had been crouching near Misha.

Kira was well aware what was happening, for it had been herself, Kylia and Gen'rash that bore witness to the transformations of the other orcs. But Rend had neither become a dragonspawn, nor one of the strange, deformed dragon-beasts that had attacked them after they had destroyed the dragonspawn. He had become something entirely different- half-orc, half-dragon, and looked even more fearsome than both. She could feel the sheer power that he was emanating; but even more frightening was the horrible killing intent that he was giving off. It paralyzed her.

No human alive could generate such a powerful wave of killing intent.

And then Rend did something that paralyzed all of them.

Rearing back, he let out a sound that no word could describe. It was not inhuman, bestial, demonic, or draconic…it was something so terribly monstrous that it seized their bodies with such shock and terror that even the battle-hardened Rexxar was rendered immobile.

But the sound didn't stop there.

It filled the Valley of Wisdom, then echoed into the Drag, traveled into the Valley of Honor, the Cleft of Shadows, the Valley of Spirits, and finally into the Valley of Strength, where every Blackrock orc, as well as every Orgrimmar orc, paused; for very different reasons, albeit.

The Blackrock orcs were suddenly filled with an intense surge of willpower. It drove their bloodlust to new heights, and it renewed their fighting spirits. They began to chant, even those who had transformed into either dragonspawn or the dragon-beasts, and the chanting, as well as the still reverberating roar from Rend, cut through the fighting spirits of the Orgrimmar orcs like a sword.

"**BLACKHAND! BLACKHAND!"** they cried.

Their Warchief had given them the spirit. They would win this battle. They knew it now in their hearts, and their souls. Not even the sudden appearance of the tauren or the trolls would be able to stop them.

Back in Grommash Hold, Rend's spirit-breaking roar died away, and his mismatched eyes slid to their first target.

Rexxar.

The Beastmaster suddenly felt the full force of the True Warchief's rage, and watched as the giant bent down, and then, using the strength of his powerful new legs, flew at Rexxar, letting out a an incoherent roar as he did. He shot through the air so fast that even before Rexxar could lift his axe in defense, Rend was upon him, using one, large hand to grab the axe and crush its head with apparent ease, and the other to grab Rexxar's head, before he took to the air again. He vaulted across the room, over the heads of the other fighters, and slammed Rexxar into the wall with enough force to send him halfway through it, and knock him senseless.

Releasing Rexxar's head and stepping back, Rend appeared to admire his work, but only for a second. Then, as Rexxar gathered his wits, Rend twisted his body to the side and kicked Rexxar in the chest, blasting him through the rest of the wall and out into the streets of the Valley of Wisdom. When he finally came to rest, after skidding several hundred feet away from the Hold, down the slope and coming to a rest near the edge of the road, creating several large cracks in the pavement as he traveled, the last of his strength gave out. His body was still so injured from his previous fight with Rend, and as he finally stopped, he slipped into a darkness that was as wild as he.

The others eyes' widened in shock, staring at the result of Rend's first attacks. He had just defeated perhaps their strongest warrior in only a few seconds, using barely two attacks. Was this how powerful Rend Blackhand had become?

The shock soon gave way to a boiling anger, which, though it seized all of them equally, spurred Kaine into doing something first.

"YOU BASTARD!" he roared, rushing forward. Rend, hearing the shout, began to turn around, but only made it halfway, which is when Kaine's wartotem descended upon him, striking him right on top of the skull.

The attack blasted the True Warchief into the ground, and caused the entire room to shake mightily, dislodging loose stones from the ceiling from all the fighting that had been occurring in the room. The floor around Kaine was destroyed as Rend was smacked into it, sending up a cloud of dust.

Though Rend had stopped moving, Kaine hadn't. Gripping the wartotem tightly, he settled into a batter's stance, and with another roar, swung the huge weapon around, so that it smashed into Rend's fallen form, ejecting him at an upwards angle through the wall, and outside into the dry and dusty air, as the transformed orc had done so to Rexxar just moments ago.

He flew high into the air, arcing spectacularly, before he returned to earth, creating a huge cloud of dust. He then rolled along the ground until he too stopped, resting near one of the many houses that surrounded the hill around Grommash Hold.

Kaine, breathing heavily from the effort of using so much chakra in his attacks, followed nonetheless, through the hole that Rexxar's body had made. Gen'rash quickly followed, but Naruto, who had been about to go himself, suddenly stopped and looked at Kira and Kylia.

"Kira-chan, Kylia, Tsuwabuki! You gotta stay here, okay? Guard Thrall with all you've got, cause if that freak gets past us, then you're all that stand in between him and Thrall. Got it?" he said, looking at them determinedly.

Kira nodded dumbly, and schooled her formerly shocked features into what she hoped was a reassuring look.

"We won't let you down!" she promised.

Kylia nodded in agreement, but said nothing.

Tsuwabuki said crossly, **'D_on't die, I don't fancy having my partner killed only after I've just met him!'_**

The blonde flashed them all a grin, and hurried through the hole without a look back.

Kira watched him go, a lump in her throat. Even though she had said that…she was terrified for him…for all of them.

* * *

As Kaine emerged from Grommash Hold, he spotted his fallen opponent near a group of houses on the other side of the road from where he was standing. He also saw Rexxar, lying prone near the road at the bottom of the hill. He could just make out the rising and falling of the half-orc's chest, and was relieved that he was still alive.

But a flash of movement caught his eye, and he knew his opponent was too. Rend stood, and Kaine could see that his face was covered in dark blood, which was streaming from the huge wound on the top of his head. His chest, too, was a mess of broken scales, as well as had a lumpy, unnatural look to it. He had busted several ribs then, he thought with relish. But Rend's eyes, one a blood-red, the other a deep orange, glared at him from across the street, and as Naruto and Gen'rash emerged from the hole, something shocking began to happen.

The gushing blood suddenly stopped gushing, and the broken scales began to mend themselves, the lumpy look to his chest quickly righted itself, as well. The monster wiped the blood from his face, and then bent his knees, shooting forwards with impossible speed. It was almost as if he had flown, and not leapt.

Kaine raised the wartotem, ready to bring it crashing down as soon as Rend reached him. He did, too, but did not expect Rend to reach out and grab the huge weapon, stopping it cold before the force that Kaine had been hoping for had built up. Even so, Kaine realized that his chakra still should have traveled through and reduced the monster's arm into a pile of bloody flesh and broken bones.

But it didn't.

Instead, Rend reached forward and grabbed Kaine's neck, and in a few swift motions, ripped the wartotem from his grip and spun, hurtling the huge tauren away from him with what appeared to be as little effort as he had used to crush Rexxar's axe. Tossing the wartotem away, and leaping towards the fallen tauren before either Naruto or Golbarn could stop him, he brought his hands up and delivered an unbelievably powerful hammer blow to Kaine's back. It was only the thick layer of leather armor and the tons of powerful, toned muscle that prevented the attack from breaking his spine in half.

What it did, however, was drive Kaine into the ground, and rend him almost incapable of moving for a few seconds. He could taste blood welling up in his mouth, almost drowning him, and the pain was excruciating. He felt sick, wanting desperately to rid himself of the blood that that had flooded his mouth, but his body was entirely uncooperative at the moment.

Rend, seeing that his opponent was dead yet, brought his long, powerful arms and huge, clawed hands up again, preparing for the finishing strike.

At that moment, however, he felt dozens of sharp objects, which happened to be the remainder of Naruto's shuriken stock, sink into his back and the back of his neck, causing him to growl in pain. However, the thick scales and skin prevented the blades from entering too far into the skin, and it took but a single movement, him turning to face the new threat, to dislodge them.

But instead of being greeted with Naruto's face, he saw Gen'rash's, now only a few feet away from him, and before the monster could react, the troll witch doctor slammed the detached tusks that he clutched into Rend's fleshy, nearly hidden neck. Rend backed away, gurgling and spitting blood, unable to make any sort of roaring noise, while Gen'rash made a series of hand seals.

"**Bolt Shock!"** he cried in his language, thrusting his palm into Rend's face, and releasing the crackling chakra. The blood gushing from Rend's neck suddenly began to boil, and there was a flash of light and the crackling of electricity as Gen'rash sent many thousands of volts of energy into the monster's body. It was more than enough to kill a full-grown kodo, but Gen'rash was shocked when Rend didn't fall.

Instead, he wrenched the tusks from his neck, and reached out to grab the troll.

But Gen'rash, planning for this, suddenly leapt back, out of his reach, and then bent down.

It was then that Naruto, clutching an Oodama Rasengan in his hand, leapt over the troll, kicked off his back and shot forwards at the monstrous form of Rend. He vaulted over Rend's outstretched hands using his free hand, and thrust the swirling ball of demonic death into Rend's chest.

The powerful surge of chakra bored straight through the scales, tore the skin, and grinded away the bone, and flung deadly torrents of chakra into Rend's unprotected insides. He was thrown backwards, over the still prone form of Kaine, and demolished the wall of a house that they had been standing in front of as he passed through it.

Naruto was panting heavily, and though the attack had almost never failed him before, he did not get the feeling that the fight was over.

"Kaine!" he cried, looking down at the fallen tauren, who was now moving, struggling to get to his feet. "You okay?"

Instead of responding, Kaine lurched forwards and vomited a torrent of blood and phlegm onto the ground, and then began coughing heavily. He then continued, and finally succeeded, in getting to his feet, though he was looked as if he were about to fall any second.

"Eh…guess not," Naruto said, recoiling slightly at the large amount of blood that the tauren had spat up.

"B-bastard hits hard…" the tauren wheezed, wiping away some of the blood that now coated the fur around his mouth.

Gen'rash stepped forwards, producing a small vial of blue-green liquid, and handing it to the tauren. Kaine took it, frowning slightly, until he recognized the concoction.

"Heh…Troll's Blood Potion. Thanks," he said, grinning weakly at the witch doctor, who nodded solemnly, accepting his thanks. Kaine then downed the potion in a single gulp, making a face at the taste, before the effects began to take hold. The internal wounds slowly began to heal thanks to the regenerative properties of the potion, and the atrophied muscles in his back, which before were so filled with pain that it hurt to move even slightly, were flooded with relief, allowing the tauren to stand straight up, and gain a sense of stability once more.

But as Kaine recovered from his previous hit, the sound of shifting rock from behind him brought their attention back to their enemy, who had emerged from the ruined house, snarling, even though there was now a large, gushing crater in his chest, which seemed to be healing even as they watched.

"How the hell does he heal so fast…he's an orc, not a troll!" Naruto said, still staring wide-eyed at the seemingly unstoppable Warchief.

'**I'M SURPRISED. HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHAT THE BEASTMASTER SAID?**'

'_Huh? What did he say?'_

'**THAT ORC HAS DEMON BLOOD FLOWING THROUGH HIS VEINS. CAN YOU NOT FEEL IT? THE DEMON THAT GAVE SUCH POWER TO HIM WAS NOT AS STRONG AS I, OR EVEN SHUKAKU. BUT NONETHELESS, IT IS ALLOWING HIM TO HEAL AT A MUCH FASTER RATE. HOWEVER IT WAS NOT THE DEMON'S POWER THAT TRANSFORMED HIM. THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE WITHIN HIM…A CHAKRA THAT I HAVE NEVER FELT BEFORE.**'

That was troubling. Storing that information away for later, the blonde settled down into a fighting stance, drawing his sword as he did.

"Guys!" he said. "Remember what Rexxar said, he's got demon blood in him!"

Kaine looked briefly at him, then nodded. He turned back towards Rend, who by this point had almost completely recovered from the damage done by the Rasengan. Realizing that they'd only have a few seconds before the monster attacked, Kaine decided to act first.

He smeared some of the blood that was still wet around his mouth on his thumb, and began making a series of hand seals. He planted his palm solidly on the ground, and bellowed, "Summon: Stone Binding Totem!"

Rend, who had been preparing to perform another flying leap, was suddenly unable to move. His arms fell to his sides, each one as heavy as ten or so boulders, and even hung his head, unable to hold it up for it now weighed as much as a house.

"Take that bastard!" cheered Kaine. He then looked at Naruto, "Hit him now!"

Naruto nodded, and ran at the huge orc, his blade glinting in the light. Rend abandoned his attempts to start moving, instead bringing up one of his thick, muscled arms to shield his face, while the other reached out to grab him. Before he could grab hold of the blonde, however, Naruto vanished in a swirl of dust, reappearing so close to the orc that it was almost indecent. His _Kazaashi_ had improved greatly since he had last truly fought with it.

Letting out a cry, Naruto thrust his sword into Rend's muscled chest, the adamantium blade pierced through the layers of natural armor that Rend now sported, and when the blade had completely sunk in, he twisted it around, and then ripped it upwards, so that it scythed through bone, muscle and flesh, exploding from Rend's right shoulder nearest to the neck. Naruto was showered in the monster's blood, and Rend roared in agony, so distracted that he did not see Gen'rash appear behind him.

Stepping out of Rend's shadow, the black tattoos that allowed him to meld into them still present on his sea-green face, Gen'rash thrust two more of his detachable tusks into the back of the Blackrock leader's neck.

Gurgling in pain, as he was unable to roar once again, Rend arched his back, before suddenly spinning, delivering a devastating strike to Gen'rash's side with his tail. The troll was flung quickly through the air, crashing solidly into the wall of a much larger house. He sunk to the ground, unconscious.

At the same time, he thrust his left arm forward, punching Naruto in the stomach before he could escape or defend. The attack knocked him off his feet and back, and he skidded along the ground until he stopped on the road.

The blonde coughed, almost losing the contents of his stomach. Pain now flooded his stomach and chest, so much that it hurt to breathe. Kaine hadn't been kidding, the bastard hit very hard!

The orc roared, and suddenly stumbled forwards, off balance for a second. Naruto suddenly saw why. The totem that Kaine had summoned had vanished, its time in the world having run out. He looked around, trying to find Kaine, but the tauren was nowhere to be seen.

"Shit!" he heard from behind him. "It ran out!"

Naruto quickly got to his feet, ignoring the throbbing pain in his torso, and turned. Kaine, who had left it up to Naruto and Gen'rash to fight, had been retrieving his weapon. It angered Naruto a little that Kaine had just abandoned them like that.

But then he realized that having the wartotem would have been a lot better than not having it.

His crazed mind finally accepting that he was now free to move again, Rend focused his mismatched, horrible eyes on the two warriors in front of him. Instead of leaping at them, however, he suddenly took a deep breath, gathering chakra into his mouth.

Naruto was suddenly reminded of Gyth, Rend's terrible mount, and how he had made the same motion before releasing one of his breath attacks. He then knew exactly what the orc was preparing to do.

"Get out of the way!" he shouted to Kaine, leaping to the side as Rend expelled a large sphere of fiery magma from his mouth. It shot as fast as a cannon ball towards the two, or rather where they had previously been, exploding upon impact with the ground, coating it in molten rock. The heat was intense, even though Naruto had managed to get as far out of the way as time had allowed him to.

Landing smoothly, Naruto looked up to see Rend shooting towards him in the same, almost graceful way that he had flown at Kaine and Rexxar. He readied an attack, holding his sword out, but stopped when he felt a huge presence behind him.

"Now you get out of the way!" Kaine thundered, his wartotem raised and ready to deliver an earth-shattering blow to the transformed orc's head.

Naruto leapt to the side, just as Rend reached him. The true Warchief then continued past, meeting Kaine as the tauren brought the massive cylinder of wood atop the orc's head.

But Rend didn't intend to get hit by the attack. Instead of grabbing the weapon as he had before, however, he simply grabbed Kaine, palming his head and then smashing it with terrific force into the ground. The tauren released his grip on the weapon, which rolled to side, and his body went limp. He would not be fighting anymore in this battle.

"Kaine!" Naruto cried, anger flooding him as he watched his friend go down. "**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"** he then shouted, conjuring five clones which immediately attacked, distracting Rend from doing any more to harm the young Bloodhoof. They piled on his huge back, skewering his back with their blades, causing him to rear up in pain.

Rend then spun, attempting to throw the quintet of clones off. They held fast, however, using chakra to hold on, while they relentlessly assaulted his body, sticking the swords all the way across his back, neck and even at his head. However, because the blades were not true adamantium, but simply chakra clones of it, they were not able to pierce his thick skull.

Rend's tail then shot up, smacking away and dispelling the group, before turning back to the original opponent.

Naruto was ready for him. He leapt at the scaly beast that had once been an orc, his hands moving fast in a series of seals. He ducked down low, avoiding Rend's attempts to grab him, and jumped up so that he was eye-level with Rend. During all this, he had puffed out his chest, sucking in air and then releasing it in a surge of flame.

"**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"** he cried, using the technique that Sasuke had favored so. The cloud of flames was spewed across Rend's face, burning away his hair, and boiling his eyes and skin until they were sizzling and black. He then shot into the air, using an _Air Grasp_ blast, and landed a good distance behind the orc. He turned instantly to see what Rend was doing.

He was flailing about, his face still aflame, inhaling large amounts of the fire into his lungs. However, he soon suppressed it, and eventually beat it out, before whipping around to face the blonde again, his face blackened and eaten away by the all-consuming flames. His eyes quickly regenerated, while the rest did so at a much slower pace.

But once again, Naruto was prepared.

Rend thundered forwards, growling, his ruined face even more fearsome than his whole one. Naruto made a few seals, and instantly upon finishing began gathering a Rasengan into one hand, while the other glowed with a blue-yellowish light. As Rend took a final running leap, Naruto thrust both hands forward, smacking the glowing hand onto the one that held the Rasengan.

" **Tobi Rasengan! (Flying Rasengan!)"** he cried. The chakra from the _Tsuchidaigeki_, one of Naruto's new favorite attacks, ejected the Rasengan from his palm, bursting out in a cloud of chakra, so that the Rasengan did not disperse instantly when it left the blonde's hand. It also flew with enough speed so that while it did lessen somewhat, it still struck the approaching Rend, who was all of five feet away, with immensely damaging force, erupting in a flash of blue that stopped the flying giant, cold. The swirling blast bored into Rend, stopping him in mid-air, so that he dropped to the ground and skidded back a few paces, the energy slowly dying away.

For a very brief moment, Naruto believed he'd won. Rend stood motionless, the new wound in his chest spraying fresh blood upon the ground, his two different eyes rolled up into his head. The Rasengan had traveled even further than the last one, having acted more like a bullet than the grinding weapon that it usually was. Naruto just watched him, in retrospect in a rather stupid fashion, every bone in his body praying that the orc would fall. He was paralyzed with anticipation, and though he was screaming at himself to move, he couldn't for some reason.

Not until he saw the orc fall.

But it was for naught.

Rend's hand suddenly shot out, grabbing him and pulling him close. His eyes rolled back into position, staring straight into Naruto's own shocked blue ones. And then, rearing back, he slammed his head into Naruto's, cracking the blonde's skull and nearly killing him. His body went limp, and at once, his vision went dark.

Rend dropped the limp body, and then lumbered past the blonde. He ignored the fallen warriors, even though some still displayed obvious signs of life. There was still one thing in his fractured mind that he could focus on, other than the terrible belief that he had clung to all his life.

Thrall.

* * *

Naruto's thoughts were fuzzy, and he knew that he shouldn't be down like this. He needed to get up, to defeat Rend, and to protect Kira and Kylia. But his body wouldn't move. All that he felt was pain.

'**THEN LET ME HELP, BRAT,'** the Kyuubi rumbled in his thoughts, so close that he could almost smell the demon's disgusting breath.

'**LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF, WITH MY HELP,'** the demon whispered.

* * *

Kira sat next to her best friend Kylia, and the silver fox Tsuwabuki, in front of the large, still form that was Thrall. For the past few minutes they had listened to the sounds of battle just outside, each praying that Naruto and the others would come out on top. But for some reason, Kira didn't think they would.

It was not something born from logic, or even lack of faith. Logically, with three against one, there was a much greater chance that Naruto, Kaine and Gen'rash would win. It was that simple.

She had no lack of faith in them either. For they were strong, experienced, and very tenacious. They wouldn't stop until they had breathed their last breath, and together, they would work so that none of them reached that point, and still defeat their enemy. She had faith in their abilities.

But still, she did not believe that they would win.

Her fears went much deeper. She knew the exact moment they had begun, as well. It had been Rend's horrible battle cry from before. Something, in her mind, that could create such a sound was something that would take far more to defeat than a few jutsu or weapon attacks. Rend was something that defied logic and faith.

He, in that state, had become a nightmare.

She knew somehow that she was overreacting, but it was true. She had never felt fear like she had when she had watched Rend change, going from a battle scarred orc to a hulking monster, going from something that she could explain to something that she couldn't.

So what had changed him? It was obvious that it was the same power that had changed those orcs into dragonspawn, but Rend, as she had thought before, did not look at all like a dragonspawn. But she knew that Rend had not done that to himself.

No one, no matter if they were orc, human, troll, tauren, dwarf, elf, gnome, or undead could control the power of the Dragonflights. Not unless the Dragonflights wished them to.

She shook herself. She had to focus. She looked back at Thrall, who remained as still as when she had first laid eyes on him in that state. He was so still that he looked as if he were part of the stonework. She looked at Kylia, who was watching the hole in the wall keenly for any signs of the battle. However, curiously, the sounds that had previously been raging were suddenly silent.

Could the battle be over? She thought, feeling both a growing sense of hope, as well as a growing sense of dread, wash over her. Standing up, tentatively, she positioned herself so that she could just see outside the hole. Kylia rose too, while Tsuwabuki remained where she was, sniffing the air slightly for a sign of what might be happening.

But all she could smell was blood, fire, dust, and a plethora of other smells that obscured her best sense slightly.

However, her second best sense, her ears, picked up what her nose could not.

She suddenly began growling, backing away towards the wall, causing both girls to look sharply at her. Kira's hope was suddenly dwindling, and it completely vanished when a massive form, standing in front of the large hole, all but blocked her view of the outside world. She could see two glowing, different colored eyes, could smell cooked flesh and could hear the low, fearsome snarling that was coming from the transformed Rend Blackhand.

The hulking monster stepped through the hole and into the room, his eyes instantly snapping towards them. But it was not focused directly on them, but on the fallen orc that lay behind them.

Rend's growls reached peak, and he was now all but roaring. He did not speed up, however; he simply kept walking towards them, his eyes never leaving Thrall's body.

She did not even need to think to guess his intentions. She stepped in front of Thrall's body, obscuring it slightly, and raised her hands to form a seal. Kylia quickly stood beside her, having spent the majority of the time guarding Thrall methodically removing the blades hidden within her skin. They were now out in the light, dark with blood, five in each hand.

Rend stopped as they took their positions, glancing curiously at both of them. It was as if he did not understand why they were protecting him. He then glanced at their faces, seeing the determination mixed with fear in their eyes. He knew what they intended to do.

And naturally, he would respond.

Letting out a terrible bellow, he bent his knees, preparing to attack.

Both girls braced themselves.

Suddenly, something filled the room.

Something truly awful.

It pressed on them like a cloud, darkening the room, and it was as hot and fiery as the war that they were taking part in. Kira almost gagged. Suddenly, the rage, the hate, the lust for death and battle that they had felt on the zeppelin felt like a child's temper tantrum. It made Kira weak in the knees, but it was when she saw what was creating it that she truly did fall.

Standing in the hole was Naruto.

But at the same time, it wasn't.

Opaque, boiling red chakra had covered his body, conforming to the shape of a fox. His body was hunched, his fingernails now sharp as claws, his eyes blazing red, long fangs sprouting from his mouth, the whisker marks as deep and dark as blood. Three long tails writhed behind him like snakes being charmed, and with each swish, there was a blast of hot wind, which dried Kira's mouth, as well as the tears in her eyes.

"Naruto?" she whispered, almost afraid to say her friend's name.

"_KIRA-CHAN, KYLIA…GET OUT OF HERE_**,"** the blonde said. His voice no longer sounded entirely like his own. It was as if there was something else speaking the same words as he, at the same time. The voice was terrifying, and it shook her to her very soul to hear it coming from Naruto of all people.

But she didn't move. She couldn't.

Rend turned to meet Naruto's terrible crimson gaze, but did not flinch or recoil as he met the boy's eyes. The true Warchief then let out a bellow, as if challenging Naruto to defeat him.

The blonde answered it immediately.

Naruto let out a horrible scream, which at the same time was a roar. Then he was moving, attacking, not even giving Rend a chance to put up a defense. The blonde's spectral claw shot out, crashing into Rend's chest, and knocking him back a few steps. The blonde followed up by lashing out with his other claw, raking it across Rend's face, which knocked him to the side, and then slapping him to the ground with one of his long, ethereal tails.

Rend grunted, but stood, attempting to fight again, only to have Naruto continue his attack, grabbing the orc's head and dragging him across the floor, running on all fours, one hand pushing Rend's head into the floor, before smashing it into the wall.

But he didn't stop there. His tails rapped around the orc's legs, ripping him from the wall and throwing him across the entire room, where he landed hard against the opposite wall. Naruto paused, snarling as he watched Rend get to his feet again, growling in a similar fashion, and then leap at the boy.

Naruto met him in the middle of the room, extending his ghostly claw out long so that it smacked the orc in the chest, stopping him in mid-air. Naruto shot forwards again, moving faster than when he used the _Kazaashi_, and sunk his claws and teeth into Rend's fleshy neck, ripping away bunches of it, before plowing the orc into the ground again.

Spitting out a chunk of the orc's flesh he roared at him, "_HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?"_ He was smiling. He was enjoying it.

Rend then lashed out with a hand, grabbing the blonde's neck. The blazing crimson chakra seeped into the transformed orc's skin, burning it away, causing horrible pain to shoot through Rend's arm. He snarled, releasing the blonde, and Naruto leapt up above him, soaring up to the ceiling, then shooting down and crashing into Rend, shattering his ribs and plowing him deeper into the floor.

Kira watched in abject horror at the scene. Was this what Naruto became, when he used the power of the demon fox?

The blonde's face was a mask of pure and inhuman rage. There was nothing in their of the Naruto she knew.

Because the Naruto she knew was not there.

He was standing on a ledge.

He didn't really know where he was. He guessed it was his own mind, the place that he had traveled only once before, after Jiraiya had flung him off a cliff. But it looked different than before.

Behind him, there was a deep darkness, a nothingness, a void. But there was also a light. It was small, and very dim. So dim, in fact, that Naruto did not notice it. For he was staring in front of him, towards an abyss; but it was not an ordinary abyss. It swirled with streaks of deep crimson, and orange and white and black, mixing and flowing and flying in the most chaotic way possible. There was a terrible heat coming from the abyss, hotter than any fire on earth, the flames of hell. It was fitting then, that he was staring down at the abyss, from a top the ledge that was mentioned before.

The abyss had an emotion, too. It was anger. No, not anger. It was a much more primal, destructive emotion; something that mere anger could not match. It was an extreme, otherworldly rage. It was this rage that was creating the heat, he knew, and he knew what was creating the rage. There was only one thing in this world that could create such an intense, raw, utterly animalistic emotion.

The Kyuubi.

But there was something else in the abyss. It was something that would tempt even the most pious of saints, the wisest of men, the simplest of creatures.

It was power.

Tremendous, unlimited, raw power; just being near it sent shivers of excitement through Naruto; it made him long for it. The power beckoned to him; it was a Siren, singing the sweetest of songs to bring him closer to it, so that it might embrace, and then devour him.

And the most horrible thing was…he didn't want to resist. He wanted that power. With it, he'd be able to do whatever he wanted. He'd become Hokage, he'd fulfill Kira's dream, he'd beat the Lich King and save this world and his own. He'd get Sasuke back, he'd win Sakura's heart, he'd do all that and more. The power promised him all of that, and the pull was too strong. He couldn't resist, even if he'd wanted to.

He inched closer, looming above the swirling mass of power and rage, feeling the heat lick his body, surrounding him, almost suffocating him. He was now only one step away, one simple motion, and he'd have all the power that he needed.

He almost looked back. For, he somehow realized that if he continued, and took that final step into the pit, he'd never come back. He was only using a small fraction of his conscious mind to focus on the battle that was occurring behind him, through he light. He was only dimly aware that he had just lifted Rend and tossed him into the wall again, only dimly aware of Kira, nearly in tears as she watched the fight, and only dimly aware of the effects that the demon's chakra was having on his body. All of his focus was on this decision, this one step.

If he took it, he believed that he'd never see his friends again.

That alone was terrifying.

But the power whispered to him that wasn't true, that once he did it, he'd be able to protect his friends forever. It promised him that he'd never fail his friends, or break a promise ever again.

He lifted his foot, and held it over the edge. All he needed to do was continue with the step…

But he didn't. He didn't know why, but something was holding him back. He was convinced that he wanted this, for it was power to protect those he cared about, right?

He leaned forwards, ready to drop; ready to embrace the fury and the devil that was responsible for it.

But then, something happened.

The light behind him suddenly grew bright. So bright, in fact, that it completely filled the black void, and Naruto finally turned to look at it. His foot, still in motion, came down not onto nothingness, but solid ground. He looked and saw that the abyss was receding, and that the heat was suddenly gone, and that he could no longer feel the rage. He looked back towards the light, and then, as he came back to full awareness, standing in the middle of the throne room, only a few yards away from a badly damaged, but slowly recovering Rend Blackhand, he heard something.

It was a sound unlike any other.

No, that wasn't right. It was like one other sound he had heard, what seemed like ages ago, and had come from the monstrous orc that he was standing in front of. But the effect was entirely the opposite.

Because, in theory, it was coming from the exact opposite type of person.

Said person had risen to his feet, standing directly behind Kira, who was staring at him with shocked, teary eyes, but was smiling in relief. Kylia too stared, never having beheld such a powerful sight.

Thrall had risen.

He stood, motionless for a few short seconds, and everything was silent, the calm before the inevitable storm of his retaliation. His eyes had rolled up into his head, and his body appeared relaxed and limp. Then, all at once, his eyes snapped back to position, his fists clenched, his body tensed, and then he roared.

The sound, while as otherworldly as Rend's, had exactly the opposite effect. Where Rend's had filled their hearts with horror, with despair, Thrall's filled it with courage and hope. It flooded the room, and Naruto, who was suddenly feeling the full force of the damage he had taken, was suddenly filled with power. He suddenly felt like he could take on a hundred Rend Blackhands, and all his fears were washed away.

Kira stood, she felt strong, courageous, and no longer like the weak puppy she had been acting like. Her spirit soared, and her mind sharpened.

Kylia felt like there was nothing in the world that could keep her from protecting her mistress. She felt as strong as an ox, and as brave as one too.

Even Tsuwabuki felt the effects, and so she gave a series of yips, delighting in the new feeling of security that washed over her.

But, as Rend's had, the sound did not stop within the walls of Grommash Hold. It echoed out, filling the entire Valley of Wisdom, and then beyond.

Outside the Hold, Rexxar's eyes fluttered open, upon hearing the call of the one that he had pledged his allegiance to. Lying against the wall of a house, Gen'rash opened his eyes as well, and he looked towards Grommash Hold. Kaine lifted his head from the dirt, and managed to look up as well, the sound filling his ears and making his heart and spirit swell.

'_Thrall!'_ they thought.

The roar traveled then, to the rest of the city. The orcs that had sworn their allegiance to Thrall suddenly stopped, as the sound reached them. The detrimental effects of Rend's demoralizing bellow suddenly vanished, and they felt strong. They felt united, as one. They began to chant, as the Blackrocks had before, their tauren and troll brethren joining in as well.

"**FOR THE HORDE!**"

Thrall's blessing was upon them. They could not lose now.

The Blackrock orcs had stopped as well, but for a different reason. Thrall's bellow had pierced the fogs in their minds, the haze of bloodlust and rage, and for a brief moment, even those that had become dragonspawn and dragon-beast were awoken, and they knew what they had done.

And they knew that they would lose.

And then, Thrall stopped. His electric blue eyes were now full of life, and they were focused straight on Rend, who was frozen in the same spot as before. Raising his hand into the air, Thrall summoned the Doomhammer, which came to him in an instant.

And then he attacked.

He spoke no words, or even made another sound, moving faster than the speed of the wind, and reaching the wide-eyed form of Rend Blackhand, who had yet to move.

Upon seeing Thrall raise the weapon up, readying to bring it crashing down upon him, Rend raised an arm to defend.

But it was useless.

Thrall brought the Doomhammer down, knocking Rend's arm out of the way, as well as shattering the forearm. He then brought it up again, and brought it down upon Rend's shoulder, obliterating the bones upon it, before he did it again and again and again. Each strike shattered a bone, atrophied a muscle, and weakened Rend in every possible way. He swung his hammer across, breaking Rend's jaw, then driving it into his chest, destroying his sternum, then crushed his left humerus, then shattered many ribs, and then cracked his skull.

Rend flew backwards, his body so injured that his healing abilities seemed so overtaxed that they had all but burned out, and upon landing against the wall, he glimpsed Thrall raising his hammer again, and saw chakra begin to pulse around it. Thrall walked, not ran, towards him, lifting the weapon one final time as he did.

Thrall then spoke the last word that he had heard from Rend.

"**Kaenhira!"**

He thrust the hammer forwards, and when it bashed into the ruined chest, it exploded in a huge plume of fire, and tore straight through Rend Blackhand. Thrall released the weapon, allowing it to continue through Rend's torso, and into the wall and finally outside. No blood gushed, for the wound had been instantly cauterized. No pain was felt, for Rend was too far gone already.

As the fiery light died away, Thrall stepped back, his eyes affixed on Rend's dying form. He slowly watched as Rend changed back, too. The scales disintegrated, his muscles deflated, the tail fell off, and the bones in his feet were rearranged until they resembled normal orc feet again. The horns turned to dust, and finally Rend Blackhand, his red, still intact left eye staring straight into Thrall's electric blue, had the answer to the question that had been the cause of this war.

Thrall was the true Warchief.

But then again, as his body finally gave out, and he greeted Death with a glorious smile on his face, he had known that even before Thrall had launched his final attack.

* * *

The Battle in the Valley of Strength was over.

The bodies of many hundreds of orcs lay about the streets, many of them from Orgrimmar, though many more of them from Blackrock Spire. There were even a few tauren scattered about, as well as a few trolls. Joining the bodies were a fair number of dragonspawn, as well as a few dragon-beasts as well.

Now, too lone figures stood at the top of the Valley, near the very entrance to the city, both covered in various wounds, blood and both watching over the battlefield with keen, experienced eyes.

The first was Cairn Bloodhoof, dressed full in leather battle armor and headdress. There were many cuts on his body, though he didn't appear to mind, which was a remarkable feat for someone so old.

The other was Vol'jin, leader of the Darkspear, Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter trolls, dressed in a battle harness, dark, baggy leather pants and shoulder pads that were cut in the symbol of the Shadowhunter. He was covered in much blood, though most of it not his own. There were no visible wounds on his body, for he was a troll.

"Ha ha ha…it seems that he has not lost his touch, eh, old friend?" said Cairn, his voice deep and thunderous, yet still light-hearted and touched with humor.

"Aye, he be de same Thrall dat I be knowin' all me life. He still got de people's faith, and de power to lead dem to victory even in such a terrible situation," the troll returned, grinning fondly as he stared at his friend's people, reveling in the taste of victory.

"Though, one must agree, that he could not have done it without us," Cairn said, chuckling.

"Dat be true."

"But perhaps, too, that young man had a hand in this victory as well. He is your brother by blood, now, isn't he?"

Vol'jin grinned. "Aye, I be feelin' dat me little bro' be partly responsible for dis as well. Der not be much happenin' around here dat he not be involved in."

Cairn chuckled. "He is a very spirited boy. I think he will go far. Perhaps this goal of his may not be as unattainable as I had originally thought."

"Aye…but he be facin' a lot more to come, and it be de hardest leg o' de journey."

"I am confident that he will get through it."

"As be I…" then, Vol'jin looked sideways, "Where be ye wartotem, I wonder? Ye never go to battle without it, I tought?"

Cairn blinked, and then laughed. "Did you not see the young one that held it, before we went in? It is better suited to be in his possession, now."

"Dat be meanin' ye just be getting' too hold to lift it, eh?"

Cairn just laughed.

The relief that the battle was finally over had settled into the two leaders so well that, even as they talked, they didn't notice the figure that stood above them, atop the battlements above the gate that lead into the city. It was a young man, dressed in blood-red robes, with long, orange hair, and emotionless reddish-brown eyes. He too was observing the aftermath of the battle, but for a very different reason. He eyes swept the entire Valley, taking note of what he had come to see, before, in a swirl of his robes, he was gone.

* * *

In the bowls of the caverns within Blackrock Spire, once bustling with activity from the orcs, and was now almost deserted, in the same desecrated throne room and upon the same desecrated throne that Rend, and his father before him, had long ago occupied, sat a man dressed in black.

He wore long, black open front robes, which covered a form-fitting suit of black armor, decorated with gray and silver designs in a way that it almost resembled a human skeleton. His face was gaunt, and he had high, cultured cheekbones, that, along with his apparent age, added a sort of regality to his form. He sported a graying beard with similarly colored hair, which flooded down to his shoulders, but most curious about his appearance were his eyes.

They smoldered a fiery, smoldering orange. It was as if they themselves held back the fires of hell, and it was impossible to hold his gaze for long, for those who did felt as if the fires within would leap out and destroy them, utterly.

But he was not alone.

For, silent as can be, the figure dressed in red, that had just been present at the battlefield that was Orgrimmar walked from the shadows, prostrating himself before the throne.

"My lord," he began. His voice was elegant, soft, his words fluid. But they possessed no feeling, not a single emotion slipped into them, and it was only because of the elegance, softness and fluidity that it could not be considered a monotone. "I have the news that you have been so waiting for."

The other man nodded calmly, his orange eyes fixed upon the man kneeling in front of him.

"**_Speak_**," he said.

"Rend Blackhand failed. Of the six thousand orcs that he took with him, only a scant few survived, and where taken prisoner. Of those who died, however, around only five hundred became Chromatic dragonspawn, and of those dragonspawn, only one hundred and fifty became Chromatic drakonids. The drakonids were flawed, as well. They were born deformed, and did not possess the intelligence that the dragonspawn and orcs did. They were weaker than the dragonspawn, when they should have been stronger."

The dark man did not speak for a moment, letting the man in red's words sink in. "**_Then The Test Was A Failure, It Would Seem."_**

The man in red said nothing, simply nodding.

"**_Then It Would Seem That My Chromatic Dragonflight Needs A Bit More Experimentation…No Matter. It Was But A Test, And We Learn From Tests, Do We Not, Vaelastrasz?" _**

The red man, Vaelastrasz, nodded, "Indeed, my lord."

The man in black then leaned forwards. "**_And What Of Rend Blackhand?"_**

Vaelastrasz, who had lingered long after the death of the false Warchief, said simply, "He is dead."

The man in black smiled. "**_Then The Test Was Not Without Its Benefits, Yes? He Was Useful As A Guinea Pig, But Had Long Since Outlived His Usefulness. Did He Transform, I Wonder?"_**

"He did," said Vaelastrasz, "the demon blood reacted with your work, and he became quite powerful. Perhaps it might be a thing to experiment with later?"

The man in black nodded, "**_A Fine Idea."_**

The red man then cleared his throat, and asked calmly. "Do you not fear retaliation, my lord? The Warchief Thrall will no doubt search for who was ultimately responsible for the attacks, as well as the transformations."

"**_Perhaps, But He Will Not Attack, For He Knows That In These Lands There Are More Than Just Orcs. My Chromatic Dragons, Too, Were Not Anything That He Can Trace, So Worry Not, Vaelastrasz, We Are Safe. Does That Allay Your Fears?"_**

Vaelastrasz nodded, but said nothing.

Then, the door behind him creaked open, and a figure moved into the room, taking quick, yet graceful steps until it reached the throne, bowing deep as well.

"Brother…" the woman said, her eyes, a deep purple, shining with nothing but love and admiration as she looked into the man in black's fiery orange globes. "It is so good to see you again…how long has it been?"

The man looked down at her, his face unreadable. "**_Quite Long, Sister. What Brings You Here?"_**

"Simply news of the state of affairs in the human capital, brother," she said.

"**_Ah. When Will You Get Tired Of Tormenting Humans, Sister?"_** he said, his voice laced with barely contained disgust. "**_You Have More Important Duties."_**

The woman was silent for a moment, before she said, her voice laden with the utmost scorn and rage. "I will never get tired, brother. I will continue until I have seen them all pay for their crimes. Forgive me, brother, but I must do this!"

The man in black didn't respond, instead getting to his feet, and walking away from the throne, towards a door on the right side of it.

"_**Take A Bath The Next Time You Pay A Visit, Sister. You Reek Of Human, And It Disgusts Me."**_

The woman lowered her head, nodding slightly, but looking almost hurt by the man's words.

"_**And Vaelastrasz? Lead My Sister Out, Or To Her Rooms, Or Wherever She Might Wish To Go. But I Do Not Wish To See Her In My Sight Again Today."**_

Vaelastrasz bowed deeply, and responded swiftly and elegantly.

"Of course…My Lord Nefarian."

* * *

Ha ha! The big baddy behind Rend's invasion, the creation of the weird Drakonids and Dragonspawn and Gyth is revealed!

Nefarian is one of my favorite villains in World of Warcraft (aside from Illidan and the Lich King, that is) and though this is only a teaser of what's to come, I have big plans for him!

He seems a little peeved at his "sister", I wonder why?

You'll find out!

Also, just for comparison, think of Rend Blackhand's transformed state as the Hulk with horns and a tail, and scaly skin. That's basically where I got the inspiration (i.e. practically completely ripped him off) for his state. Cause I love the Hulk!

Okay, next, I have to apologize for my rather rude demand for reviews last time. As one reviewer pointed out to me, it was rather unfair to request reviews after I was late on a chapter.

Sorry.

But since I wasn't late on this one, I can request it now! HAHAHA! REVIEW!

Now, reviewer answers:

**Basty-** That's a good idea…I'll have to consider that! As for the omake…sounds hilarious! I might have to try it!

**Dom- **He had one, I believe.

**Akki no Tama-** Hmmm…to lazy to log in, yet you give me a spectacular, and very helpful review? Well, anyways, thanks a bunch, this review was very exciting to get, because I so do love constructive reviews!

But, I have a rather basic need to defend myself, so I will do so to the best of my ability. I agree, in a way, that the fighting and story is getting slightly repetitive. I've noticed it too, but only halfway through the arcs, and by then it's hard to change what I want to happen, and have the outcome be the same. But, I think that you are vastly oversimplifying things. Sure, the story is rather linear, and rather repetitive, but that isn't to say that I don't give depth to the characters. I have, I believe, on many occasions, (this chapter included) touched on the deeper aspects of almost all my characters, and Naruto especially. Yes, I show that Naruto is very strong, and very determined, but I also show, I think, how deep his character goes, and I will continue to do so, with him and every other character. Now, as for the battle scenes, are they really that bad? I think almost all of them up on the fly, as I write, so that may be the reason why they are not as good as you might like them. And as for knowing what I'm talking about, I don't really…I just write what I think would happen, sort of like a stream of consciousness sort of thing. But let me say this: Naruto is Naruto. And thus, he fights like a berserker, doesn't use stealth, and all that. Also, he, in many cases, does exactly as I have him do. He curses out a person for being stupid or weak, the beats someone up, or beats someone up, and then curses them out, and so on and so forth. I may have taken it a little to the extreme, but I think that I have shown Naruto's character traits admirably. And while you are right that there is more to a story than just blood, battle and admiration, this story is called the "Legend" of Uzumaki Naruto, so he must be admired in some ways he is to achieve that title. He's admired quite a bit, now, by his friends in Konoha in the manga and anime, so why can't he gain admiration here, too? As for the last thing, I think that it is more of a subconscious reaction. When Naruto kills a non-human, even though he might think, under other circumstances, that they are a lot like his own kind, he still, on some level, regards them as non-human, and therefore, it has less of an impact on him.

Worry not, though, for you will enjoy the next few arcs, for they will play out quite a bit differently than the past ones.

Wow…that was an intense review…thanks a lot Akki no Tama! I do love responding to such reviews as these.

**Soul Ice- **Worry not! There will be plenty of things happening, most of them not fighting, in the Forsaken arc!

**Hurrrr im so emo- **I'd rather eat some Emos™ Brand Cereal. It's the only cereal that understands me. It comes with a free razor so that I might show you how hardcore I am.

Well, that's all.

The next few chapters…little fighting, just cooling off and a lot of emotional stuff.

Seeya!

General Grievous

**_Spellbook:_**

**Tobi Rasengan (Flying Spiral Bullet)- **Using a combination of the _Doton: Tsuchidaigeki, _and the Rasengan, Naruto fires a short-ranged, deadly bullet that can do even more damage than the traditional Rasengan, if it is at a relatively close range.

**_Bestiary-_**

**Rend Blackhand (True Warchief?)(Humanoid/Dragonkin)(Boss)- **Leader of the Blackrock orcs, and immensely powerful opponent, Rend Blackhand seeks to attain the position that he believes is rightly his. Warchief of the Horde. He was once a Blademaster, but, in order to combat Thrall and defeat him using his own power, he learned (likely through a traitorous shaman) the skills of the Tetra-Elemental Style, which he takes to the extreme. His style is solid, and he has mastered each attack individually, but has not learned to combine them to be more effective. In addition to this, he possesses an incredible power, given to him by the demon Magtheridon, and is thusly known as a fel orc, which describes orcs who have been tainted by the blood of demons. This grants him enhanced strength, healing abilities, and more faster chakra recovery. Finally, he possesses a hidden ability, given to him by his mysterious ally, Lord Victor Nefarius, which, due to his demon blood, transforms him into a hulking monster of immense strength, and almost unbelievable capacity for survival. In this form, he can regenerate from almost any wound, and is many times stronger, able to knock even the most durable characters out in a single blow. He possesses, in addition to all of this, the belief that orcs must keep fighting until they cannot any more. He calls himself a true orc, and will keep fighting until he cannot anymore.

**Vaelastrasz (Humanoid?)(Boss)- **Little is known about him now, save for he obeys his lord, Nefarian, without question.

**Lord Victor Nefarius/Nefarian (Humanoid?)(Boss)- **Not much is known, only that he created the ability that allowed orcs to become dragonspawn as well as the creatures they molted into afterwards, called drakonids. Is apparently ruthless, and has a strange way of speaking.


	38. The Search for the Truth

**Disclaimer: BAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNZZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIII!**

**I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Two weeks had passed since Rend Blackhand's nearly successful attempt to dethrone Thrall and become Warchief of the Horde.

The people of Orgrimmar, in that time, had begun the arduous process of cleaning up, and eventually rebuilding the great city of the orcs. Thankfully, the majority of the damage had been concentrated in one place: the Valley of Strength. The many shops that lined the streets of the Valley had been destroyed in the fighting, the auction house had burnt to the ground, having been hit by an errant fireball sent by one of the dragonspawn, and even the wind rider tower was on its last legs, having been hit by dozens of projectiles that had missed their intended targets.

The Valley of Wisdom, too, had been hit rather hard. However, most of it was due to Thrall and Rend's fight, as well as the following battle of Rend against Naruto, Kaine, Rexxar and Gen'rash. While the surrounding houses had received little damage, Grommash Hold had been almost completely destroyed, and would need extensive repairing before it would be of any use anymore.

The other Valleys hadn't been hit as hard. The Valley of Honor, though it had been the site of much of the fighting, was made of much more durable stuff. For it was the residence of not only veterans of past wars, but hosted the barracks, where aspiring soldiers, and their teachers, the battle masters, lived. Suffice to say, while it had been a witness for much of the fighting, it had received the third least amount of property damage and losses of life overall.

The Valley of Spirits had also received very little property damage, for there was no reason for the Blackrock orcs to damage it at all. For the people it harbored had all fled out into the Barrens, leaving nothing of interest for the Blackrock orcs to attack or destroy. In fact, the only damage that it had received had been a result of Kira's, Kylia's, and Gen'rash's fights. The people who lived in the area where able to return to their homes without much fuss, and because of this, they were able to help the more damaged areas rebuild.

The Drag and the Cleft of Shadows had received, it seemed, the least amount of damage. The Drag had been emptied, as all of its members had flooded into either the Valley of Honor or Strength in order to join the battle. The Blackrock orcs that had moved through it, like in the Valley of Spirits, simply found no reason to damage it at all. The same held true of the Cleft of Shadows, whose residents, the craftiest and easily most ruthless of the denizens of the Orcish city, had been able to defend it without so much as suffering a single loss. Any Blackrock orc that had stepped into the boundaries of the dark area had been slain instantly; riddled with arrows or bullets, cut to ribbons by hidden blades, blown apart by explosive booby traps, or sundered by the most debilitating poisons that the rogues of the Cleft of Shadows could come up with.

Though Thrall himself detested visiting the area that was constantly cloaked in shadows, he had no doubt that its presence was beneficial, perhaps even imperative. It was not as though he disliked the people within it, (though they were a strange lot, in his opinion), but it was more that he found the area itself detestable. It never saw the light of day, was constantly filled with a haze of noxious smells, and the heat generated by the neighboring Ragefire Caverns was more than enough to deter all but those who were used to living in the shadows. It also spoke to him of the lesser, the dirtier, and the crueler aspects of war. He was wise enough to know that such things were needed, but his honor prevented him from showing any sort of admiration towards the deeds done, as well as the perpetrators of those deeds.

Nonetheless, with The Cleft of Shadows being the least damaged, it had received the most influx of residents, most of which hailed from the Valley of Strength. It was clear that many detested the idea of staying in such a loathsome place, but the rogues were still citizens of Orgrimmar, and thus were thanked quite profusely for allowing people to stay in their homes and shops.

That feeling of companionship pervaded the entire city. If one were to stand at the top of the Valley of Strength, near the entrance into the city itself, one would see an amazing sight. Thousands of orcs, all in constant motion, each so deeply focused on their assigned task: whether it be building, gathering, cooking, delivering, and other such duties, yet still able and ready to help their fellow orc whenever the need arose. The spirit of this unity, this camaraderie, was felt in almost every action the orcs took.

To Naruto, it was exactly like the spirit that had been prevalent in Konoha in the weeks following Orochimaru's attack. It brought to him a wave of nostalgia, but it made him glad to wander the streets, and to help out wherever he was needed.

But two weeks ago, Naruto, after just awaking from his exhausted slumber a day after the end of the war, had been afflicted with a great depression.

He, being who he was, had recovered from his battles in the record time of only two days, even before Gen'rash, much to everyone's surprise. Of those two days, one constituted lying in the bed of one of the many medicine tents that had been set up in the Valley of Spirits, unconscious. The other hadn't been as restful, or as companionable, as he thought it might. They were torturous, because when he first sat up, and looked over at Kira, the girl had unsurprisingly flinched.

For a single moment, there had been a glimmer of fear in her eyes. He noted that it almost immediately disappeared, right after she saw that his eyes were his own, and he wasn't baring any sort of fangs at her.

But Kira's reaction stuck. He had known that it was better than he could have hoped for, (at least she hadn't screamed), but still, he hadn't expected his friendship with Kira to last much longer. So for two long days, Naruto had to deal with awkward silences, feeble attempts at conversation, and the dread of knowing that one of his friends, his precious people, now saw something to fear in him.

This, he realized, was the exact reaction he had feared from all his friends back in Konoha. If Kira, who had been in no way affected by the actions of the Kyuubi in the past, had shown such terror, even for a second, then what would Sakura's reaction be like? What about Shikamaru's, Choji's, Ino's, Hinata's, Neji's, Lee's, and all the rest? Had they lost people to the Kyuubi? Would they show even more fear, even more disgust?

He didn't know.

And because of that, he was terrified.

Kylia, surprisingly, hadn't seemed at all affected. She spoke to him in the same even tone, stuttering sometimes, and would glance at him suspiciously when she thought he wasn't looking. She had done this before the battle, he remembered, but now seemed to do it with increasing frequency.

Finally, after one and a half agonizing days like this, Naruto had been let out, and he had quickly vacated the tent, not wanting to be stuck in there with Kira any longer.

But it was not only Kira's reaction that haunted him. It was the vision of the abyss, as well. A war was waging within him, for he didn't know whether he was more disturbed by the fact that he had been about to throw away what could have possibly been his humanity, or that he had made the right choice in resisting the offer of unlimited power. He seemed to be arguing both sides, but the outcome of both decisions did not seem favorable at all to the blonde.

The Kyuubi had been remarkably silent, and had made no comment of Naruto's experience. That made it a little worse. For a while, he had almost believed the creature had been helping him.

It made him shudder. Had he really begun seeing the creature in a favorable light? Was that why he was so quick to use the demon's chakra in a fight? He didn't want to think about that. Jiraiya had always told him that using the demon's chakra would be beneficial, and it was in a ninja's best interest to use whatever tools he possessed, no matter how sadistic or powerful, in a fight.

But Naruto knew, that since he had arrived, he had been relying more and more on the Kyuubi's chakra. Sometimes he even let himself go so far as to let the demon's instincts to invade him as well. The fight with Blood had been an exception, when the Kyuubi had given him complete control, but on other occasions– The Ventursaurus Rex, Rexxar, The Demogryphon…why was he relying so much on something that he detested?

For two more days, while Thrall, Kira and the others was still recovering, and the preparations to start the rebuilding of the city were still in its infant stages, Naruto brooded over these things. He was not, however, a good brooder. So he did things to distract himself. He practiced with his sword, or helped soldiers and guards drag the bodies of Blackrock orcs to be carted off to the middle of the Barrens, so that they could be buried with some dignity. It was disgusting work, but it took Naruto's mind away from thoughts of his own life, to thoughts of the people of Orgrimmar.

He admired them. There was nothing else to it. They had once been as persecuted and hated as he, and yet through time and hard work had forged for themselves a great nation. They were resilient, and were able to mourn their dead, but at the same time work together, to fill the gaps left by those they lost, and rebuild their lives, and recreate their former way of life.

He knew that Thrall was the principal cause of much of this. He had always heard that Thrall was a great leader, but seeing it first hand had been very different. He didn't think that he had ever seen something like it. To be able to inspire one's people, to fill their hearts with the desire to live, and to create for them a means to achieve that desire was something that only the greatest of leaders could accomplish. He had no doubt that the Shodai of his own village had been a leader like Thrall: banding together a group of people, and creating a place that they could call home. The other Kages, too, had to have at least a measure of the ability Thrall had, especially the Fourth. For it had had been him that had commanded his people to help him take down a demon, which was no mean feat.

Naruto had always had great respect for Thrall, ever since he had begun his training under the orc. But now he had a whole new respect, one that he only held for the one he had considered his hero.

The Fourth.

Nevertheless, Naruto worked hard those two days after he had been released, and did all he could to avoid meeting Kira. It was a foolish thing to do, for he knew that avoiding her was just further distancing their relationship.

After the day's work had been done, the last of the bodies had been placed on their carts, and the people were dispersing to either their homes or current residences, Naruto had found himself lingering as he walked back towards the Valley of Spirits. There was no place left for him to stay other than the tent in which he had recovered. He believed that if he walked slowly enough, that when he got to the tent, everyone would be asleep. It had worked the previous day.

He reached the large pond in the middle of the Valley, and then stopped. He saw the tents, which lined the streets all the way down to the back entrance, and decided that it wasn't late enough. So he just stopped, and admired the lustrous, moonlit surface of the pond, and listened to the gentle lapping of the water against the sides, and the wind ruffled tent flaps behind him.

So engrossed was he in his listening, that Kira got the drop on him. Again.

"Hey," she said quietly.

Naruto froze, glancing to the side where Kira now stood, gazing at the pond as well. He flinched a little on sight of her face, for the memory of the fear in it only four days prior returned.

"Hey," he said, managing a small, fake smile. "Were you allowed out?"

She nodded. "Just this evening, but I should be fully recovered by tomorrow."

An awkward silence reminiscent of Naruto's own recovery period followed. Kira broke it.

"Are you avoiding me?" she asked, her voice sounding calm, but with a tinge of hurt. Naruto winced imperceptibly.

"Eh…" he managed, but couldn't bring himself to say anything.

She now looked at him, her purple eyes drawing him in. "You are aren't you? Why?" the last word was almost pleading.

Naruto didn't answer, his mind trying to work in conjunction with his mouth so that he could find the right words to speak. He settled, then, for the only words that he could think of. The words of his heart.

"I scared you," he said. "I saw it…when I first woke up. You looked more terrified than I had ever seen you, and you were looking at me. I went Kyuubi, and almost lost it completely, so I can't blame you for hating me or fearing me…so I'm sorry, and I hope that we can still be friends, even though…"

Kira didn't respond, or even look at him for a while. Naruto looked away, too, knowing that his hopes were impossible.

"Is that all?" she suddenly asked. "You think I was scared of you?"

"Yeah," the boy said, blinking in confusion at her.

"Then you're an idiot. I wasn't scared of you, Naruto; I was scared that if I looked in those eyes, I wouldn't see you, only the demon. I was scared that I might have lost you forever. I don't want to lose such a great friend, so can you really blame me for being scared?"

Now, Naruto was staring at her in wonder. His earlier fears began to fade away, as the words hit him.

"You really…?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, smiling a little. "Besides, who'd be scared of you?"

Naruto pouted a little at the dig, but soon he grinned, as true and bright as the sun, and the melancholy that had afflicted him for the entire time he had been awake disappeared. Kira smiled back, glad that Naruto was back to his old self.

They lapsed into silence, one far more companionable than the last. Then Kira broke it again, with another question.

"Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I can be as great a leader as Thrall?" she said, looking at him, her head tilted slightly to the side.

The blonde frowned a little. "Maybe."

She glared at him, slightly hurt. "Just 'maybe'?"

He nodded. "We've both gotta a long way to go, Kira-chan. I guess we have no way of telling what might happen along that way, but I do know that if we both work hard, even harder than before, then we can be as strong, as wise, and have as many friends as Thrall."

She nodded, feeling a little better.

Naruto then said, "But I'm not gonna stop there."

She looked at him, frowning.

"I'm gonna be a greater leader than him. I'm gonna be the best Hokage in any world, and that means I need to be stronger, wiser, and have greater and more friends than him."

He nodded, matter-of-factly, to himself, making Kira smile.

"You don't do things by half, do you?"

The blonde grinned, and shook his head. "Nope, 'cause it's my _nindo!_"

* * *

And so it was, that a week and a half later, Naruto and Kira, as well as Kylia, Kaine, and Gen'rash, all of who had recovered completely from their fights, found themselves immersed in the work and spirit of the city. Thrall too, had recovered, but he hadn't the time or the patience to train Naruto in any way, far too busy in the repairs of the city. He had also shut himself inside his new headquarters (a large tent set up next to the ruins of Grommash Hold) along with Cairn and Vol'jin, several days prior, and nothing had been heard from them since. Naruto expected Rexxar to be there as well, as he hadn't seen the giant half-orc since the fight with Rend.

That was fine for Naruto, because it allowed him to spend time amongst his friends, as well as the people of the city. He was amazed, that only two months ago, he had been regarded with nothing more than disgust. Now, people grinned at him as they walked past, made friendly conversation as he worked alongside them, and seemed completely at ease with him. It once again renewed his hope that he could achieve this type of relationship with the people of Konoha.

He, along with Gen'rash and Kaine, were currently rebuilding Naruto's favorite shop, _Sarjak's Loon'des_. It had been almost utterly destroyed in the attack, leaving its owner without a shop and a home. It was Naruto who had suggested to start rebuilding it, in the hopes that when it was finished, Sarjak would provide him with all the free loon'des that he liked.

Kaine had snorted. "I doubt it, this guy doesn't seem like the type to give things away for free."

After almost two days of working under Sarjak's keen eyes and loud barking orders, Naruto was beginning to believe that as well.

Kira and Kylia had busied themselves with helping in the less taxing and dangerous jobs, which were more to their skills. Kira, who was handy with a needle (a skill she had been forced to learn in her youth, as a part of her education), helped repair tents, fashioned clothes and even began to learn how to repair and use leather. She also helped other women orcs gather food, medicine, and other such things from the Barrens. It was a wonderful experience for her, for she got to see more of the world that she had missed out on all her life.

Kylia worked with the carpenters on repairing the wind rider tower, though they quickly wondered why they had chosen her to do this. She was at points, very clumsy, and would often drop tools or boards atop the heads of the carpenters that worked beneath her. They quickly learned to keep out of her way.

It still amazed Kira that Kylia could be so dexterous at points, wielding her small blades with a fluid ease, and at others be as butterfingered and clumsy as a toddler.

The days past like this with remarkable speed. They worked all day and at night went back to their tents, exhausted but cheerful, and all waiting excitedly for the following day. Naruto could honestly say that it was one of the happiest times in his life.

During that time, he also got to know the tauren and trolls that had arrived to help with the battle. It had quickly become known of Naruto's relationship with the trolls' leader, and because of that, the tauren and orcs now treated him even better than before, as if he were as much a part of the Horde as they were.

Kira simply reveled in the knowledge that it had been because of Naruto, as well as herself, that this had been possible. Her dream was becoming a reality.

It was a sunny afternoon, three days later, that a burly orc, dressed in the armor of the Kor'kron Elite walked up to the nearly finished, and larger _Sarjak's Loon'des_, saying that he had a message for Naruto to come to Thrall's tent.

The blonde hopped from his perch atop the roof, landing beside the orc. "What does he want?"

The Kor'kron Elite shrugged. "Not my business. Just go."

So he did. Saying a quick good-bye to Kaine and Gen'rash, who were putting the finishing touches on the inside of the shop, he went quickly down the street towards the Drag, encountering a plethora of friendly faces as he did.

It took him a little while to reach Thrall's tent in the Valley of Wisdom, having had to greet quite a few people along the way. The entire area, upon entering it, was packed with more life than he had ever seen. The Valley of Wisdom wasn't usually the most active place in Orgrimmar, so it was rather surprising to see it filled with so many orcs. They were all quite busy, of course. He passed dozens of carpenters, building planners, stonemasons and other necessary crafters for raising buildings, and stopped in front of the large, ornate (probably tauren-made) tent that Thrall was currently holed up in.

"Ah, good, you've arrived," said Thrall, as Naruto walked in.

Vol'jin and Cairn sat at the same circular table that the Warchief did, each one reacting in their own fashion to the boy's arrival. Vol'jin gave a nod and a wide grin. Cairn gave him a tired, ancient smile, one remarkably like the Sandaime's, if he had been a giant bull.

The blonde responded to both in the same fashion, with a grin, a word of greeting, and a nod. He then set his attention on Thrall, who was looking at him.

"Whaddya need?" he asked the Warchief.

"You've enjoyed the past few days, correct?"

"Yep!"

"Good, then I won't feel guilty saying that tomorrow, your training begins again. You will start at dawn, with me. That will progress all the way to noon, when you will then go with Rexxar."

At this, Naruto blinked in absolute confusion. "Huh?"

Thrall gave him a rare smile. "Rexxar has taken an interest in you, boy. It is doubtless what he will be schooling you in, as well. He believes that you need to learn how to use the bond that you and your fox share. There is much more to having a spirit counterpart than just a faithful companion. You must learn how to work alongside her, so that in addition to a companion, you will always have a fighter by your side."

Naruto pondered the thought of learning along with the silvery little vixen, and realized that she might be a little easier to tolerate if she were to actually be of some use.

"By the way, where is she?" Thrall asked, noticing that the fox wasn't by his side.

"Wandering, probably. She's gotten bored of just sitting around and watching me work, so she went off to explore," The blonde explained, scratching the back of his head.

Thrall nodded, smiling a little again. Then his stern, emotionless expression returned.

"But that was not the true reason I called you here."

Naruto straightened unconsciously at the orc's stern, powerful words. He wondered if he had done something wrong.

However, before he could hear what Thrall had to say, the tent flap fluttered open, and Kira, covered in dust, panting loudly, and sweating profusely, ran in. The girl's leather tunic and pants were soiled with dirt and grime, and it was clear that she had just traveled quite a distance.

"Sorry I'm late!" she said. "I was in the Barrens, gathering herbs. Your message only just reached me."

"Worry not, you have not missed anything," Thrall said, waiting for the girl to regain her bearings. Then, when her breathing evened out and she looked ready to receive the news, he spoke again.

"We have something to discuss, do we not?" he said. "It is something that led you to seek me out in the first place. I promised you that once you had accomplished the mission I sent you out for, that I would listen to what you had to say, did I not? Say it then, for you have my complete and utter attention."

Naruto was a little shocked by the suddenness. He had almost forgotten his original purpose for being here, because it seemed so long ago that he come. It felt like a lifetime, for in the past few months, he had been living in the city as if it were his own. He had prepared words to say to Thrall, when this moment arrived, but at the moment they failed him.

He felt as if he spoke them, then the companionship and bonds that he had formed with the people of Orgrimmar would disappear. He also knew that when he spoke them, he would soon be on his way to leaving the place that he no considered a second home.

It was childish, but he didn't want to leave.

Kira was shocked as well, though unlike Naruto, she was not as fearful of the consequences. She knew that she'd have to leave this place one day, and even though she loved it, perhaps as much as Naruto, she knew that both their dreams would take them away soon.

Exchanging a final glance with Naruto, she began. She poured her feelings, her hopes, her ideas out in a steady stream of words, emptying herself of everything that she had held up for this moment. She let Naruto speak some as well, though the blonde seemed to want her to do the talking, for it was her dream.

Thrall was silent when she finished. He had laced his hands in front of his face, resting his chin on them, and staring steadily towards them, but not at them. His mind and thoughts were far away, and so for a time, the room was silent. Cairn and Vol'jin had heard this story already, and they had both deferred to Thrall to make the final decision. It seemed that he was doing just that.

"Had you said those words to me that at our first meeting, my answer would have been a resounding no," said Thrall, looking at Naruto. "This plan is foolish, and the risks far outweigh the benefits. That, and the lack of knowledge I had of you and your character would have led me to send you away, without another word. I wouldn't even have considered it, and you would have never been allowed to set foot in Orgrimmar again."

Naruto nodded steadily, wondering what Thrall was attempting to say.

"So why did I make you stay your words, and remain here? In your fight against him, Rexxar saw something in you that I must have missed. He told me that keeping you around might be interesting, and I do not disregard advice as sound as his. At the same time, I too saw something in you that I could not explain. So I kept you here. I wanted to assess what you were truly like. The only way to do that was to train you personally. Over the weeks, then, I saw your true character emerge, I saw that no matter who you fight for, you fight your hardest. I saw that you accept those who are different than you, because you have been treated as they were in the past. I saw a drive and an ambition that could not be rivaled, and at the same time you have created for yourself a set of morals that keep that ambition in check, and make you all the more endearing as a warrior and a person. And lastly, I saw in you the ability to gain an ally of just about everyone. You inspire those around you, and that inspiration drives them to complete their own goals in the same manner that you constantly pursue yours. With everlasting determination, with a kind heart, and most of all, with a willingness to help even those who may say that they despise you.

"I have heard my two allies speak of you in nothing but the most glorifying manner. One has even made a brother out of you. You have aided the Horde and its people in many ways since you arrived, from the smallest of deliveries to the greatest of defeats of some of our greatest enemies. You have, using your kind heart, perseverance, and all of the qualities that I mentioned before, repaired our fractured alliance. With all of this knowledge, I have seen what you are truly capable of. I have seen that the dream that this girl, a human child, has given birth to is not at all beyond your grasp. More to the point, I find that I myself might want to share it with you. I have long been disappointed in humans, and the other races of the Alliance, but seeing that even a chosen few of them might wish to mend the lingering wounds that divide us, I realize that I want nothing more than the peace that you desire. My people, too, wish for peace. For a time when the whole of the world is open for them to see and travel, without threat that if they return, their home will not be there. Peace is something that this world has seldom known, and it is about time that it becomes accustomed to it."

Both Kira and Naruto were grinning. Neither could hold their elation, for during the course of Thrall's speech, it had multiplied in volume to the point where it positively exploded from their expressions. Thrall had accepted. They know had three quarters of the Horde, and three quarters of the Alliance (if the humans were receptive to it, that is), and soon it would be that Kira's dream might be fulfilled.

"But…"

Their joy suddenly died away, extinguished by the heavy rains of Thrall's grave voice.

"Know that this alliance is something that cannot be simply forced. Though I give my support to it, the deciding factor will be the people of the other nations, as well as my own. Know that even if you create an alliance, it may not hold together. I have seen firsthand the treachery that the other races can employ, as well as the cruelty and ferocity that they can display. If they are not willing to accept us, then we shall not be willing to accept them any more. I trust, girl, that you might open the eyes of your people," his eyes were now focused squarely on Kira, who was stiffened as she stared into Thrall's electric blue eyes.

"I hope that you can open them to the world that your father and grandfather hid from them, behind veils of hatred and disgust. Perhaps then, and only then, this alliance will succeed."

When he finished, he sat back, and looked at them. They were shaken by Thrall's final words, but also heartened.

Kira looked at him, and forgot the words about her father and grandfather. " I will do my best…no…better than that, to show my people what can be accomplished if they accept this alliance. I want no more bloodshed, ever, between our races, because there is already enough staining this earth. I have faith that they will be receptive. My father made many mistakes, I see now, but he too, before my mother died, saw a world in which our races could get along. I will not make those mistakes, and I will do my best to employ what he did not. Finally, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your decision."

Thrall nodded. And then he smiled.

"I think that I like you, child. You have the spirit of an orc, and you speak not with colorful words, but with your heart. You are already leagues above your father, I think, and will continue to grow. Just keep that brat with you, because he too needs to grow."

Kira smiled, as Vol'jin coughed and said, "In more ways den one, I tink."

Naruto's cursing could be heard, even above the din of the workers outside. They stopped, some blinking in confusion at the colorful words that he chose to rail out his blood brother.

But their spirits never dimmed.

* * *

Sakura yawned, shoving away the scroll that had been rolled out in front of her. She rubbed her eyes tiredly, trying to shake the sleep that was ready to overtake her with the speed and ferocity of a lion. She looked then, at all the scrolls around her.

She was sitting at a desk at the library, surrounded by scrolls, books, and other forms of historical documents. She was tired, as it was nearly midnight, and hungry, as she hadn't eaten all day.

She was also extremely frustrated.

She ignored her inner voice, which was using as many colorful words (perhaps even more so) than Naruto, in order to describe the scrolls and the little information that they contained.

She sighed, then, brushing an errant lock of cherry blossom colored hair from her eyes, and wondering if all this searching was really worth it.

But it was only for a moment. Of course it was worth it. It was about her friend, her teammate, and thusly it had as much worth as anything else she was doing now.

But it was unbelievably frustrating. She, with all her incredible verbosity and knowledge, could not come up with adequate words to describe how truly maddening it was for her. She hoped that whatever it was that she was trying to find was as juicy and amazing as her friend Ino expected it to be.

For the past few weeks, Sakura had been searching. She had taken her master's words to heart, and was searching for the one thing that she knew as little about as she did the actual person.

She was searching for the power that Naruto had employed in his fight against Neji, and the power that he had been using with increasing frequency in his journeys through the strange world that he now inhabited.

She was searching for the secret of the red chakra that Naruto possessed, as well as the reason for his healing powers.

And she was having more than a hell of a time trying to find it.

She had started off with the simplest and most obvious of the choices. She had borrowed one of the few actual books from the library, titled _The Clans of Konohakagure, Past and Present, Second Edition._ It was massive, leather bound, and had every clan, no matter how small or large, that had ever lived in it. She was seeking the one thing that she had hoped would yield the information she sought.

Clan Uzumaki; the clan that Naruto belonged to.

However, she did not find it. To her surprise, as she flipped through the last pages of the _U_ chapter, she found that there was no clan Uzumaki. It simply didn't exist. That was shocking, because it was practically unheard of for a clan not to be listed in it. It even had her clan, and the only person in the direct Haruno bloodline that had ever been a ninja aside from herself, had been her grandfather, Haruno Koiichi. Her mother, whom had married into the clan, had also been one, and that was the reason why she had become one. Their clan didn't even have a bloodline, save for a rather remarkable ease in molding chakra.

But for Naruto, there was nothing. The only clan that existed that was even close to Uzumaki was clan Uzuki, and after reading through that, she could safely say that Naruto had no relation to that clan; the reason being that almost all members of said clan had hair of varying shades of purple.

That made her smile a bit. At least her own clan wasn't the only one that had been afflicted with a strange hair color.

But it startled her to realize that there were only two explanations for why Naruto's clan wasn't in the clan book. The first one was simple. It didn't exist, and Naruto was the first of his clan.

But why?

Had he been found abandoned, as so his name had just been made up? Or had his name been changed for another reason?

The second option was that Naruto's clan wasn't from Konoha. Perhaps they had come from a distant village or even another ninja village, and either had brought him with them, or had given birth to him while they were inside the city. Perhaps they hadn't wanted him, and so they just gave him up for adoption, and left the village.

Either way, she had nothing to go one, and so she had turned to other sources.

She had gone instead to the even larger _History of Konohakagure and the Fire Country._ She had no need to look through the first few volumes, as they were simply a history of the surrounding area, before Konoha had even been built. So she started with the volume closest to Naruto's birth year. She had to wade through the many descriptions and stories about the Fourth, and the fight against the Kyuubi and finally its eventual destruction. She read speedily, having read the entire set of volumes at one point or another in her youth, and knowing most of the information by heart. It was remarkable how much history a village that had only been around for a hundred or so years had. She was searching for even hint of the name of her teammate, but found absolutely nothing. She then moved back in time, searching for perhaps some mention of a predecessor, perhaps even an influential visitor from another country, bearing just a hint of resemblance to her friend.

Nothing.

So with her two most accessible sources gone, she had turned to another, less available, but hopefully still accurate source.

Konoha hospital.

Being the apprentice of the Hokage, and thus possessing many privileges that other kunoichi didn't have, Sakura had the ability to access the medical records of the village, in case she needed to check up on the medical histories of a patient that the Hokage had set her to caring for.

Naruto's was surprisingly thin. When he had looked at it, there were only two reports, and a birth certificate, for Naruto's entire life. And both were filed after he had become a ninja, the first when he had stayed after saving her from Gaara, and the second after being defeated by Sasuke. Aside from those three, Naruto hadn't been to the hospital since he had been born. There were no reports of yearly physicals, which were (to her knowledge) required for those who intended to become ninja.

So once again, she found very little to work with, at least in the area of direct information. They listed his birth date (October 10th), his blood type (B), his height (147.5 cm), weight (40.6), and all other basic facts. They also listed a report of his injuries, the expected recovery time, the actual recovery time, and little notes by the doctors that had taken care of him. But from this information, she noticed some things that began to bother her.

The first thing she had noticed was the tone both doctors took in their reports of Naruto's injuries. Not only were they rather sloppily done, but also they seemed to expect that whatever treatment they gave him would be rather useless. Their predicted recovery times, in both, said that Naruto would probably be out in less than a day. However after both she remembered he was severely depleted of chakra and heavily injured. That meant that they had known of Naruto's healing abilities, and thus didn't expect any real damage to befall him.

She wondered if their tones simply reflected their knowledge of this, or if there was an entirely different reason for why they seemed completely apathetic to his pains.

They also didn't give a reason for his healing abilities. That puzzled her quite a bit. They should have at least written something about it. Perhaps he had a bloodline, or something of that sort. But there was nothing. She wondered if it was simply the same uncaring attitude that the rest of the document reflected, or there was simply something that they simply didn't want, or weren't allowed, to write.

Finally, she turned her attention to the final document, Naruto's birth certificate. It looked incomplete, however. It didn't list Naruto's parents, just the date he was born, the time he was born (exactly twelve midnight), a few necessary medical facts, and the medic nin that delivered him. That had given her a bit of hope, but later she found that the ninja had died a few years later on a mission across the Lightning Country.

It was clear that the certificate was not the victim of the same negligence that the other reports had been. Someone had deliberately kept the certificate vague, and because it was a birth certificate of all things, it had to be someone influential.

But who? The Sandaime? And if so, why?

She realized that she was just beginning to scratch the surface of this enigma that was Uzumaki Naruto's life. There was something very strange going on, and it became absolutely clear to her when she sought out her next few sources. The people who had known Naruto for a while, and had seen him grow up.

She started off with the most obvious one, Iruka.

She caught the man just after the Academy classes had been let out. She greeted him, and the two made small talk for a while. He asked about her experiences in being Tsunade's apprentice, what Kakashi was up to, reminisced on past experiences with her and his other former students, and if he'd heard anything more from Naruto. Though he hadn't been present at the "message ceremonies" that were held in the Hokage's office whenever Gamakichi had a message to deliver, as he was usually teaching, Kakashi had apparently told him what was happening.

He'd been relieved, of course, to find out that Naruto was alive and well. He had also become fascinated in the world that Naruto had somehow been transported to.

When the subject of Naruto came, Sakura was ready, delicately asking him what he knew about Naruto's past. She said (and it was not a lie) that she was interested in his past, as she had never really known how he had spent his life.

Iruka had smiled sadly when she asked the question, and began to tell her.

"Naruto has had a hard life, Sakura. He's been alone from the very beginning. He spent the first few years of his life in the care of several foster parents, all of whom abandoned him at some point or another, and when he could walk and talk he was sent to the orphanage. That didn't work out so well, according to Sandaime-sama, so when Naruto was six, he let him have his own apartment."

Sakura was unable to conceal her shock. Her mouth dropped open, and her pretty green eyes bulged. "_Six!"_ she hissed.

He nodded sadly. "Yes…just a few years before he entered the academy. The Hokage gave him a weekly allowance, and checked up on him as often as he could. I remember seeing him a couple of times, and though he appeared to everyone as if he was simply an exuberant, if rather annoying, boy, I could see that he was getting more and more aware of how truly alone he was."

Sakura flinched. Nobody should have to experience something like that.

"Why didn't you help him?"

It was Iruka's turn to flinch. The man's eyes were downcast, and he lowered his head to hide them from her.

"I…can't say."

"Why not?"

He struggled to answer, wanting both to tell her the true reason, and to explain his reasons for it without giving away anything illegal.

"I…had a lot of misplaced hate back then, Sakura. I had lost my parents in the Kyuubi's attack, and though in my youth I was rather like Naruto, loud and attention seeking, when I hit the teen years I grew very angry, and lashed out at just about everyone. Call it cruel…but back then I was sort of glad that Naruto was alone. It gave me a perverse pleasure to see that someone was suffering as much as I was. I regret everything now, and if I could go back in time, I would do everything to prevent myself from acting like that."

A blaze that had formed in Sakura's eyes at the beginning of Iruka's confession petered out, and Sakura looked only sad now. But she had gotten what she had needed. She thanked Iruka for his time, and added:

"I don't blame you. I didn't like Naruto very much once either. It's strange how he has that affect on you, huh?"

"That it is…" the man responded, losing himself in his thoughts as she left.

She had gotten a bit of an insight into Naruto's life. It broke her heart to hear that Naruto had gone through such agony as a child. It also amazed her that he had turned out as well as he had.

But Iruka's words had ignited a slight suspicion in her. Though he had said that his anger had been directed at everyone, his tone suggested that it had been slightly more personal. Even if he had been angry at the world, she didn't think a kind person like Iruka had it in him to get a "perverse pleasure" in seeing a total stranger feel such despair.

No, there was something else going on.

Her next stop had been Naruto's apartment complex. It was a large, brick-colored building with a greenish tiled roof, and many floors of apartments. She walked in, and using the directory at the bottom, quickly located Naruto's landlady's room.

After reaching the door marked "lady and lord of the land" ("_I can tell this'll be good" _she thought sarcastically) she gave a polite knock, and found herself face to face with a tall, severe looking middle-aged woman. She was dressed in a flowery nightdress, slippers, still had several hair curlers in her graying black hair, and on her face (alongside the scowl) had the remnants of a facial mask.

"Whaddya want?" she had said, glancing shrewdly at the girl.

Momentarily offset by the woman's appearance (in both senses of the word), Sakura blinked a few times, before recovering swiftly.

"Um…I've come to ask you about one of your tenants…" she said.

The woman frowned, "What did they do? I bet it was that old fart in 304 wasn't it? We're always getting complaints about that lazy son of a bitch. I'll set the bastard straight…."

She rolled up her sleeve, and made to march out the door, but Sakura quickly said, "N-no, no! It's about Uzumaki Naruto, room 401, I think."

The woman then looked at her in surprise. For a moment, she just stared at her, before shaking herself and saying, "Then come in, I suppose. Sounds like you have a lot to ask about. My name's Yamagata Maga, what's yours, dear?"

Sakura was once again baffled by the strange woman. One moment she was rather menacing and bad-tempered, and the next, when Naruto was mentioned, she seemed like a kindly old grandmother.

"Haruno Sakura," she answered, following the woman in. The room was rather large, and despite the woman's rather disheveled appearance, was neat and tidy. They entered a smaller room with a low table and a couch, as well as a small television. There was also a man, with untidy black hair, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and sandals, sitting in front of a small window at the far end of the room, watching something through a pair of binoculars.

"Oi! Pervert! Stop ogling that woman and come meet this nice girl whose come to ask about Naruto-kun," Maga shouted, grabbing the nearest object (a framed picture) and chucking it at the back of the man's head.

The picture made contact, knocking the man into the window with a loud thumping sound. He didn't yell out, or scream obscenities at the woman. He just turned, smiling, despite the trickle of blood that was now coming from his nose. He had kind blue eyes, and a small mustache.

"Why hello! This is the first time such a good-looking young lady has set foot in this room, and asking about Naruto-kun no less! What do you want to know? I'm Kentai, by the way."

Sakura glanced at the fuming Maga, who was muttering "Kentai no hentai" under her breath, and motioning for Sakura to sit.

She did. Maga went about, and fetched some tea for them, while Kentai waited patiently, smiling at Sakura. When Maga had settled on the couch next to Sakura, she glanced at the girl to begin her inquiries.

Sakura cleared her throat, and asked, "What was Naruto like when he first moved in here? Do you remember? He's my teammate," she added, seeing the questioning looks on both their faces. "I never got to know him, really, while he was here, so I just wanted to find out some more about him."

Kentai nodded. "Hmmmmm…that is hard to say. When we first met Naruto-kun, neither of us was very accepting of him, I'll admit. I know that my wife was rather stern whenever she came to collect his rent, and finding the place a mess. He was, of course, barely six or seven at that time, so I don't know what she expected. However, as time wore on, we both got rather used to his presence, even glad of it. He was quite a nice boy, if a bit loud, and always trying to please. After a few years, we came to accept his presence as somewhat of a blessing. He became a sort of tool for blackmailing the tenants who didn't pay their rents. If they didn't pay, we'd make them move into the room next to Naruto-kun's.

"My wife then invited him in, after he first failed his genin exam in order to have tea. I do recall him calling me a pervert when I offered to show him my collection of magazines…"

Maga grinned toothily and nodded. "He's got an eye for perverts. Takes after my own heart, he does."

Sakura took the information in, wondering if she knew that Naruto was at least as perverted as any guy his age. "So you looked after him, and made sure he was alright?"

Both Maga and Kentai sighed. "Truthfully, no. We simply showed him some simple kindnesses, but other than that, we never really bothered. Neither of us was too thrilled when he first arrived, but alas, I wish I could have done more to help the boy…" said Kentai.

The question "why" was already on Sakura's lips, but Maga interrupted her. "We had just lost a son, you see. He had been as light-hearted and active as Naruto, but he died in the battle against the Kyuubi. It was still fresh in our minds, and so we kept him at a distance, for fear that he would reopen the wounds that were still healing."

Sakura nodded, though she didn't think the woman was telling the truth. She had said it a little too quickly, and seemed almost nervous in telling her.

But she also recognized a new factor. Like Iruka, these two people had lost someone to the Kyuubi, and while that was not uncommon, for thousands had died in that attack, and though they had not done anything to suggest there was a connection, it was still something to think about.

She talked to them a little more. She learned that they hadn't taken an interest in the boy until his Academy years, and even then had only called him in for the occasional tea. They seemed to genuinely like him, though, so when she left, she promised to tell them whatever she could on where Naruto was.

Her next stop was Ichiraku Ramen. The old man, Teuchi, and his daughter, Ayame, hadn't much to say that Sakura hadn't already learned. She did learn that Teuchi had gotten Naruto hooked on ramen, and that he considered the blonde, without a doubt, his best customer. She learned, also, that neither had ever held any adverse feelings for him. Teuchi, upon seeing the blonde refused service from another store, had called the boy over and given him a free bowl. They had talked, laughed, and had a good time, and so Naruto had just kept coming back.

"He's a ramen connoisseur, you see. Every time I invent a new flavor, I have to test it out in him, just to make sure its fit for consumption by the others. He even has his own special flavor, the 'Naruto Special". Most people think it's named after the fish cake, however," Teuchi had said, grinning fondly in remembrance as Sakura ate a quick bowl of pork ramen.

Ayame said that she had loved conversing with Naruto, because he provided a little uplift to an otherwise boring day. She seemed glad, too, that Sakura was taking an interest in his life.

"You and your team was the best thing that ever happened to him, I think," Ayame said, smiling at Sakura. "It was the first time that he honestly had anyone that he could call his friends."

That had warmed Sakura's heart a little, and so she left Ichiraku with a renewed spirit, hoping that her last stop would provide the information she needed.

It was Kakashi-sensei.

Because the jounin was more often than not on missions, she had taken a risk in walking to his apartment, which was in one of the more deserted areas of town. To her relief, however, he was at home, and even more to her relief, his apartment was normal. She had expected it to be littered with porn of all sorts. He offered her all the things a proper host should have, and they made some small talk. She then told him why she was there, and how he could help.

"Ah, I figured that you'd be taking Tsunade-sama's advice to heart. Unfortunately, I can't really say anything. My hands are tied, Sakura. Just know that this goes all the way to the top. That's all I can say," he said, saying the last few bits a little slowly, fully emphasizing them.

Sakura looked crestfallen, and felt it too. She had been hoping that Kakashi would be able to provide her with more information. However, she filed his cryptic words away for later, hoping that they would be of some use.

Sakura had stayed a little while longer, bringing Kakashi up to date on her training status and schedule. He asked her briefly if she had perfected the mechanics of the jutsu she was developing. She confessed that she still had to generate more power, and so was working her hardest in building up her stamina. She then left, quickly, as Kakashi had asked if she had wanted to watch the trailers of the _Icha Icha Paradise: The Motion Picture _movie that he had recorded.

And so, exhausted, she had returned to the library, wondering if she had missed something. She used all the information she had learned to the best of her knowledge, but still found nothing more than bits and pieces to the vast puzzle that was laid out before her.

She was at her wits end.

She scanned the tops of the scrolls again, hoping to find something that would leap out at her.

Something did. She picked up the scroll, titled _The Bijuu_, written by some old clan of historians. She remembered picking it up earlier, but hadn't really looked at it. So she unfurled it, and found a list. The list was of nine demons, called _bijuu_, which had once roamed the world freely. She discovered, to her surprise, that the Kyuubi was one of the _bijuu_. In fact, it was the strongest of the nine, it having the most tails.

She knew all about the Kyuubi, of course, having read a dozen history scrolls (just that day) about it and its fight against the Fourth. She knew that it could create violent earthquakes and tsunamis with its tails, and seemed to have no end to stamina or strength. She knew that the Fourth had developed a special jutsu that allowed him to sacrifice his own life in order to destroy the beast.

She was about to toss it away, when a small sentence near the end caught her eye.

"_The Kyuubi, like the other bijuu, cannot be slain by normal means. In fact, in the physical realm, it is all but immortal."_

Immortal? Then why had every other history book she had ever read said that the Fourth had destroyed it? She read further.

"_Being the oldest and strongest of the bijuu, it is unknown how many jinchuriki have housed the demon. It is unknown if there even were any, for it would take a special type of seal in order to hold back such an incredibly power demon."_

Seal? _Jinchuriki?_ What was it talking about? She looked further up the page, but all the other references were just as vague, and there was no definition for the strange word.

But the word seal still held her. Something was beginning to form in her mind.

She took stock in everything she had learned in the past few days, her heart pumping wildly as her mind worked towards the truth.

Naruto was an orphan, whose parents were unknown and whose clan was likely made up. He had an unnatural ability to regenerate his flesh after being wounded. He possessed an immense amount of stamina, and the ability to use a chakra source that was completely independent of his own.

He had been regarded with hate and apathy for his entire life, and those who had known him had always been held an unnatural fury towards him at the time they had first known him. That anger bordered on hate, perhaps even being as much.

All of the people whom she had talked to that had hated Naruto in the past, but then had come to like him, had lost family to the Kyuubi.

The Kyuubi had been defeated by the Fourth Hokage, even though it was not possible to destroy such a creature.

The Fourth Hokage was a master of seals, having been trained by Jiraiya, a legendary Sennin.

She still didn't know where she was going with the idea. It was just beyond the tip of her tongue, and then it hit her like a kunai in the gut.

She was suddenly bereft of air, as a single bit of information floated into her mind, suddenly aligning all the other information that she had gathered. It had been hovering there, in front of her nose the entire time.

Naruto had been born on the very same day that the Kyuubi had been defeated. Naruto had no parents to speak of, and his whole life was shrouded in mystery. The one that had defeated the Kyuubi had been a master of seals, and had sacrificed his life to rid the Fire Country of its influence.

Naruto used red chakra.

Naruto had more stamina than she, Sasuke, and Kakashi combined, and could heal faster than anyone.

Naruto had been alone all his life.

Naruto had been hated all his life.

She was glad she was sitting, because her knees were shaking madly at her thoughts. Even if it was for a moment, and even though she knew there was much more to consider, she couldn't help but ponder it.

Ponder the absolute worst scenario behind Naruto's mysterious power.

"_Naruto…is he…the Kyuubi?"_

_

* * *

_

Ooooohhhh…the plot thickens.

I enjoyed this chapter…I don't know why. I liked writing the Konoha scene particularly, because it gives us a little information on what Naruto's early life was really like. I also liked Yamagata Maga and Kentai. I dunno why either. Their inspiration are the two characters in _Kung Fu Hustle_, the woman who yells really loudly and the guy who's really lazy and perverted.

I also, just recently, discovered the wonderful tool that is Review Reply. That means I won't have to do a Reviewer Answer column anymore. Yay! For those who want their questions answered, and don't have an account, you can just email me, or get an account.

Well, that should be it.

Wow…short author's notes this week, huh?

Next week: What will the outcome of Sakura's investigation be? How will Naruto's other friends react? What will Naruto learn in his training?

Just wait and see!

General Grievous


	39. The Truth

**Disclaimer: Je ne possede pas Naruto ou World de Warcraft!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Sakura walked down the street, dimly lit by the rising sun, lost in another world. Her mind was in chaos, and it was only her determination to know the truth that kept her from breaking down on the spot. For the information that she had spent many days gathering had just revealed to her a terrifyingly possible answer to the question she had been burning to know for a while now. It was an answer that she didn't want, and was desperately seeking a way to debunk.

She had just discovered, through many agonizing hours of research, that Naruto, her teammate and friend, quite possibly could be the demon that had murdered so many hapless shinobi fourteen years ago. Naruto quite possibly could be the Kyuubi.

But he also, thankfully just as possibly, couldn't be.

After discovering the startling truth, a mere two hours ago, she had spent every ounce of her remaining energy poring over the texts that she had gathered. She had racked her brain for every bit of information that she had learned, and was able to thankfully find some possible holes in her initial theory.

But she still wasn't sure. Her mind was cluttered with so much information that she felt it almost impossible to think clearly. And yet, she didn't believe she could rest until she had discovered the absolute truth. Hence, the problem she faced was one that she didn't believe she could do alone.

She needed someone to help her. Someone her age, unbiased, and that could help her retrieve the truth that she sought so persistently.

Thankfully, she knew someone exactly like that.

The sun was halfway over the horizon, shining a deep reddish-orange through the many trees that surrounded the village. Its steady rising, and the warm glow that it cast over the street gave Sakura some comfort. She felt as if it were rising to light her way, encouraging her in her journey to find the final truth of Naruto's mysterious past. But she didn't necessarily know if the final truth would be something that she would be willing to accept, and so her comfort was diluted with unease.

She finally arrived at the house she sought, and walked up to the front door. She hoped, that being ninja, its occupants would already be up and about.

However, considering it was the house of the perpetually lazy Nara Shikamaru, her hopes were as dim as a candle on its last centimeter of wax.

She knocked loudly on the front door twice, and listened against the door for the sound of footsteps. She waited for almost a minute, before raising her hand to knock again.

Just then, however, the door swung open to reveal a kind-looking woman, with dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail, soft black eyes, a slim, yet womanly figure (which Sakura almost found envious), and all in all a very motherly disposition. She smiled warmly at Sakura.

"Good morning, can I help you?" she said, politely.

"Yes," said Sakura, smiling through her exhaustion, "is Shikamaru awake? I need to talk to him about something. My name is Haruno Sakura, by the way, I'm a friend of his."

The women cocked her head to the side, thinking. "I don't believe he is awake…" she said, "but I think that because it is the first time a girl has ever come to this house, save Ino-chan, we can wake both him and my lazy husband up!"

She then turned, not giving Sakura a chance to protest, and called up the large staircase behind her. "Shikamaru! Get up! There's a pretty girl here who wants to speak with you, and I won't let you make her wait another second! Shikaku, if you don't get up in a minute, there'll be hell to pay!" She said it all in a saccharine sweet tone, but it nonetheless made Sakura shiver unconsciously. It was as if a deadly poison laced every word, hidden behind the woman's cheerful and melodious voice.

Judging by the way that both Shikamaru, followed by a tall, scarred man with the same pineapple shaped hairstyle as him, who could only be his father, fled down the stairs not a moment later, both breathing heavily, Sakura correctly guessed that this women was not one to be crossed.

"How troublesome…" they muttered simultaneously, as Shikamaru's mother moved out of the way, revealing Sakura standing at the doorway. Shikamaru raised his eyebrows in surprise at seeing the girl, while Shikaku just grunted, and moved away from the door into an adjacent room. Shikamaru's mother followed, smiling, and said, "Treat her right, Shika-kun, and don't do anything that I would disapprove of!"

Shikamaru blushed slightly, looking down, while rubbing the back of his head. "Geez, what a troublesome woman," he said, quietly so that his mother didn't hear. He then turned to Sakura, frowning at her. "Any particular reason you had to get me up at this hour?"

Sakura smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I didn't have a chance to stop her." Her face then turned serious, though it was tinged with exhaustion, as all of her expressions were. "I…need your help. Do you know a place where we could discuss things in private?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"Naruto."

The other eyebrow shot up this time, and now Shikamaru looked interested. Judging by her fatigued posture, haggard hair, and the two large dark rings around her eyes, as well as a look of worry in her eyes, Shikamaru guessed that she had been up all night researching what the Hokage had allowed her to: the origin of the mysterious chakra that he had demonstrated using at the _Chunin_ Exams.

Shikamaru nodded, and pointed behind her. "There's a hill a ways over that way, which I usually use for cloud-watching. It's almost always deserted, so we can go there."

She gave him a grateful smile, and they both walked in that direction. Neither spoke as they walked. Shikamaru wondered briefly what Sakura's news might entail, as well as wondering why Sakura had chosen to speak to him, rather than someone like Ino. Sakura, however, was organizing her addled thoughts so that when the time came to reveal Naruto's secret, it would be as coherent as possible.

Soon they reached a large clearing in the trees, slightly smaller than a field, where there was a small hill. It was peaceful, Sakura noted, looking around to see nothing more than a few sparse trees in the clearing itself, and a small brook running off to the side, down towards the Konoha River. She could instantly see why Shikamaru liked this place; especially when he had to deal with Yamanaka Ino almost every day of his life.

Shikamaru led her to the top, and immediately sat down, his legs crossed. He looked at her, though he looked like he wanted much more to lie back and fall asleep.

"So," he said, "what have you found?"

Sakura took a seat in front of him, slightly grateful for the chance to sit down. She didn't respond for a moment, still trying to gather her thoughts. Shikamaru waited patiently, and when she finally did speak, it came in a torrent of words and feelings. She expelled everything that she had learned in the past few days, and it came in such a rush that Shikamaru, even with his quick thinking mind, found it hard to keep up with the girl. Perhaps, too, it was because of the shocking news that Sakura had begun with.

She believed that Naruto was, in some shape or form, the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon that had attacked their village almost fourteen years ago. While at first he found this almost impossible to believe, Sakura had explained her reasons for it, and he found that it was exceedingly difficult to argue with her logic.

When Sakura finally finished, Shikamaru felt as if his own mind was now in the same state as Sakura's. The flood of information had capsized the steamboat that was his mind, and so for a few moments, he simply stared at her, trying desperately to think of something to say.

Finally, deciding that it was better to use the source of the information, he spoke.

"Geez…that's a lot to take in. Why did you come to me with this anyways?"

"Because," said Sakura, "out of all the Rookie nine, you not only are the least judgmental, but you're the most intelligent. I need someone to help me with this, Shikamaru…"

Shikamaru sighed, "Fine, then lets go back to the beginning. You said that you believe Naruto is the Kyuubi because he has no parents, he has a lot of the traits the demon boasted, he was born on the same day the demon was 'killed', and everyone in the village once hated him, even Iruka-san. Is that right?"

She nodded. "Right, but I've already found holes in that theory…but I don't think they're enough."

Shikamaru gave a nod, "And those holes are?"

"His blood type, for one thing," she said, "I don't think such a thing would be applicable if Naruto were a demon. Blood types and Rh factors are restricted to humans only, and Naruto had both of those."

Shikamaru nodded again. "What else?"

Sakura racked her brain. "The biggest factor, I think, is that everyone but us seems to know about this. Both Iruka, and Naruto's apartment managers were at one point disgusted and extremely hateful of Naruto. However, over time, they grew to like and even care for him. If he were a demon, would they knowingly do that?"

Shikamaru thought about it. "My guess is no. However, despite this, you seem to be doubtful, why?"

The pink-haired kunoichi looked at the ground, staring at the pleasantly green grass. "Both of them are subject to the fact that I know not a thing, and neither does anyone else, about demon physiology. A demon could have a blood type similar to that of a human, say, if for instance, it took the form of that human. This scroll I found," she produced _The Bijuu_ from her weapons pouch, and handed it to Shikamaru, "is probably the most detailed document of demons ever written. Yet, even it admits that it is hard to say what creatures as powerful as the Kyuubi are truly capable of. And…" she trailed off.

So Shikamaru said it for her. "And so you think that the other factor, the fact that people have grown to like Naruto, follows that same mentality, due to the fact that he might be doing something to influence them?"

Shikamaru winced after spotting the crushing guilt displayed on Sakura's face after his words. Although he immediately regretted them, he knew that they had to be said. Sakura wanted the truth, and therefore, no matter how disgusting it felt, they had to consider that everything was possible until they had reached a definite conclusion. He unrolled _The Bijuu_, and scanned own until he found the Kyuubi, near the bottom. He scanned the information about it, and was surprised by really how little about the demon was known.

"_The Kyuubi is the oldest, likely, of all the Bijuu. So old is it, in fact, that nothing about its origins have survived to this date. Their have been countless theories onto how it came into being: some say that, perhaps, like Shukaku the Sand Priest, it was once human, and due to its corruption in life, in death it became a demon of such rage and power that no other could match it. Others say that it hails from another world entirely, brought to this world by followers of a cult a millennium ago, of which there is some material evidence. Still others believe that it is the earthly embodiment of the wrath and wickedness that is prevalent in all humans. All of this is still pure speculation, however, and even though there have been many reports of the creature over the last thousand years, there is very little truly known about it. Perhaps this is another reason why it is the most feared."_

Shikamaru sighed again. This was becoming increasingly troublesome.

"Let's move back," he said. "Why do you think Naruto is the Kyuubi in the first place, other than those reasons? I don't know a whole lot about sealing, other than the basics that were taught in the Academy, so what makes you think that the Fourth simply sealed the beast's power in its own body? What if he used a medium?"

Sakura paused, and then felt the full fury of her mental self, barraging her with a series of Tsunadean punches. Perhaps it had been her desperation, or her sleep-deprived mind, or the sheer amount of knowledge that she had forced herself to absorb in the last twenty-four hours, but she had forgotten completely about that aspect of sealing.

She had forgotten something so obvious that it seemed to her that not even Naruto would forget it.

Mediums other than scrolls weren't commonly used in sealing, but a human medium wasn't so far-fetched. The problem was that keeping such a powerful creature contained would take an immense amount of chakra, as well as a very complicated seal. But… both could be achieved if the sealer used his own life force as the chakra, and was as talented as the Fourth. Her mind was suddenly clear, as she latched onto the idea like Jiraiya's eyes onto her master's ample bosom.

"That is possible…" she said, "and I'll admit that I hadn't considered it." Her mind suddenly clicked, and she snatched the scroll from Shikamaru, scanning the Kyuubi section until she found what she was looking for.

"_Jinchuriki_," she said, slowly. "Maybe that's what it is…."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "Care to share?" he said.

"This word _jinchuriki_," she said, "they use it frequently throughout the entire scroll, but never give a definition. But they use it almost as if…the _jinchuriki_ was some type of container, and if what you say is true, then its possible that those containers were humans."

Shikamaru nodded, the idea growing on him as well. "It would also make sense with the other things you found out. If Naruto were simply the container of the Kyuubi, then he'd likely have been an orphan before he was used, perhaps because of the fact that no one would miss him if it failed. It would also explain the blood type."

"But what it doesn't explain is why all the secrecy. I mean it's clear that everyone but us knows of this, but if that was so, then why did they not only never tell us, but also hate Naruto in the first place? If he were just a medium, then why would they hate him? If anything, they should worship him for being the one to carry such a horrible monster with him wherever he goes."

The _chunin _thought a moment, trying to think up a plausible reason for why they would do so. He grasped at an idea that seemed unlikely, but decided to voice it nonetheless.

"The hate could have been caused by people's irrational fears that Naruto would simply be the demon, rather than having it sealed in him. Both you and I are fortunate enough to not have lost anyone in that fight, but I don't believe that there are very many in this city that can say the same. With so many people grieving for their loved ones, isn't it possible that, due to one person's, or perhaps several people's fears, it spread to the rest and people decided that because they couldn't really blame anyone else, why not blame the boy the demon had been sealed into?"

Sakura nodded, though she was still unsure.

So Shikamaru continued. "Do you remember why everyone disliked Naruto back in school? I just realized that aside from the pranks and the annoying attitude, I never really knew why I distanced myself from him. He wasn't that bad a guy, I remember, just a little loud, and even that I could tolerate because some of his pranks were kind of funny."

Sakura nodded a little, recalling similar thoughts. "I didn't think he was so bad at first, either. But I think it was when I heard a bunch of the other kids saying that their parents had told them that Naruto was a monster, and that they should stay as far away as possible from him. I also saw that just about all the teachers, bar Iruka-san, seemed to hate him with a passion. I guess my original thoughts of him developed from there. They didn't change at all when he started hitting on me, in our second year at the Academy together, and it was only until I really began to see what he was like, several years later, that my view of him changed."

Shikamaru inclined his head briefly. The same was true of him.

"But that still doesn't explain why they didn't tell us…oh!" it suddenly came to her what Shikamaru was going to say about that. She had no real evidence to base it on, but it fit perfectly with the information that they had at present.

"Maybe," she said, "they couldn't. Maybe the Hokage, whom I remember cared for Naruto a lot, I think, foresaw that something like this would happen, and so to give Naruto at least a fighting chance at making friends someday, he made it so nobody in this generation could know about the Kyuubi sealed inside him!"

Shikamaru nodded, feeling as much elation inside as Sakura was displaying on her bright and smiling face. "And it would fit with all we have discussed before, too. In order to make it so nobody would find out, he limited all of Naruto's birth records to just say that he was born. And it explains why Kakashi-san's, Iruka-san's and Naruto's apartment manager's lips were all closed to this matter. And as for why we distanced ourselves from him, it was obvious that the parents of some people, rather than outright telling their children, simply impressed upon them the fact that Naruto wasn't a good person. At that age, even I tended to accept most things my parents told me."

Sakura felt relief for a few seconds. She let her body relax, and almost fell back onto the grass, her search having finally ended.

But once again, doubt reared its hideous head, and shredded through the thin relief she had just felt with razor-sharp claws.

"But…we don't know for sure," she said. "I want to believe it…but what if we're wrong? What if Naruto really is the Kyuubi?"

Shikamaru was already lying down on his back, and was staring up at the deep blue sky. "So ask the Hokage. Ask Kakashi-san. If you tell them our theory, I'm sure they'd respond. But what's important, I think, is what _you_ really believe, Sakura. Do you, disregarding any information you may have learned these past few days, and using all of the time you've spent interacting with Naruto in the past, truly believe that he might be the Kyuubi?"

Again, Sakura found herself silent in response to the boy's words. But she took them to heart. She pushed, with great difficulty, everything that she had just learned about Naruto from her mind, and considered the question with just what she had learned fighting alongside the blonde, treating his wounds, cursing at him, pounding him into the ground, and simply being with the person that she had come to regard as a teammate, and more importantly, a great friend.

And she found that the answer was so amazingly simple, that she found she deserved another mental railing from Inner Sakura.

How could she not have seen it before?

"I don't believe Naruto is the Kyuubi."

She said the words with absolute confidence. They came directly from a place that Sakura had seldom used: her heart. They were uncluttered with vestigial thoughts; they were some of the truest things she had ever spoken. She then began to speak more, never wavering in the ironclad conviction that now laced every word.

"I realize now that even considering it is so stupid, pathetic, and all around foolish, that I deserve to spend two days locked up in a room with Jiraiya-sama in only my underwear. Naruto is an idiot, a loudmouth, and a pervert. But he is also a friend, a teammate, and a great shinobi, and he has done so much for me, and for everyone else, that I am ashamed for even thinking that Naruto could have been the demon fox."

She was standing now, and for several moments, all traces of exhaustion melted from her visage, and she looked as strong and unwavering as a mountain. Her hair was ruffled by the invitingly warm breeze that passed her, and her smile became so peaceful and pretty that Shikamaru found himself staring unabashedly at her, his cheeks tinged with red. Then she fell backwards, landing with a soft thumb on the ground next to him, her smile never wavering.

She opened one eye, and looked over at Shikamaru. The boy quickly looked away, hiding his embarrassment.

"There you have it," he said.

She smiled a little. "You know, Shikamaru, I was pretty hesitant to come to you with as big a problem as this, but I found that, despite what Ino says, you're a pretty reliable guy." Her smile grew wider. "Thanks."

He nodded, his eyes drifting to the sky once more. "Geez, that woman's too troublesome. In payment for helping you, can you get her off my back for a few days? She's been pretty annoying lately."

Sakura, meanwhile, had gotten to her feet once more, and was stretching. "Sure, but you could fix it yourself, you know."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How?"

She smiled coyly at him. "Ask her out on a date. She's a little jealous at how cozy you've been with Temari-san lately."

Shikamaru gaped at her a moment. "She hasn't been here for a couple of weeks. And I haven't been getting cozy with her," he added, glaring sourly at her. Temari was just a troublesome female, almost as bad as Ino, but a little bit wiser than his blonde teammate.

Sakura shrugged. "Maybe so, but I think that you're clever enough to know that girls' minds work a lot differently than boys'. But I'll get her off your back, since you've been such a great help."

She then turned back towards the city, her back to him. The breeze once again ruffled her pretty pink locks, making her brush them out of her eyes again. She really needed to cut it, she decided.

Then, she said, not turning to face him, "I really can't say enough about how thankful I am, Shikamaru. You're a great friend to me as well as Naruto for helping me with this. I think he'd appreciate it a lot. I hope the other _genin_ are as helpful and supportive as you."

Shikamaru nodded, his face remaining passive, and as Sakura walked away, he shouted to her, "Get some sleep, you look like you need it!"

She didn't respond, but he didn't have to see or hear her to know that she was smiling. She was soon gone, disappearing into the trees around the clearing, leaving Shikamaru alone.

He stared into the clear blue sky.

"Hmph. A date? How troublesome."

* * *

Tsunade found herself smiling, as Sakura, looking reborn after a shower and a nice nap, stood before her and related the results of her search, and her final conclusions about Naruto's secret. The girl, as she had expected, had gotten almost everything correct, and much of it being merely educated guessing. She was once again reminded why she had taken this girl as her apprentice.

"Well done, Sakura," she said, smiling widely at the girl. "I honestly didn't expect anything less from you. I think Naruto'd be just as impressed. He's lucky to have such a great teammate, don't you think?"

Sakura preened at the praise, and blushed at the woman's last words. "Thank you, master…I'm just glad that I understand Naruto a little better now." And she honestly meant it. She now had an idea of how much Naruto had suffered in his life, and she promised herself that she'd never treat Naruto like she had before again.

Tsunade sat back in her chair and regarded the girl. "I'm a little disappointed that you had to go to someone else for help…" Sakura deflated instantly. " But I suppose if the outcome's the same, then there's no real harm in it. I take it you're going to tell the others?"

Slowly, Sakura shook her head. "It isn't my place. Both Shikamaru and I have agreed that we will keep this a secret until Naruto wants us to tell them, or they find out themselves."

"Good," said Tsunade, nodding. "Technically, the information you know is illegal. You are still a _genin_, and it was against the law set down by the Third for anyone below _Chuunin_ to know of it. I'd think it best that you kept it to yourself, until you become a _Chuunin_. I won't say a thing."

Sakura blinked, taking the information in slowly. "So the information that I know…is illegal for me to know?" she said, her voice laden with fear.

Tsunade nodded, mentally smirking at the distressed look Sakura adopted. The girl was the type to never do anything wrong, and to do just about everything that was asked of her, and to listen whenever someone spoke to her. It was obvious that she had done very little to get herself in trouble in the past, and Tsunade found it oddly amusing to see her apprentice react in such a way.

It reminded Tsunade of herself, back when she was a _genin_.

"Are you going to tell Naruto that you know this?" she then asked, interrupting Sakura's worried mutterings. "All you'd have to do was get Jiraiya to summon Gamakichi, and you'd be able to tell the little creep what you wanted to say. Don't you think Naruto should be aware that you know?"

Sakura, without a seconds delay, simply shook her head.

"No," she said. "I want Naruto to see my face when I say that I know. I want him to be sure that I am completely sincere in saying that I don't care if he has a demon sealed inside him. I think that can only happen if I am right in front of him when I'm saying it."

Tsunade smiled. She was surprised by the answer, for it was one of the first times since she had accepted Sakura's request to be her student that the girl had sounded so heartfelt and sincere.

Naruto did have that effect on people.

Tsunade then cleared her throat, and sat up a little straighter, attempting to look slightly more dignified. "The _Chunin Exams_, occurred just a few months ago, as you know."

Sakura nodded, of course she did. That was the _Chunin_ Exams that Lee, Neji and Tenten had gone to, and all three had passed and become _Chunin_. They had held a big party for the three of them, which had ended in Lee getting drunk and causing a indeterminable amount of property damage to the restaurant they had held it at. Suffice to say, the three of them, though _Chunin_, had spent every day rebuilding the restaurant and the two shops on either side of it. It made Sakura giggle whenever she thought about it. And after a week of constant searching and frustration, she found it good to giggle.

"The next ones are going to be held in the Sand, three months from now," her master stated. " I think you should go."

"Tsunade-shishou…I don't have a team…so how can I go to the _Chunin _Exams?" said Sakura, blinking in surprise, and a little shocked by the suddenness. Then again, she reasoned, she had been training for almost a year.

"Perhaps not yet. However, as you might know, there has been a theoretical vacancy in one team for the past year or so. Their sensei believes they are ready to take on the _Chunin_ Exams once again, and would be happy to accept you into it for the duration of the exams."

Sakura listened, with horror welling up in her throat like bile, making her speechless, when she realized whom the woman was speaking of.

"M-master…you can't…" she whimpered.

The door suddenly slammed open behind her, and a loud, shrill voice filled the room.

"Hey! Forehead girl! Say hello to your new teammates!"

Yamanaka Ino and a subdued looking Akimichi Chouji now stood in the doorway, with the former striking an arrogant pose, her obnoxiously long hair flowing in the non-existent breeze; the latter was steadily devouring a large bag of potato chips, looking like he didn't know the girl that stood next to him, and by some chance he had simply wandered in. Sakura suddenly felt as if the gods, who had smiled on her not hours before in showing her that Naruto wasn't a demon, had now changed their minds and decided that she needed a tad more misery in her otherwise dull life.

Working on a team with Yamanaka Ino….

It was a cruel and unusual punishment. Even for the gods.

'_This is all your fault Naruto…you too Sasuke,'_ she thought.

* * *

Naruto sneezed, and gave a whimper of pain at the sudden jerk of his head. His body was felt like it had been slammed repeatedly into a stone wall with enough force to at least shatter said wall, and then had been hit with a meat tenderizer (with spikes) a dozen times in each of the softer areas of his body. Oddly enough, it was not far from what he had been doing for the past few hours. Thrall, it seemed, had made a full recovery, and punched just as hard as ever.

'**_Are you sure that you're up for this?'_ **Tsuwabuki asked, trotting alongside him.

The blonde nodded wearily. "Yeah, I gotta, or else I'm not gonna get stronger, and you're just gonna get more useless."

She growled. '**_Useless? I provide useful commentary on all of your defaults. You should be thanking me, if anything, as you now know what to improve upon."_**

Naruto glared back at her, sticking his tongue out. He must have looked rather foolish, as several orcs snickered at his action as he walked past them. He ignored them, idly rubbing his sorer arm as he recalled Thrall's lesson.

He'd started off with simply testing to see if Naruto had improved in using the other two techniques. The blonde had, of course, and Thrall had been suitably impressed by the improvement in the boy's use of both the _Kongou_ and the _Kazaashi_. And so he had done exactly as he had said he would, and had begun teaching Naruto the coolest style yet: _Kaenhira_, the Fire Style.

Or at least, he had shown Naruto how to do it by demonstration. The boy had been amazed when Thrall had obliterated a large rock with a single punch, showering the area that they had chosen as their training spot (a little ways outside the back entrance to the city, where there were plenty of rocks to destroy) with molten rock shards. He had then explained the technique in detail.

"_The _Kaenhira_ is the most offensive of the styles. It is only used for attacking, even when it is combined with the other styles. It is straightforward in its ability to learn, but few can master it due to the amount of control, and the patience that is required. It is easy to misuse, as well, and can just as easily cause damage to the user as to the opponent."_

He had then clenched his fist, and punched the air in front of him. Naruto felt a wave of heat pass across his face, drying his lips and making his eyes water.

"_At first, you will not be able to due much with it. You must start by molding the necessary chakra using hand seals. In a real fight, this is a very slow action, and therefore it is best to master as much of the style as possible before you use it. By molding the chakra many times, you will eventually learn to use it with half-seals, and then finally no seals at all. At that point, you can begin to hone your control. A true master of this style is not limited to simply using his fists."_

To demonstrate, he had blasted not one, but three rocks simultaneously, driving his elbows into two of them, as he kicked the other. They all exploded in a flash of fire and smoke, forcing Naruto to shield himself from the falling debris. The technique had alighted his interest, but had also gotten him curious on the only style he had not yet seen used.

"_What about the Water style? Are you going to teach me that?" _he had asked.

Thrall had looked at him evenly. "_Perhaps. But you are not quite suited to using that style, I think."_

"_Why not?"_ the boy had exclaimed, annoyed.

"_Because it requires many things that you lack in spades. I would consider teaching you one half of the style, the _Shunsuigai_, as it is fitting of your quick thinking mind and erratic fighting style. However, the other part, the_ Heisui_, requires patience, diligence, and control. You do not possess much of any of those, I am sorry to say. Either way, it would not do to dwell on it until you have completed this part of the training."_

He had left it at that, and had then begun teaching Naruto the necessary seals in order to mold chakra into the correct form for the _Kaenhira_. Naruto had memorized them fairly quickly, and so the rest of the time Naruto had attempted to use the _Kaenhira_ itself, while under a constant stream of attacks from the Warchief. And thus, by the end, Naruto had had little success with the attack, in addition to being covered in bruises, cuts and burns.

Thrall had then left Naruto, telling him to get a quick bite to eat before he went out to receive his lessons from Rexxar.

The blonde had done so, and after collecting Tsuwabuki, had begun making his way towards Orgrimmar's main entrance, where he was supposed to meet Rexxar.

The sun was at its zenith when Naruto did arrive at the front gate. Instead of seeing Rexxar, however, he spotted the massive bear, Misha, lying near a rather nervous looking guard. The bear got up when she saw Naruto, and lumbered through the gate into the long entrance hall. Naruto and Tsuwabuki picked up their paces, and soon fell into step alongside the bear.

It was quite hot outside the gates, perhaps even hotter than inside the city. Even the slight breeze did nothing to help. Naruto was sweating heavily as Misha turned to the right off the path, heading towards a large cropping of rocks a couple of hundred feet away from the small farmhouse that sat beside the city entrance. Small pigs watched the odd trio as they walked by, backing a little away from Misha when she turned to look longingly at them, and even further when Tsuwabuki licked her chops, staring at them as long as she could.

Naruto's lips were dried and cracked when he finally arrived at the thicket of boulders. The faint buzzing of insects, the distant calls of birds, coyotes, and other such animals grew noticeably louder as Misha led him into the center of the boulder patch. But there was nothing save Rexxar's gargantuan body, sitting cross-legged in the center.

Rexxar didn't move, even when Misha brushed up against him, and lay down beside him. Naruto noticed that he even let numerous bugs run across his face and body without flinching. He seemed more a part of the area than any sort of living creature. In fact, Naruto realized that he was unable to even smell the half-ogre, a remarkable feat, especially since Ogres usually smelled quite a bit when they sweated.

He thought about announcing his presence, but realized that Rexxar doubtlessly knew he was here. He looked at Tsuwabuki, who had sat down directly across from Misha. With a shrug, Naruto followed her actions, sitting directly across from Rexxar, cross-legged, and then waited.

For a time, they just sat there, taking in the sounds of the world around them. Naruto tried to rein his quickly escalating boredom by listening to the orchestra of nature that played nonstop. It was something he had done quite a bit in his youth, he remembered, because back then he had had little to do but create games to amuse himself. One of them had entailed heading into the forest, a place he had always loved, and then listening for a familiar sounding animal. After finding one, he had used everything at his disposal to find it, and capture it if he could, before repeating the process anew.

It made him smile a little. Even his past had had some good moments.

His reminiscence was interrupted suddenly, as Rexxar spoke.

"**_You are a strange human, Uzumaki Naruto._**"

Naruto frowned at him. "Huh? Why?"

"**_Because you are one of the few that I have ever seen connect with the earth in such a way. Instead of appearing here, and badgering me with questions on what you might learn, as I, and Thrall, expected you too, you simply wait, and you listen. I have seldom met a human who can listen as well as you to the sounds of this world_**."

After wiping away a sweat drop caused by how little faith Thrall had in him, Naruto shrugged. "Really? It's not that uncommon where I come from, though. People listen to the natural world all the time there."

It was no lie. It was one of the most basic aspects of being a ninja. They used their environment in the best way possible: they became one with it, so that they could use all that it bore. It was the foundation of many ninja techniques. Water jutsu used the water around them, unless they had enough skill to use the water within their own bodies. Sand jutsu was used when Sand was present, and even some fire jutsu as well. The ninja, in order to be effective, needed to use whatever was available to them.

"**_Then they are far wiser than the humans of this world. For many years, I have known humans to place themselves on a pedestal above nature, and instead of living with it, they subjugate it, and pervert it. They take from it, but do not give back. They do not experience it; they are oblivious to its true beauty and power_**."

"But they can learn, right?"

Rexxar cocked his head to the side, looking at the blonde. "**_Can they? You know your kind far better than I do, child."_**

Naruto folded his arms across his chest, and harrumphed. "Of course they can. They just need some good teachers. It's not like they've had anyone to help them learn in that area, you know."

Rexxar inclined his head. "**_Perhaps. But I wonder, do you always think so highly of people? It would seem that you do not doubt the potential that anyone can be receptive and good."_**

Naruto flashed him a trademark grin. "It's how I am. I've needed to think like that as for as long as I can remember."

Rexxar was silent a moment. For a while, they simply sat, once again taking in the sounds and sights around them. Rexxar had closed his eyes, and took several deep breaths, looking the picture of peace. It was odd, for the past few times he had met Rexxar, it had been in battle; he was used to seeing the fierce wildness in his eyes, his teeth bared and his weapons raised. It was strange to see him at rest like this.

Then, his deep amber eyes flashing beneath the dark wolf skin hood, he pointed at Tsuwabuki. The vixen raised her head to attention.

"**_Your bond with this fox is something that, before now, has been unique to all but the tauren, the orcs, the ogres, the trolls, and the other beings that have had a deep connection to the world. You are different than every other human, for you can sustain the bond that you have between you. You do not think yourself above Tsuwabuki; you think of yourself as a partner and friend to her. If you thought anything else, then the bond would disappear."_**

Naruto looked at Tsuwabuki, who stared back. He found that he couldn't think anything but what Rexxar had told him. He couldn't think that something that communicated with him was less than him. Tsuwabuki, despite being practically useless in a fight, was still someone Naruto cared about.

He suddenly had a new understanding for Kiba and Akamaru. Kiba had always seen Akamaru as a friend and partner, not a pet. That was how Naruto saw Tsuwabuki.

Rexxar continued. "**_I will be teaching you to use this bond. You will find that it is immensely profitable, and there isn't much that you cannot do with it. In battle, you will always have a friend by your side, and that is easily one of the most useful weapons one can wield._**"

He stood, then, suddenly becoming a colossus to the sitting Naruto. His face, now heavily shadowed, stared down at him in a deep frown.

"_**Tsuwabuki is a fox. Foxes use cunning and cleverness, in addition to their instincts, in order to bring down their prey. She is neither strong enough, nor durable enough to attack her opponent directly. All of the abilities that you and she might create must be based on this. But…"** _he looked down at the boy, harder this time. "**_I would also advise you to follow this advice yourself. _**

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm Konoha's number one most surprising ninja! So what if I'm not that stealthy. I've done fine up until now…!"

"_**I am not criticizing you, boy,"** _said Rexxar. "**_It is merely advice. You were bonded to a fox for a reason, and it is not just for the creature that lies sealed within you."_**

The blonde blinked. "How do you know about that?"

"**_Thrall spoke of it to me. Nevertheless, it would be wise for you to use that inborn cleverness for more than just head on attacks. And I confess…use your own abilities, not the ones granted by the demon. The power of such creatures is beyond the scope of anything we mortals can comprehend. If you use it too much…you may become lost in it."_**

Naruto gulped, remembering the abyss. He had been so close to losing himself. The Kyuubi was once again oddly silent about the matter. Naruto had expected him to have at least some opinion on Naruto's use of his chakra.

"**_I will start by teaching you how to send your own chakra through the bond," _**Said Rexxar. "**_Creatures of the natural world do not possess the ability to mold their own chakra, thus you must do it for her. The bond can be used both ways. If Tsuwabuki sends her chakra into you, brat, then you can mold it for her and send it back, allowing her to perform an attack, and vice versa. It will be difficult to manage using both hers and your own chakra in battle, but once you are able to, your opponents will find it immensely difficult to defeat you."_**

With that, Rexxar began to teach Naruto a few simple exercises in sending chakra through the bond. Naruto grasped it rather quickly, however. He found that the bond was similar to the one formed between him and a summoned toad, and thus he found it easy to accept the chakra that Tsuwabuki offered him. Distinguishing the chakra was similar to distinguishing his own from the Kyuubi's. His was blue, Tsuwabuki's was a greenish color, and felt calmer than his own. But it was also a little harder to control, but Rexxar explained that that was due to Tsuwabuki being a wild animal.

Tsuwabuki quickly figured it out as well. Her mind was sharper than Naruto's, and just as quick. Also, the large packages of chakra that Naruto offered her were easy enough to find and distinguish from her own. The blonde's chakra was excited, and somewhat erratic. She couldn't mold it, but Naruto soon learned to do that for her, allowing her to move much faster than normal, jump higher, and after a few days, even stick to walls.

Molding chakra for two people was hard for the blonde, but Rexxar assured him that the more he did it, the easier it would become for both parties. He explained that the more the bond was used, the stronger it became. Soon, Tsuwabuki would be able to dip into Naruto's chakra by herself, and use it to enhance her body without Naruto's aid.

Rexxar was calm and patient, and never berated or shouted at the blonde. He helped Naruto whenever he asked for it, but the blonde rarely did, for he had learned that it was much more rewarding to figure it out for himself (both from Jiraiya and Thrall). The giant half-ogre sat against one of the large rocks with Misha, watching the two as the progressed through their exercises.

When the sun was nearly set, Rexxar announced that the day's training was over, and said that Naruto should eat and get some rest, for tomorrow would be even harder.

The blonde trudged back into the city, heading straight for Sarjak's, which by now had been completely repaired and was open for business again. There, to his surprise, he found all his friends: Kira, Kylia, Kaine, Gen'rash and even Golbarn, whom Naruto hadn't seen since the fight with Gyth. All of them had been waiting for him and Tsuwabuki to return.

"Finally!" cried Kaine. "You're late, pinkskin. I'm starving, and your little woman wouldn't let me eat until you got here!"

Naruto's face heated up, first from embarrassment (which Kira's face shared) then from anger. "Oi! Shut up cow-face!"

Kaine snickered; Gen'rash gave a booming laugh, while Kira, overcoming her embarrassment, began to laugh as well. Kylia just stared suspiciously at Naruto as the blonde sat down.

"So," said Kira, as Naruto had received his bowl of loon'des, and was hungrily slurping it away, "how was training?"

"Good. I think I'm going to get used to it pretty quickly," Naruto said, grinning.

"Hmph. A guy like Rexxar's skills are way too wasted on someone like you! I should be the one trained by them!" said Kaine, grinning.

"Yeah, like they'd wanna train a big cow like you!" said Naruto, blowing a raspberry at Kaine.

"I'm the number one strongest shaman in Thunder Bluff! I'm way cooler than you!"

"No you aren't!"

"Yes I am!"

"No you aren't!"

"Yes I am!"

"You see what I had to deal with?" rumbled Golbarn, placing his forehead on the counter and sighing.

"Yes." "Aye." "Uh-huh." The other three said, watching the argument escalate as it usually did.

But they were all smiling.

And that is how the days, then weeks, passed. Naruto trained all day, learning new and stronger skills, and honing his old ones to perfection. He had little time to do anything else.

Thrall worked him to his very limit. The degree to which Naruto felt he was worked made his first training sessions with the Warchief seem like a leisurely stroll through a park on a sunny, warm day, with two extremely good-looking women (who will not be mentioned) by his side, telling him how cool he was. This time, Thrall seemed to be testing how long Naruto could go without passing out, and was interested in exactly how much chakra Naruto had. He forbade the blonde to use the Kyuubi's chakra, and spent the rest of the time making Naruto go through every training exercise he could think of. He made Naruto hone every aspect of the Tetra-Elemental style, working it so he could react to punches almost involuntarily with the _Kongou_, and helped him train his body so that he didn't expend all his energy in using the _Kazaashi_ just a few times (though he would always expend a little more than an orc). He made Naruto spend at least two or three hours every day using the _Kaenhira_, simply striking any stone he could find. With the chakra exercises that Thrall was teaching him at the same time, as well as the jutsu that went along with the Fire style, the blonde was able to establish a firm grounding with the _Kaenhira_, and though he still couldn't use it without a seal or two, and he could only use it with his hands, he was still making great progress.

He taught Naruto little about the Water style, however. He gave the shinobi a basic run through of how one would activate the power of the _Shunsuigai_, but otherwise he left it for Naruto to figure out on his own.

"_You should be able to get it eventually simply using the control techniques that I have taught you. If not, it is no great loss; the Shadow style is far more suited to your craft, so I would suggest focusing more on that," _he had said, almost dismissively.

Despite those words, Naruto did his best to figure out what he was supposed to do. It felt to him rather like his training for the Rasengan: rather than learning seals in order to facilitate the control and molding of chakra, he was simply learning how to control chakra at its basest level; in fact, even baser than the Rasengan, as he wasn't even molding it, simply speeding up the flow.

While he had a rather crude grasp of it, it was still a bit frustrating, since it sounded like a pretty cool technique.

Rexxar's training progressed at a (by comparison) much slower place. He was calm and methodical in his training, but just as thorough. Naruto rather liked it, because it was a time where he could rest, and this time, he actually worked with someone. Tsuwabuki grasped the ideas of certain techniques before Naruto did, while Naruto did the same on others. Because both parties had to have a fundamental knowledge of what exactly they were doing, it gave a chance for both of them to learn, and work it out together. This proved very beneficial for Naruto, who was used to figuring out techniques by himself. He enjoyed it quite a bit too.

Rather than lay a savage beat down onto the blonde, Rexxar also devised different exercises in which to have Naruto test them. Granted, many of the techniques he taught the two weren't solely used in open combat; most were used for surveillance, or even travel.

One such ability was called _Kemono no me (Eyes of the Beast_, wherein Naruto was able to gain the ability to see what Tsuwabuki was seeing; totally useless in direct combat, unless Naruto wanted to see how cool he was while she stood on the sidelines (he had gotten a rather savage bite for that one). However, if Naruto wanted to see what was happening in a totally different place, no matter how far away, he could use this technique and it would allow him to see what Tsuwabuki was seeing at the same instant.

However, that wasn't to say he wasn't learning techniques for direct combat. He wouldn't have been half as excited for the sessions (even after Thrall's brutal training) if he wasn't learning new and interesting ways to beat his opponents. However, due to the fact that Rexxar had developed most of his techniques for use by Misha, Naruto didn't learn as many as he thought he would. Aside from learning to enhance Tsuwabuki's swiftness and strength, he learned a technique called _Tetsusou (Iron Claws)_, which did as it was named for: making Tsuwabuki's claws and teeth hard as iron, and just as deadly as Naruto's kunai or wakizashi.

He also got to know Tsuwabuki a lot better, and it was now a rare occurrence that the two were seen apart. She even sat in on Naruto's training with Thrall sometimes, but soon grew bored and wandered off to find out what Kira and Naruto's other friends were usually doing.

Kira was usually found with Gen'rash and a group of Darkspear witch doctor's that had set up back in the Valley of Spirits. Not wanting to neglect her own training, Kira had requested that Gen'rash teach her some more.

He had done better than that; he had introduced her two a pair of Darkspear brother witch doctors called Ra'kin and Mo'kin. The two, unlike Gen'rash, specialized in healing jutsu, which allowed Kira to further her knowledge in that area, in addition to learning more about the darker side of priestesshood.

In exchange, she began teaching (along with Kaine and Golbarn) Gen'rash how to speak better Orcish. The troll was quite sharp, and picked up the language quickly. However, he did not speak anymore than normal, and thus she found that any pride over her achievements were impossible to gloat about. It left her with slightly hollow feeling.

Her handmaiden, Kylia, had to be dragged kicking and screaming away (metaphorically, as she had Kira had had a little talk, and that was it) from spending all her time with errant princess of Stormwind. Golbarn, who was almost always busy with the repairs and going on patrols through the streets of the city to see that every was going well, had brought her down to the Cleft of Shadows. Despite perpetual night that constantly shrouded the estranged city sector, Kylia found that it was a little like the streets that she had grown up on. While one would think that would be a deterrent, she found it almost soothing. While her childhood had been less than pleasant, it had instilled in her an ability to adapt to such conditions with ease.

She purchased (using the money that Sarjak had reluctantly given to them for helping rebuild his eatery) several different and excitingly new types of poisons. She also bought a few new sets of knives, including (at Naruto's request) a set of specially made kunai and shuriken.

On one day, about three and a half weeks after the attack, Naruto had surprised her by teaching her how to make explosive seals, which she found immensely useful. Her impressions of the blonde rose a bit, though she was still quite wary of him. For all she knew, he could have done it simply to gain her trust, and then next thing she knew, her mistress's ("Kira's" she kept telling herself) virginity would be stolen and she would end up pregnant and heartbroken.

That was the worst-case scenario, of course, but still, she had to be aloof where the blonde was concerned.

Kaine spent most of his time working, as well as learning from some of the shaman that lived in the Valley of Wisdom. He didn't want to learn the Tetra-elemental style, so he simply honed his chakra control and learned as many knew jutsu as he could. Most of his training came from fighting with Naruto after the blonde returned from his own training, usually exhausted, and so he was able to boost his ego slightly by beating the blonde nearly every time. However, the fact that blonde had beaten him, even when he was exhausted, made the young Bloodhoof train even harder, even going so far as to badger his grandfather about lessons. He received few; only a couple of life lessons from the ancient tauren, accompanied by a raspy laugh before Cairn walked off to reminisce (or that was what Kaine believe it to be) with Vol'jin.

Golbarn was as busy as Naruto. He worked tirelessly to help rebuild the city, and to protect piece in the streets. This caught Nazgrel's attention, and the recently recovered orc gave him the title of "Deputy Lord of the Grunts"- the one who gave orders to all of the protectors of the city, the Orgrimmar Grunts. Naruto teased him constantly about it, as did Kaine, though when they did, it usually ended up with one of them injured.

Then came a day when, almost a month and a half after Blackhand's War (as it was now referred to), after waking and traveling to his and Thrall's normal meeting spot, Naruto saw that his teacher was not alone. Kira and Kylia stood by him, half-asleep, wondering why they had been awoken so early.

"You're here, good," said Thrall, as Naruto walked up, blinking at the two girls that stood by him.

"What're you guys doing here?" the blonde asked.

Kira shrugged, yawning. "We were woken up by a messenger, saying that Lord Thrall wanted to meet with us."

Thrall nodded. "The time has come, I think, for you to choose your next course of action."

His words hammered the grogginess from Kira's mind. She had been waiting for this. Unlike Naruto, who had grown quite comfortable and felt at home in this place, Kira felt no such attraction. Granted, she loved the place, and felt very comfortable around the friendly people, her mind was always on her objective. It always would be, until she had united the great races of Azeroth and restored order to her chaotic and troubled nation.

Naruto sagged a little, though he quickly pulled himself up. He felt depressed that he would have to leave this place, a place that he considered a second home, but also guilty that he hadn't kept his mind more on his original reason for coming here. In the past month, he had lived each day at a time. He had never wondered how long it would be before he had to leave this place and head towards their final two objectives: The Forsaken and the Night Elves. Now that it was here, he felt ashamed that he hadn't focused as much as he could have on his true goal.

He made a silent, "nice-guy" promise that he wouldn't do anything of the sort again.

"From this point, you have two choices. To the north, across the Sea of the Moon, you will find Teldrassil: the homeland of the Night Elves, where their current leader, Tyrande Whisperwind rules. I have only met her once, and I thought her honorable. Though I know not the reasons for why she left your Alliance, I should think you would have little trouble convincing her.

"The other choice is across the Great Ocean, to the northernmost region of the Eastern Kingdoms. There you will find, in the forests of Tirisfal, you will find Sylvanas Windrunner, Queen of the Banshees, and her legion of Forsaken beneath the ruins of Lordaeron, within the Undercity. It will be her that proves the most difficult to convince, for she is not one to conform or sympathize. She does what she believes is right, and won't let anyone else convince her otherwise," Thrall finished.

The three exchanged glances. Naruto didn't have much of an opinion. He left it up to Kira to decide. She considered both options heavily. If they were to go north, and what Thrall said was true, then they could finish it quickly, and would be able to return to Stormwind far quicker if they were already in the Eastern Kingdoms, and they managed to get Sylvanas' help. That, she decided would be the best choice.

She opened her mouth, ready to release the words from her mouth, but Thrall, stopped her with his grave and very serious voice.

"However…both are, at this point, inaccessible to us using normal means."

The words tumbled back into Kira's throat. Her eyes went wide, and all she managed was to choke out an entirely different word than she had been preparing to use.

"W-what?"

Naruto, too, looked shocked. "Whaddya mean? Those goblins will do anything if you just give them enough money!"

Thrall shook his head. "On both accounts, the goblins have refused my offers, no matter how high. If you were to head north, across the Sea of the Moon, you would find the area cluttered with many storms. By air, a zeppelin would be torn apart by this unnatural weather, and by sea, the whirlpools would swallow you. They have told me that they have never experienced such weather in those parts ever before, and thus it must be caused by something else."

"That means that the Night Elves have been cut off from their brethren in Ashenvale, Darkshore and the Moonglade?" said Kira.

Thrall nodded. "Most left before, but yes, they are now cut off. You have no way of reaching them at this point.

"As for Sylvanas' territory; she has always detested goblins. It was only due to the fact that I suggested it would be profitable for both of our peoples if they had an easy way to travel, that she built a zeppelin tower outside the Undercity. She has torn it down since, I believe, and any goblin that travels that far will be slain instantly, at least according to them."

"What about a boat?" said Kira, not a little desperately, "can't they just drop us off near there? Then we could sneak in…"

"I do not advise it. Sylvanas had a remarkable way of knowing who comes to her kingdom and when, and where. Her banshee litter the countryside, possessing anything from small animals to Scourge that happen to wander by. You would be detected rather swiftly, and Sylvanas would likely destroy you, and the goblins that took you. And even if you did sneak in, she would not listen. You would be killed on sight, regardless."

"What about taking us to Southshore, or near there?" Kira nearly shouted.

"Again, they have refused. In addition to Sylvanas, they now have those foolish zealots, the Scarlet Crusade, to worry about. They say that frequently their ships have been attacked by Scarlet galleons patrolling the coasts. They will not fly their zeppelins, either, because the few places that allow a zeppelin to land have been seized by members of the Syndicate; a group of human thieves, mercenaries and assassins. They will not go anywhere near there, for fear that they will lose quite of money if a ship is destroyed or captured."

Kira was stunned. Now they had no way to get anywhere.

With an uncharacteristic sharpness, Naruto asked, "Then why'd you call us here? Just to tell us that we can't go?"

Thrall shook his head. "I was merely pointing out the problem. However, I have found the solution."

Naruto blinked, Kira looked at him in both relief and surprise, while Kylia sighed in relief.

"There is a certain man that you must find, a certain man who has done several things of this sort for me in the past. He is a smuggler, but an excellent zeppelineer and will doubtlessly do whatever you wish if you pay him the right price. That is who you must seek. His name is Matthias Hindenborough."

"Where do we find him?" asked Kira, her determination renewed.

"That is the problem, he has no way of being contacted, and travels all over the world smuggling goods. It could be months before he returns to the area, if at all."

"Then what do we do?" asked Naruto.

"There is one place that he will be sure to be. He is a lover of fun and merriment, and this place is the center of much of this. Thankfully, it is that time of year, and we have already heard that it will be traveling to the area, in just five days.

"He will doubtlessly be present, at the one and only Darkmoone Faire."

* * *

Sorry about the lateness. I had a lot to do this weekend (I didn't have much time to do it yesterday, it being Mother's Day and all, and me having work both Saturday and Sunday).

Please note that I AM very sorry, and because of my rude lateness, I will not ASK(ING) FOR REVIEWs.

OOOOHH SUBLIMINAL MESSAGING!

Anyways, I'd like to thank my younger brother (who reads this as well) for proof reading this. He is much better at World of Warcraft than I am, even though he knows nothing about the lore.

In other news…Sasuke's back. Whoopee. And his breasts…I mean manly pectorals are shown to the world. Kabuto said he was cranky; he must be having his period. In other news, was crushed by flood of Yaoi fangirls gushing on how hot Sasuke has become, and when he will have Naruto's baby.

Goddammit.

Alright, seeya next week!

General Grievous

Next Week: _Hello, ladies and gentlefolk! I am Silas Darkmoone, ringmaster and proprietor of the wondrously magical, and quite mysterious, Darkmoone Faire! It is easily the greatest, most splendiferous, most entertaining fair that you will find in all of Azeroth! People come from everywhere in the world to see the attractions at this mighty fair, which will, this year, be held in the wilds of Mulgore!_

_I am here to tell you of the many attractions that you will doubtlessly see come next week! You may sample the many drinks that we boast, all of which will certainly give you a nice buzz. You may visit our wild and wondrous petting zoo, so that you might get to touch the creatures you have only seen in your wildest dreams! You might find yourself playing a friend (or a stranger) in a game of Battle Tonks! Indeed, you might even see one of our most entertaining and famous attractions: THE BLASTENHEIMER 5000! _

_Do not miss this exciting, enticing, enigmatic show that will appear in only a few short days! _


	40. The Darkmoone Faire

**Disclaimer: Ego non possideo Narutonem aut Orbem Terrare Belli-artis.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Silas Darkmoone was a very happy gnome.

The words "happy" and "gnome" were usually redundant. Gnomes were almost always cheerful, for one reason or another, and Silas Darkmoone was no exception. However, unlike other gnomes, Silas had a very different outlook on life. He wasn't happy unless he was making money.

Silas Darkmoone was the owner and developer of the self-proclaimed "greatest show on the face of the world." The Darkmoone Faire, a magical, mystical, and above all, entertaining venture that he had developed many years ago. It had been a sure-fire way for him to not only pay off his extensive debts, but also set him for life where money was concerned.

And, for the first few years of the Faire, his hopes had only grown. People found the activities and the exhibits, the fun and engaging employees, really everything to be top-notch; and soon peoples from all over Azeroth had come to witness the attractions that Silas had created for them. For many, it was a chance to see the things that they could only see in their wildest dreams: beasts of all sizes and demeanors; trinkets and artifacts from the most remote sections of the world; games and activities that captured the hearts of all ages; and (perhaps the greatest reason) the cheapest and best alcohol in the world.

In those times, Silas had not been concerned about money. He had spared no expense, and had done every he could to attract patrons so that he might not only inspire them to keep returning, but get their money as well. They had come, and he had lived the high life. It was those times that he remembered fondly, but soon, they crumbled into dust, and he found himself wondering if the Darkmoone Faire could have even continued.

First the Alliance had broken up, and thus Night elves, dwarves, and gnomes had stopped coming by the fairgrounds in Elwynn Forest, where Silas usually set the Faire up when it came to the Eastern Kingdoms. To make matters worse, the forest had become infested with furbolgs, gnolls, forest trolls, and other atrocious beasts that kept the humans from wandering too far from Stormwind for too long.

With half his traditional customers gone, Silas had turned hopefully to Kalimdor. The Horde had always enjoyed the Faire, and he believed that as long as the trolls remained in the area, the tauren were as easily amused as ever, and the orcs still had their love of his beer, then he would be set.

Unfortunately for him, that wasn't so. The trolls had left, gone to Stranglethorn, the tauren were suddenly plagued with an onslaught of attacks by the Venture Company, and Thrall's people were too busy protecting themselves to even bother with Silas and his Faire. He had received few visitors in Mulgore, the place where he traditionally set up the Faire do to its earthly beauty and wide-open plains. Only large group from the Venture Co, and a few other sparse groups of people from the shadier businesses that operated in Kalimdor had come.

And it was then that he discovered something quite remarkable.

Crime did pay!

While he had received little money that year, he had received quite a few ideas from these people. They had enjoyed not only his practically free beer, but because they were the dregs of moral society, they had spent lots of their money on betting; daring each other to provoke animals in the zoo, drinking contests, Battle Tonks, and how far the person the loaded into the Blastenheimer 5000 would fly. They even paid to try it out themselves.

And so he had changed his focus. Rather than being a family-oriented business that allowed him to garner the patronage of everyone from orclings to the eldest of men, he had focused specifically on making his Faire a place where these smugglers, robbers, highwaymen, mercenaries and other such practitioners would be able to rest and have fun. They would be able to forget about the constant threat to their lives, the bounty on their heads, or angry employers that were out for their blood.

To change something from family-centric to criminal-centric was not as hard as he had thought it to be. He had hired a large number of mercenaries so that they would be able to protect the patrons of the Faire from being attacked within it. He made some of the games, such as Battle Tonks, a little more thrilling (adding real weapons to them, for example), so that those who had experienced the rush of battle so constantly would still enjoy it, and bet lucrative amounts of money on it. He turned the zoo into a petting zoo, adding a new depth to the fun, and even taught some of the more dangerous creatures little tricks.

His favorite of these was a silithid, a gargantuan armored bug that he had picked up on a trip to Tanaris several years back, that he had taught to beg, lie down, play dead, and even frighten grown men with its piercing insectine shriek. He wasn't entirely sure it was safe (it was known to periodically shoot acid upon those near it), but the first time he had shown it off, it had been a hit. So he named the creature Booboo, and it had quickly become the star attraction; though this year he hoped the Beer Drinking Frog would attract just as much attention.

While all of that had worked, the clincher had been cheapening the beer even further, so that despite the fact that not as many people came, those who did got drunk so quickly that they bought far more than they needed. Thankfully his mercenaries doubled as bouncers, so they were able to break up the fights that inevitably broke out.

Because of that, the Darkmoone Faire had been able to survive for many years, quickly establishing itself as a place that criminals and villains could come to relax and have a good time. It had gone on for years like this.

But this year promised even better things.

The Horde, for the most part, had been restored. The Venture Co. no longer roamed Mulgore freely, the trolls had returned to Orgrimmar, and Thrall was now unburdened by many of the threats that had kept him and his people from participating in the fun of the Faire. He had learned all this on his travels towards the fair plains of Mulgore, where he usually set up shop. He did not know why, but nor did he truly care. They were back, and that was all that mattered.

It made him burble with delight to think that this year he might garner the patronage of not only the usual crowd, but also the people of the Horde. It meant more money, and a better reputation so that more money could be made later on.

He might have to make some small changes so that he didn't scare off the potential target audience. He probably would have to put the larger and more ferocious beasts in cages rather than just chaining them to a post. He might have to station more of his guards inside the drinking tent so that they could stop fights before they started. He employed real healers in the infirmary, so that if any accidents happened (and they were sure to) it could easily be remedied. But those changes were easy to make. Right now, he needed to focus on setting up the Faire to open the following day.

Yes, Silas Darkmoone was happy.

This year, the Faire would make a comeback.

And he would be rich, and even more famous to boot.

He wondered sometimes, if it were not better that he had been born a goblin. For he certainly acted more like one that he did a gnome.

* * *

"Ahhhhh! It's great to feel the breeze again!" said Kaine, grinning as the wind ruffled his mane.

"It is!" said Kira, enjoying the feel of the cool air on her skin. It was heaven after many weeks in the broiling sun, and the dry and dusty air of the Barrens. She looked around her, at the endless sea of green grass, smiling. It was such a beautiful place. She could see why the tauren loved this place so much. She looked around her at her companions, then, noticing how peaceful they all looked.

The group that was making the journey was small. It consisted, along with Kaine and Kira, of Naruto, Kylia, Gen'rash, Tsuwabuki, a reluctant Golbarn, a group of ten merchants who wished to sell their wares at the group's destination, and a group of guards to accompany said merchants.

Their destination, of course, was the enigmatic Darkmoone Faire.

They were walking. The wind riders in Orgrimmar had all either been killed or had fled during the attack, and there simply weren't enough riding wolves for them to use. The merchants were bringing along their wares using a pair of kodo, which lumbered in between the eight Orgrimmar Grunts that had accompanied them. Truthfully, they were unnecessary, as Naruto, Kaine, Golbarn and Gen'rash were more than enough to deal with any threat that might present itself to them along the way.

Naruto walked a little ways in front of the kodo, his hands behind his head. He had lapsed into silence when they had entered the valley of rolling green, simply enjoying the relief that it brought from the heat of the Barrens. It also brought back memories of his previous time in this place, only a few months previous, both good and bad. But on his mind was also his penultimate meeting with Thrall, for a while, anyways.

Thrall had told them, after revealing the existence of the Darkmoone Faire, of what they needed to do. They needed to travel to the Faire, in Mulgore, and find the man known as Matthias Hindenborough. They would, using money that Thrall would give them, hire him to take them wherever they wished. Matthias, according to Thrall, was a smuggler extraordinaire, and an excellent zeppelineer as well. He would, and could, deliver anything anywhere, as long as enough money was involved, and he was treated with the respect and courtesy befitting a man of his talents.

After hearing that, Naruto had immediately marked him as someone he probably wouldn't like. He had a feeling that man who thought a smuggler should be respected was not someone he could get along with. Thrall had gone on to explain a little of his past dealings with the man. He could be trusted, as long as he was paid well. The conversation had ended there. He ordered Naruto and Kira to use their last two days in Orgrimmar as best they could, for it might be a long time before they returned to it.

The next two days had been rushed, and Naruto's memories of them were blurred. He trained harder than ever before, not because he was pushed to, but because he wanted to. It was his last few days with his trainers, and he wanted to be as strong as possible before he began the next leg of his journey. He trained hard, also, so that he could forget the sorrow he felt, knowing that he had to leave this place so soon.

His last (or what he had supposed was his last) meeting with Thrall had been in the half-reconstructed Grommash Hold. Rexxar and Misha had been there too, along with Cairn and Vol'jin. It had truly been one of the saddest, and yet the happiest moments of Naruto's life. It depressed him to know that he'd have to leave a place he saw as a home, and that he might not see the people that he had come to know and admire for quite some time.

But it made him happy too. It made him happy that he had come to know them. It reminded him of all he had done and experienced in the time he had spent in Orgrimmar, and in Thunder Bluff, and at the troll village, too. He did not cry, even tears of joy, because he found that it was entirely unnecessary. He was not leaving this place forever, nor was he never going to see them again. He was simply going away for a while.

But he was comforted in knowing that he now had so many precious people.

The meeting hadn't been long, nor had there been many goodbyes. Vol'jin had given him a wide grin and told him to "come back soon, eh brudda?" Cairn had patted him on the back, giving him a tired, ancient smile and a few words of wisdom: "Walk your path steady and strong, child, and never stop, not even when you take a wrong turn, or the path becomes shrouded in fog."

Rexxar had just nodded to him. There were no words that needed to be said. Every word he had ever spoken to Naruto had been full of wisdom, and had been meaningful to him. He had said everything that he had needed to say to the blonde in the past few weeks, during his training. Naruto remembered almost every one, remarkably, and had taken each to heart. He had never had a trainer quite like Rexxar, and he didn't think he'd ever have another.

Thrall had only said a few final words. He had told Naruto that among the humans he had met, Naruto was one of the very few (so few that he could count them on one hand) that had Thrall's deepest respect and gratitude. He then instructed Naruto to keep his skills up, and that when the blonde returned, he expected him to be able to keep up with Thrall at his strongest.

Naruto's heart had been full to bursting with emotion by that time. He didn't think he had ever felt such a surge of admiration for anyone. Thrall was his teacher, but now he had become something else.

He had become his hero.

Now Naruto would do everything he could to surpass him; as he had tried to surpass all previous Hokages, the people he had idolized since his youth. He would now surpass them all, including the Warchief as well.

Because he was Uzumaki Naruto.

Then, the bubble of admiration that had been forming inside the blonde's chest popped, when Thrall revealed that after he had found Matthias, he would return to Orgrimmar one last time.

"_The Darkmoone Faire is the home of the greatest, and cheapest, beer in the world. Using the money I have provided you, you will purchase exactly two- dozen crates of it, for immediate delivery. This is your final mission."_

Thrall then smiled at Naruto's gobsmacked expression, as he saw all the respect and admiration that had been welling in the boy's eyes drain away as what would inevitably happen to the Darkmoone beer that he was going to purchase.

The boy had then proceeded to vehemently curse out the Warchief, calling him a drunk and a slob and a bastard for ruining such a heartfelt and touching moment. The rest had watched, laughing, at the blonde's antics.

They would really miss him.

* * *

And so Naruto had left, with Kira and Kylia, but also accompanied by Kaine, Golbarn and Gen'rash. They had all decided to come (save Golbarn, who had been dragged into it) so that they could not only experience the Faire, but also spend Naruto's final days in Kalimdor with him.

Though he was quiet, Naruto was growing quite excited about the Faire. He had been to many of the festivals that Konoha held yearly, but he had found little to enjoy in them, being as lonely as he was. However, now did he not only have friends, but he was going to an entirely new, and promisingly interesting festival that he hoped would make up for the miserable times he had had before. The Darkmoone Faire, as he was beginning to understand, looked like it might prove that hope true.

"I went to it once, a long time ago," said Kaine, a little ways in front of Naruto. He was talking to a curious Kira, who had asked him if he had ever gone to the Faire. "I don't really remember it, but I've heard a lot about it since. It was a pretty reputable place until the Horde and Alliance broke up, and then it became a gathering place for smugglers, thieves, assassins and those types. I think they came even when the Venture Co. was still in operation, because its workers enjoyed it so much. But I've heard that it's a great place, and I can't wait to get there!"

Kira smiled a little at Kaine's enthusiasm, and turned to see that Naruto was looking just as excited. It was a little irksome; she hoped that Naruto would keep his mind on the reason they had come, and not go off and have fun as people at the Faire intended to.

But knowing Naruto, that didn't look to be so.

They traveled on, along the road that led towards Bloodhoof Village, and as the sun reached its highest point, they came to a sign stuck clumsily in the ground on the side of the road. In very bold lettering, "**This Way to Darkmoone Faire"** was printed upon it, with an arrow pointing off into the distance, away from the road. There were faint indentations in the grass, where a wagon, or several, had likely gone quite recently.

In the distance, near a cluster of trees, Naruto saw smoke rising steadily into the air and heard the distant hubbub of people. Several of the merchants, a little ways behind him, made known their relief, and so at once they set off towards the Faire. Their anticipation grew as the neared it, until even Kira got excited. She had heard tales of the Faire in her youth back in Stormwind, but had never been allowed to see it. She knew that they needed to look for Matthias, her more than anyone, but she still entertained the idea that she might enjoy herself for a little while. She cast a sideways glance at Naruto again. Maybe they could enjoy the Faire a bit, and then search for this Matthias.

They reached the cluster of trees, and could see the movement behind them. There was a large gap in the trees, with a path in it. Over the gap, hung between two wooden posts, was a large green banner, in the middle of which was a strange design. It was a purple sphere, with a golden crescent shaped design on top of it, with four golden prongs jutting out from around the crescent. On top of the sphere was a blue diamond with a shining star within. In the center of the crescent was a gleaming orange orb with a single dark slit down its center, reminding the blonde slightly of the Kyuubi's eyes.

Beneath the banner, on either side of the path, stood two large ogres, outfitted in nothing but large leather tunics, loincloths, and carrying large clubs. They glared menacingly at the group as they approached, but did not move.

"Ah! Welcome! Welcome! You must have traveled far!"

A small gnome, clad in a black shirt, pants, and hat, all with purple lining and starry designs embroidered along the edges, came forwards, beaming at all of them. He clasped his hands together, looking up at them with his wide, cheerful grin.

"I am Silas Darkmoone! Owner and founder of the Darkmoone Faire!" he said, puffing his chest out a little. "Since you all seem like a reputable bunch, I'm guessing that you are from Orgrimmar? Perhaps Thunder Bluff? Oh! But you have two humans with you! Perhaps you are simply a group of adventurers! Whatever else you are, it is welcome here!"

"Erm, thank you!" said Kira. He seemed like a friendly person. She had been slightly worried, for a moment. Silas Darkmoone sounded much more goblin than gnomish.

"Of course!" he said happily, ushering them past him. "Go in! Enjoy yourselves to your heart's content! We make it a rule that no one is allowed to not have fun here!"

Kira quickly went past, as did everyone else, as Darkmoone walked back to the merchants, beginning to negotiate with them.

They entered another vast expanse into the plains, but forming a huge ring around them were more than a dozen tents, striped purple and white. They saw many people walking about the fairgrounds, taking part in many activities that were going on. All of them, they dimly noted, fit the bill for being rather shady.

But they soon ignored it. They all stared wide-eyed at the goings on of the Faire; and, each drawn by their individual curiosities, the group members quickly headed off in different directions.

"Oi! Naruto! Let's go over here!" said Kaine, rushing away, the blonde shinobi fast on his heels.

"Dat be interestin'" rumbled Gen'rash, walking towards a small tent where a large group of people had gathered.

"Hmph. I need a beer," grumbled Golbarn, making a beeline for the largest tent of all.

Kira and Kylia were then alone, deserted before either of them had a chance to think.

"Geez!" said Kira, angrily. "They just abandoned us! Among these criminals no less! Ky' lets start looking for that Matthias person."

Kylia nodded distractedly, but did not take her eyes off a little shack where she saw a group of people tossing knives at dartboards. The girl had a kind of longing in her eyes that made Kira sigh.

"Fine…we can go," she said.

Kylia looked a little sheepish. "I'll win you something, mi–K-Kira!" the girl said fervently, smiling at her.

Kira smiled back. She needed to lighten up. They had all day, after all.

* * *

"Exotic Petting Zoo?" Naruto said, blinking as he saw the sign in front of a smaller tent. Walking through, he and Kaine spotted a group of cages, in which they spotted some of the strangest creatures either had ever seen.

"Heh, this looks pretty cool," said Kaine, approaching one of the cages. In it was a huge black cat, with bluish stripes running diagonally across its body; it was lying down. It had two large fangs sprouting from its front, and a little sign next to it identified it as a nightsaber.

"Cool!" said Naruto. Tsuwabuki followed him as he walked over, and stood a little ways in front of the cage, meeting the creature square in its dark green eyes. The nightsaber looked at her uninterested and did not lift its head.

'**_You seem to be enjoying yourself,'_** she said to the creature. Naruto didn't hear its response, but the "are-you-stupid" look on its face alerted him to its feelings. He admired the creature for a moment, and then noticed a small sign with the words, "**Pet Me! But be careful!" **hanging from the top of the front of the cage.

He sweat-dropped.

"Is anyone that stupid…?" he wondered, looking at the nightsaber's fangs.

Kaine laughed a little, shaking his head to say that he didn't know. He made to move on to the next cage, but before he could he spotted two human men walking towards them. In actuality, they were more like stumbling, and the heavy scent of alcohol that wafted from their direction alerted both that they were most certainly drunk.

"Oi….Barker! Barker! Llllllisten ta' me! Ssseee that? Ittt'sssaaaa KITTY!" one of them garbled, grinning drunkenly and pointing at the nightsaber. He was tall and had a black, bushy beard and fuzzy eyebrows, but had little actual hair on his head, as if he had taken it off and placed it on his face to give him the beard and eyebrows.

Both Kaine and Naruto sweat-dropped this time, and if one looked closely, they'd see Tsuwabuki doing it as well (which was rather remarkable, considering she had no sweat glands).

The other man didn't say anything; instead he just stumbled drunkenly over to the cage, and noticed the sign hanging in front. Grinning stupidly, he reached out and began to stroke the nightsaber's head, mumbling "kitttyyyy!" as he did.

"Oi! Barker! Lemmmmeee touch it! Barker! Ye' listeni—"

"ARRRGGGHHHH!"

Naruto's eyes bugged out as the second drunken man, Barker, stumbled back, clutching the large bleeding stump that was left of his hand. He flailed around a bit, his words made incoherent by both pain and drink. All the while, his companion commented on the man's actions. "Ohh! Hhhheee got yeee Barker! Looookkk attttt allllll that blooood! Hahaha! I need another drink! By me one, Barker? I got the last round!"

Barker and his companion then stumbled off, Barker seemingly forgetting his pain, missing limb, and the fountain of blood that was spraying from the stump in favor of muttering that it was his friend that was supposed to be buying. All the while Naruto and Kaine watched them, slack-jawed. The nightsaber burped, licked its chops, and then lay down again.

"Did that just happen…?" Naruto said, stunned.

Kaine was speechless, and could only shake his head disbelievingly.

'**_I saw that coming,'_** said Tsuwabuki, yawning.

The three of them stood there a moment longer. A pair of ogres had already gotten the man and pulled him off to the infirmary tent. They moved on.

The next cage contained something both had seen before: a large, teal colored raptor. It glared menacingly at them, making several strange sounds as it did. Neither found it particularly interesting, so they moved onto the next one.

In it was a huge spider, covered in a fuzzy orange fur. It clicked its claws furiously as they walked over. The sign called it a Darkfang Lurker. It seemed to be doing anything but lurking, at this point, and continued clicking angrily as the walked away, thoroughly disgusted at having been so close to a spider of that size. For Naruto, it brought back horrors of that creepy Kidoumaru guy that had worked for Orochimaru.

"I thought you liked orange things," snickered Kaine. Naruto sent him a dirty look as they reached the next cage, which was empty.

"Where's this thing?" he wondered, looking at the sign. It read, "**Booboo the Silithid"** in dark lettering.

"'E's makin' an appearance in a few, if ye wanna' see 'im."

Startled, Naruto whipped around to face a crotchety looking old man with a short beard, little hair, and a hunched posture. He leaned on a spindly wooden cane, and his clothes—baggy trousers, suspenders, and an old, ripped t-shirt; were covered in dirt and muck. He smelled as bad as he looked.

"Making an appearance? Doing what?" asked Kaine, looming over the ancient man.

He grinned at Kaine, and gestured behind him. "Go and see! It's not something to miss!"

The two did so, walking towards a steadily growing crowd of people, all of whom were dressed in darker colors and long cloaks to conceal the majority of their forms. All of them, Naruto noticed, were smiling. Some were cheering, too, and held bottles or mugs of beer, taking big gulps in between baying for the action to start. It was hard to believe that they were criminals. Despite some of them looking rather menacing, they were clearly enjoying themselves, and in a way that Naruto had never really thought criminals could.

He tried to imagine Orochimaru, or even Sasuke's creepy brother here. It made him nearly burst into uncontrollable laughter (which he smothered just in time; so all he got were a few weird stares). He could just see it: Orochimaru getting shit-faced and stumbling around with Kabuto on his shoulder (both of them would be blushing, as Naruto was sure at least one of them liked men), and Itachi would probably spend the entire time glaring at the nightsaber with his Sharingan so that he could pet it, or trying to kill its family.

That did make him give a slight burst of laughter, and he resolved to remember that the next time he met the guy. Itachi wouldn't be so scary then!

Naruto slid his way through the crowd, being shorter than most of them and nimbler as well. Kaine simply pushed past them, as he rose at least two or three feet above the majority of the crowd.

In the center of the crowd, Silas Darkmoone stood, clutching a whip in one hand, and a whistle in the other. He was beaming as he had back at the entrance. Behind him was a large black square of wood. Imprinted on the side was the symbol of the Faire, as well as the word "**Booboo"**. It wasn't moving, but Naruto there was a scuffling sound coming from inside of it.

When a sufficient crowd had gathered, he cracked the whip once, silencing them.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlefolk! You have come to witness one of our star attractions! He hails from the shifting sands far to the south of here, in one of the most treacherous places on the face of this planet: Silithus! But, sparing not a cent, we have brought him here, trained him, and you will now see quite possibly something that you will never see again in your life. Without further ado!" he blew the whistle, and cracked the whip again, "HERE COMES BOOBOO!"

The black box suddenly exploded in a cloud of smoke, obscuring the entire ring and everything in it. People stepped back, and when the smoke cleared, standing there was the most bizarre creature Naruto had ever laid eyes on.

It was about the size of a full-grown man, and stood on four long, jointed legs that came into a sharp spike at the end. It had two spider-like claws on both sides of its plated, insectine head, and large mandibles on either side of its mouth. It was covered in bright turquoise chitinous plates, which sloped up its back and ended on the upturned abdomen. Its eyes were shiny and black, filled with a sense of self-awareness, even intelligence. It made a strange shrieking noise, which made the hairs on Naruto's neck stand to attention.

"Yes! Booboo! Gaze upon one of the most fantastic creatures to have ever appeared on this world!" cried Darkmoone, grinning around at everyone who looked upon the strange creature.

Booboo shrieked again, rising on its hind legs and waggling its claws and front legs at the crowd. They "ooed" and "aawed"; and when Silas cracked his whip, making Booboo leap into the air and do a perfect back flip, it sent the crowd into a frenzy of inebriated cheering and calling.

"MATES! THAT BUG IS SWEET!" they shouted, or "HARDCORE!". Most, however, were unaware that they were even speaking.

Naruto and Kaine cheered along with them, both thoroughly enjoying the show. Neither, of course, remembered to ask whether anybody knew a Matthias Hindenborough.

"Hahaha!" laughed Darkmoone, reveling in the audience's reaction. "Just remember not to get too close! Booboo has a special type of acid that he can secrete from those forelegs of his that can eat through iron!"

"AAARRRGGGHHH!"

"Ooh! That's smarts, can we get a medic over here?"

* * *

The sun was swiftly setting, and Kira had not yet found a trace of Matthias Hindenborough. And that was not for lack of trying. She asked anyone who looked friendly enough to approach, and at least a little tipsy. She did not even think of approaching the ones who sat at the tables in the food tent, talking in low voices and glaring her as she walked past. She also didn't approach those who looked like they'd pass out at any second, or vomit, or a combination of the two.

All in all, she had heard nothing of the strange man; she had, however, listened to the drunken ramblings of at least a dozen men and four women, all of different races. She was fed up with it (though she had enjoyed some of them) and was now in search of more of her friends, so that they could look together. She didn't feel entirely comfortable doing this alone, as Kylia was still throwing knives at boards. She had gathered quite the following, and when Kira had left her she was showing a couple of mercenaries how to correctly throw them.

The Faire was larger than she had originally thought, so it took her some time to find someone she was familiar with. She relaxed when she saw Gen'rash at the head of a small line in front of a dark purple tent with "Get Your Fortune Read By Sayge!"

Walking up, she discovered, to her surprise, that Sayge was a gnoll, covered in dark brown fur, and wearing a flowing magenta robe heavily decorated with all sorts of designs. He wore a large amount of glittering gold jewelry as well.

He was scowling at Gen'rash, as were most of the people behind the troll. When Kira got close enough, she heard the gnoll flinging heated, angry words at the oblivious looking troll.

"I have told your fortune a hundred times, you moron! I will not do it again!"

Gen'rash held out his palm, "Gimme da' fortune, eh?"

"No! I will not! Leave or I'll get the guards to take you away!" Sayge shrieked.

"I be needin' da' mo' fortune, eh?" grinned Gen'rash, not retracting his palm or moving at all.

It suddenly occurred to Kira what the troll was talking about. She sweat-dropped, realizing that Gen'rash believed he was getting luck, not his fortune read, from the gnoll, and thus was wishing, as any person would, for more of it.

Shaking her head in a resigned way, she walked over and dragged the troll away, saying, "Looks like I'm not as good a teacher as I thought I was. Let's go have a chat about contextualized meanings, 'kay?"

* * *

"Jubjub?" said Naruto, staring blankly at the female orc, Morja, who stood in front of a smaller tent near the back of the Faire. Naruto had and Kaine had parted ways after the petting zoo, each attracted towards a different spectacle. Naruto and Tsuwabuki had found a small crowd, all of eager-looking people, standing in front of the tent, and a pretty (and stacked) orcess within.

She looked desperate, but relieved at the steadily growing crowd.

"Yes! Jubjub is my frog…I seem to have lost him," she said sadly.

Naruto looked around, as did many of the others, all of them eager to help the pretty orcess find her lost frog.

"Oh no!" she said, shaking her head. "Jubjub is very clever, and he won't be found just by looking! You need to bring him to us!"

"But how?" slurred a drunken man in the back.

Morja smiled then, ruining her pathetic façade slightly. "Might there be anyone here who has a tankard of Dark Iron Ale in hand?"

Naruto was knocked to the ground when a dozen hands thrust their tankards forwards. "I DO!" they bellowed as one, further injuring the blonde with the deafening bellows.

She smiled again, plucking at random tankard from the ones offered, and then turning and setting it down on the ground a few yards behind her, a little ways past her tent. She then backed away, putting a finger to her lips to silence them.

Naruto sweat-dropped. She was giving beer to a frog?

'**_I've heard stranger,'_** said Tsuwabuki.

They waited. For a while, nothing happened, and the tankard simply sat there. Soon the crowd began to fidget, growing with anticipation. The one who had given up his beer was looking particularly annoyed, and soon the crowd began to vocally express their impatience.

"I'm sure he will come!" Morja said, looking at them pleadingly. It was enough to silence the men, but the women didn't look to be buying it. Then, there was a rustling behind the ale, near a few bushes.

Everyone immediately fell silent.

Then, from the bushes, a small, orange frog leapt, making its way slowly over to the tankard. It paused in front, and then, to everyone's surprise, stood on its hind legs and dunked its head into the tankard. The sounds of its slurping and drinking could be heard for a while, and finally it sat back, giving a large belch that sent the crowd into a flurry of cheers.

Naruto didn't cheer, simply staring at the frog. Was it him, or was that thing…?

"Do I know you?" he said.

The frog blinked, looking at the blonde in a shocking display of awareness. Its eyes then bulged, and it suddenly said, "Oh crap! Naruto! What are you doing here?"

"Gamakichi!" Naruto shouted, stunned.

"Shit! Uhhhmmm... you haven't seen me! Pops'll kill me if he learns I'm doing this! I'm underage!"

"But how…?" Naruto said, wondering how on earth the toad had managed to get summoned by someone other than himself and Jiraiya.

"Hehehe…long story. Oh crap! I'm not supposed to be able to talk! Bye!" The toad vanished then, in a puff of smoke, leaving a bewildered Morja, and a stunned audience. Nobody spoke for a moment, before a bunch burst into laughter.

"Och, I'm so knackered I thought that frog just talked," said one man.

"Aye, met too. Wanna 'nother?."

"I'm in."

Naruto shook his head, and turned away. This place was too weird.

He never did find out how Gamakichi had managed to get summoned without his help, especially to this place, though truthfully, he didn't ask. He never mentioned it to Gamabunta, either.

* * *

"Ye be holdin' ye drink pretty well there, orc! What say you for a contest?" said a man in Orcish to the hulking Golbarn. They were both sitting at a bar in the Food Tent.

"Not interested."

"Not e'en a little bit?"

"No."

"Come on, this is a place to be havin' fun, ya know? Ye can't sit there looking sulky the entire time!"

"I can if I want to."

"Why would ye want to?"

"No reason."

The man whom Golbarn was conversing with had flaming red hair and small, clever blue eyes. He was dressed in a blue coat, white tunic and black pants, and had a large tri-corner hat sitting atop his head. He stroked his trim red beard and said, "What about if I buy? I'm in a givin' mood!"

"If you buy me a beer, then yes. No contest."

"Och! Come on!"

"No."

The man sighed, and sat back in his own chair, apparently defeated. He made to drink his own beer, looking morosely at the bartender (or he could have been just staring forwards, since the bartender was standing right in front of him), when suddenly a loud voice drew his attention to the tent flaps.

"Oi! Golbarn!"

The orc beside him turned, grunting, towards the blonde that had just walked in. "Whaddya want, brat?" he said, testily. Unlike the majority of the people at the Faire, Golbarn was not a happy drunk. In fact, he got downright nasty as one.

"I'm just lookin' for something to eat," Naruto said. "Anything good here?"

Golbarn went back to his beer, "Not sure, haven't tried anything except the beer." He then noticed that Tsuwabuki wasn't with the blonde. "Where's the fox?"

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Geez, even you turn into a drunk at this place! I thought you'd at least set an example! And Tsuwabuki went hunting, she said she needed to get something good to eat."

Golbarn gave him a dirty look. "One could say that it is the stress of being with you that's driven me to the drink, brat."

Naruto sweat-dropped. "Heh…right." He sat down on the other side of the orc, and pulled one of the menus towards him. He scanned it, looking for anything ramen affiliated, and saw to his immense surprise, and even more immense joy, it listed every type of ramen that he had had since he had arrived on Azeroth.

"Awesome! Hey, Golbarn! Look! They've got Bear Tongue Soup, and Gnome Whisker Soup, and loon'des, and men'ra, and emokanda and even Stormwind Noodles! I can have all of them at once!"

And so the blonde did just that. Soon there was a large set of steaming bowls in front of him, and he looking almost epileptic with cheer at the thought of devouring the contents within.

Golbarn shook his head, while the man next to him watched in morbid fascination as the blonde attacked the noodles. Instead of eating one bowl first, and then moving onto another, Naruto attacked a different bowl each time he went to grab some noodles.

The blonde finished quickly, letting out a contented sigh as he downed the last bowl of broth.

"That was great!" he said, happily.

The man stared at Naruto oddly, sipping his beer. It was uncommon nowadays to see a young boy at the Darkmoone Faire, considering its reputation. However, something about the boy got his competitive instincts flowing.

"Hey, lad," he said, grinning cheerfully at the boy.

Naruto blinked, and looked at the man. "What?"

"Care for a little contest? I'm in a sporting mood, and I've been trying to find someone to help me satiate it all night. Your friend here has been a stick in the mud…"

Golbarn grunted.

"…But perhaps you might be more interested?"

Naruto thought about it. "What kind of contest?"

The man grinned. "Battle Tonks, of course! The greatest game ever to be invented!"

Naruto cocked his head to the side, "Battle Tonks…?"

"Aye, Battle Tonks! It's in the tent just across from here! What say you? I'll make it worth your while!"

"How?"

The man frowned a moment, trying to think of a suitable reward that would entice the boy into playing. He grinned when the thought came to him.

"I'll give ye, and any one of yer friends a ride on me zeppelin, if ye win! It's the finest craft you'll find anywhere, fastest too! Whaddya say?" He waggled his eyebrows in addition to saying this, smiling widely.

Naruto thought about it. He really was supposed to be looking for that Matthias guy, and the thought of going on a zeppelin wasn't exactly as appealing as the man made it out to be. Seeing the shinobi's reluctance, the man said quickly, "Well, if yer scared, then I won't—"

"You've got yourself a deal, old man!" Naruto cried instantly, slamming his hand on the table. Uzumaki Naruto was never afraid to accept any challenge!

Golbarn snorted. The boy was too easy to predict sometimes.

Brushing off the "old man" taunt, the man grinned. "Well then, let's get going, shall we?"

* * *

Kira finally caught sight of Naruto standing next to a small purple and white striped tent, which in turn stood next to a large square-shaped fenced off area. There was a sign next to the tent that read, "**Battle Tonks"** in big bold lettering, with a small crudely drawn picture of a Dwarven tonk next to it. Sighing in relief at spotting another of her friends, she grabbed Gen'rash and hurried over.

"Finally!" she said. "I've found you! We need to start searching, Naruto! He could be anywhere!"

She was not in the mood to argue with the blonde. He had had his fun, and she knew it was necessary for them to find Matthias Hindenborough as quickly as possible.

The boy turned, briefly to look at her. His face lit up. "Kira-chan!" he said, happily. "I'll be there in a minute, I just gotta teach this old guy a lesson!"

"Oi, brat, I ain't old," a rather handsome man with red hair called over to him. The man stood at the other end of the pen, clutching a metal box in his hands. A small flimsy dowel of metal pointed from the end, and there were numerous knobs and buttons displayed over the surface of the box. Kira saw that Naruto held one as well, though he did not appear as confident with its use as the man did.

"Don't bother, girl," said Golbarn, appearing beside the errant princess. Kira jumped a little at the sudden appearance, but collected herself and looked at Golbarn.

"Why not?" she said, slightly irked by several things. The first being the orc's words, the second being the heavy stench of alcohol that wafted around Golbarn. It was so thick she felt that she might get cirrhosis of the liver just standing next to him. Despite that, his face was a guarded and solemn as ever.

"Just wait. I think this might be more beneficial than you both realize."

Kira frowned at him, unsure of what he was talking about. Before she could ask him to clarify, however, he turned back towards the Battle Tonks pen, and watched. Sighing, so did she.

In each corner of the pen, there was a miniature Dwarven tonk, much like the ones that Naruto had spotted outside of Ironforge (and had almost been killed by). Each one was a different color: the one by Naruto was green; then red by the man; blue by a thick-necked, black-haired dwarf that stood diagonally across the square from Naruto; and yellow by the orc that stood in the only remaining corner. All four contestants seemed to be shaking with eagerness to get the game started, and Kira could almost see the competitive spirit that burned in each of them.

Then, an old dwarf who stood by the tent blew once on a whistle, and the battle began.

The orc's yellow tonk moved quickly forwards, before any of the others could even move. It headed straight for Naruto's green tonk, and from the little cannon it fired a stream of fire, which nearly engulfed the green tonk. Naruto moved it out of the way, however, albeit a little clumsily since he had never done this before. He sped away from the flame-throwing tonk, nearly crashing into the blue one as he did.

His fingers working quickly, Naruto pressed his attack button, and fired a stream of small bullets from his cannon. They peppered the blue tonk, creating small tents in the armor, and making the dwarf curse. The blue tonk turned its cannon towards the blonde's tonk, and fired a small iron ball, which arced through the air and struck the ground in front of Naruto's tonk. Naruto sped quickly away, just as the ball exploded a few seconds after hitting the ground.

In then came the red tonk. It sped directly for the blue one, smashing into it and driving it back towards the edge of the pen. It tried to offer resistance, but its left treads were up in the air, resting on the red tonk's front. As soon as it reached the pen wall, the red tonk's cannon began to glow blue, and suddenly a bluish shield surrounded it. There was a crackle of electricity—_zzzackle_; and the blue tonk was launched over the pen and onto its back. A small wisp of smoke rose from it, and the dwarf erupted into a cursing fit that made Kira blush. He threw the controller on the ground, shattering it, screamed a final "MOTHERFUCK!" and stomped off.

The man in red shook his head. "Poor sport, eh?"

Meanwhile, the yellow tank was attacking Naruto again. It shot flames at the green tonk every time it got close enough as it chased Naruto's tonk around the pen. Naruto, who was still trying to figure out the controls, found the knob that allowed him to turn the cannon around. He did so, and began firing bullets at the yellow tonk. They struck, dented, and ricocheted off the tonk's armor, but the yellow tonk did not stop.

Cursing angrily, Naruto stopped and reversed his own tonk; it crashed into the yellow one before the orc had a chance to use its flame-thrower. With a cry of "Take this!" Naruto fired a rapid-fire burst of bullets into the tonk's hull. They ripped straight through, being so close, and ruptured the gas-tank within that allowed for the flame-thrower to be used.

The yellow tonk exploded in a miniature flash of fire; Naruto's tonk just barely escaped being caught in the blast.

The blonde pumped his fist into the air, Lee-style.

"Don't be celebratin' yet, lad! I'm still here!"

Naruto returned his hands to the controls just in time to avoid being hit by the red tonk, which was still glowing blue. Swiveling the cannon to face it, Naruto fired a stream of bullets at it, but they hit the bluish glow and ricocheted off, causing no harm to the red tonk.

"I've got a shield, lad! Finest gnomish technology made, it is. Time ta win!"

He rushed Naruto's tonk again, but the shinobi guided it out of the way, all the while firing bullets at the electric blue shield. Both combatants had looks of intense concentration on their faces, and they never even stopped to look at their controllers. They were not just the masters of the tonks—they _were_ the tonks.

Realizing that just peppering him with bullets wouldn't work, Naruto tried a different tactic; he drove his tank into the farthest corner from him, and waited. The red tonk moved after him; he was cornered, now, and could not escape.

But Naruto didn't intend to escape. Instead, he aimed the cannon a little lower, and began shooting the ground in front of the red tonk. It tore away the grass and loosened the dirt, slowing the red tonk down. Naruto then drove his tank alongside the wall, distancing himself from the other tonk, and then charged at it.

The man cursed, trying to turn the tank and meet the shinobi's tonk mid-charge, but only managed to turn three-quarters of the way around before Naruto's tonk crashed into his. The blue shield absorbed the damage, but the tonk was still pushed up against the wall, and Naruto began firing again.

Unfortunately, rather than piercing the shield and striking the hull, the bullets ricocheted, hitting the tonk that had fired them, and then lightning arced from the shield across Naruto's tonk. It stopped firing, suddenly, and then stopped moving.

"HEY! What gives!" the blonde shouted, mashing the buttons in an attempt to get his tonk moving.

The man chuckled. "Hohohoho! Looks like we know who one, eh lad?"

Just then, however, the blue shield disappeared, and the red tonk abruptly exploded.

The man gaped. "WHAT!"

The old dwarf that had been watching the fight from the tent coughed. "Using the Mana Shield too long causes it to short out and explode. That's its weakness. Hmmm… looks like it's a tie."

"HAH!" Naruto shouted, pointing rudely at the man. "It's a tie, you lose!"

The man growled, "We both win! It's a tie, brat!"

"But you killed yourself!"

"Which means I should get extra points!"

"You should lose points 'cause killing yourself is stupid!"

"This isn't a philosophical debate, brat! I beat you first, so I win, end of story! Now buy me a drink!"

"I bet that's why you challenged me! You're probably poor and can't afford it!"

"What! I'm not poor, lad! Take that back! I'm Matthias Hindenborough, greatest zeppelineer and smuggler in the entire world!"

"I don't care if you're—huh?" Naruto suddenly stopped shouting, and blinked a few times.

'_What did he say?'_

Kira too, was stunned. She looked at Golbarn, who caught her eye and shrugged. So he had known all along? Why hadn't he told her?

'_Maybe those drinks did affect him…'_ she thought.

She came forwards. "Y-you're Matthias Hindenborough?"

Matthias turned in her direction, blinking owlishly. "Aye…but who are you?"

Kira heaved a sigh of relief. She didn't know whether to praise Naruto for being lucky enough to challenge Matthias to a game, or to chastise him because he nearly lost their chance.

"I'm someone…that is, we are some people who need to hire you!" she said.

Matthias's eyebrows rose into the air. "After tha' little brat had the nerve ta nearly cheat me? I don' think so, lass. Cows'll fly before I agree to take ye anywhere."

Kira opened her mouth to argue, but was cut off when a resounding **BOOM** filled the air, followed by a loud raucous cry, one that Kira, Naruto and Golbarn all knew quite well. Kaine flew high above them, letting out a loud continuous whoop, as he soared into the distance, and was gone. Seconds later there was a loud splash, far away, as Kaine landed safely in the lake surrounding Bloodhoof Village.

"Och!" shouted someone near the group, "that cow sure flew! Miss Blastenheimer musta' put a extra big batch o' blasting powder in the cannon, eh?"

Naruto and Kira blinked, and then stared expectantly at Matthias. The man sighed.

"Och, I fell into that one. Let's go somewhere private ta talk, aye? I need a drink after seein' that."

* * *

"Aye? Ye say that Thrall's payin' me big bucks ta' send you guys off? Well then that changes things."

Kira nodded fervently. They were sitting at a small table in the food tent. A few empty bowls of various noodles sat next to Naruto, who was listening intently to the conversation. He was letting Kira handle things, since she was much better at it than he. Kylia had joined them as well, toting a large sack filled with various prizes, the largest of which (a giant, rather creepy looking stuffed gnoll) she gave to Kira.

"Me an' Thrall are like this, ye see," he said, crossing his index and middle finger, grinning. "I've done loads o' favors for him, and we have a bond o' trust. Since this here letter," he held up the animal skin scroll that Thrall had made, detailing what he wanted Matthias to do. "Proves that ye were sent by him, then it can't hurt to take a few extra on our next flight. How many o' ya are comin'?"

"Just us," said Kira, gesturing to Kylia, Naruto, and herself.

"Easy enough. Easiest hundred gold I ever made. We be headin' to Tarren Mill, in Hillsbrad, tomorrow, anyways. It won' be much trouble ta' accommodate yeh."

Kira blinked. "Actually, we were thinking that you might take us to Darnassus first, seeing as its closer."

Matthias shook his head. "Won' do. I need ta' deliver some very important cargo ta those creeps at the Royal Apothecary Society. Sylvanas'll have me head if I don' deliver them soon. Yeh either go with me, or yeh head off on your own. I'm no chauffeur."

Kira sighed. It didn't put much of a wrench in her plans, seeing as they would have eventually gone to Sylvanas anyways, but she would have rather liked to get the Night Elves on their side first. Nevertheless, she nodded to him, indicating that she accepted.

He grinned. "Then we have a deal, lass. Ye've got yourselves the helpin' hand o' Matthias Hindenborough."

* * *

It was later that evening that Kira and Naruto sat, along with the rest of their friends, on the grass a little ways away from the ring of tents. Their eyes were skyward, enraptured by the volley of fireworks that painted the sky with all the colors in the world. From vibrant greens, and deep blues, to bright oranges, and blinding whites and silvers. Some painted pictures, even, in the forms of dragons, birds, and all manner of faces (including that of Silas Darkmoone).

Kira sat content next to Naruto. She had no reason to really worry now. Everything was set, and they would be off on the next leg of their journey in the morning.

"We've both come really far, haven't we?" said Kira, watching the sky.

Naruto nodded, grinning his famous grin. "Yep. It's amazing that I've only been here half a year, and it feels like almost a lifetime."

Kira nodded, slowly. 'I hope you remember all of this after you return to your world. I hope you remember all of us."

Naruto looked at her in slight surprise. There was a note of sadness in her voice, as she had said this. It made him smile widely, knowing that he would be missed so much.

"Heh, I won't be able to forget even If I tried. But I'm not going back now, Kira-chan. We've still got a long way to go."

Kira smiled a little at the blonde's words. He had the amazing ability to comfort her, make her feel like everything would be fine.

"Yeah. We do."

And then she sat back, perfectly content, her eyes upon the beautiful canvas that the sky had become, now lit with dozens of bright streams and sparks. She too, would never forget this.

And tomorrow, they would be off on the next leg of their journey. It was there that they would meet Sylvanas, and it was her fondest hope that the Banshee Queen would listen. For it meant the world.

* * *

"Ah, Lady Prestor, you've returned."

The dark haired beauty stopped mid-stride, turning to face the wizened Benedictus. It was almost midnight at the great Castle Stormwind, and Katrana had just arrived. They were in the entrance hall.

"Ah, Lord regent, it is good to see you again. How have things been going here?"

The old man's sharp, raptor-like gaze didn't leave her glittering purple ones, but he gave a tired sigh nonetheless. "The situation is unchanged. In fact, it might have even worsened. People are growing angry with us, and we have done nothing to relieve their fears of attack. Thankfully few have left, but I think they may be baying for our blood soon."

Katrana nodded, sighing regretfully.

Benedictus then asked, politely, "May I ask where you were? You have missed two council meetings, and though we did not accomplish anything in either, it must have been dire news indeed for you to have needed to leave so swiftly."

She gave a tittering laugh. "Dire? Hardly." Her eyes, the deepest of purples, were glittering with an emotion that Benedictus, even with all his years, could not identify.

"It was simply family business, nothing more. I grew homesick. Forgive my foolishness, I am now here at your service."

He nodded, and with a wave, dismissed her. She turned gracefully, and walked down one of the connecting passages.

Benedictus stood alone now, in the entrance hall. He watched her, unblinking, until she had disappeared into the shadows.

He suddenly had an intense feeling of doom wash over him. There was something that was wrong, and he knew that soon something was going to happen. Things were going to change again, and he knew, without a doubt, that that woman would be at the center of it all.

For, a woman always was, in his opinion.

* * *

Well, done.

Did you all enjoy that?

Hope so, cause it was a bitch to write it. I don't think I was in a very funny mood when I did.

Anyways, to stop the questions before they start, DON'T ask me about how Gamakichi ended up in the Faire. It's a joke, and not meant to be taken seriously. I don't know really how he came, he just did, and that's that.

Second, I had to use the scene where Kaine was launched into the air by the Blastenheimer 5000, and the comment "When Cows fly". It was an obligation, so sue me.

Did you like my Latin translation? It was fun!

I think we can all sympathize with the dwarf that was defeated by Matthias in Battle Tonks, eh? I can't count how many times I've shouted that same word and thrown my controller to the ground when I play video games. Its a homage to all those who suffer from short tempers when dealing with games.

This is the final in-between chapter. Sorry if it seems a little rushed, but the next story arc has to start soon. The next chapter will contain the much-waited meeting with the one and only Forsaken, and the beginning of that arc will begin. It will be vastly different from the others (I hope), and will contain no huge war-battles (just one-on-one stuff, mostly). It will contain more plot and growth and all the juicy stuff that some of the other arcs lacked (just slightly, though. I know I could have made them better, but they just worked out like that).

Be prepared, then, for the coming of the Forsaken!

Seeya!

General Grievous


	41. The Forsaken

**Disclaimer: Ich besitze nicht Naruto oder Welt von Warcraft**

**Extra Disclaimer: I don't own Fenritt. His character belongs to MuhiTatsu.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

_Hello._

_That's quite an odd way to start a story, is it not? Rather than "Once upon a time…" or "In a land far, far away," it's "Hello". Sounds more like I am greeting an audience than writing an epic story. Perhaps I am…._

_But, I digress._

_Do not look away. You might be wondering what exactly is happening at this moment. You might be wondering why you are not being bedazzled by tales of a certain blond haired young man (who I know quite well), but instead are listening to an unknown person narrate rather meaningless drivel to you. It is simple. I am being driven to, by the whim of a much higher force (though I'll admit I rather enjoy it. I am a writer after all). Do not worry, all shall be explained in time, and I will limit myself to only breaking the fourth wall once or so a chapter (I am entitled to, I think). Now, on to introductions; it is high time that this story began once more._

_I am Fenritt, Fen to my friends, however. When I speak of friends, I am actually speaking of a single person; he is the only person whom I think I have the right to call friend (or at least, at one point). But I shall introduce him later._

_I am a Forsaken; that is to say, I was once human, but due to the ravenous affects of a terrifying plague, I became something else. I died, but did not stay dead. I became undead. After dying, I joined the faction led by the Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, the Banshee Queen, and became what is known as one of the Forsaken: the undead that have returned to consciousness._

_Last but not least, I am a writer. I always have been; it was a dream of mine, even before I died, to write a story that will be told for generations. I did not want to make one up, but I'll admit I had made no great strides in setting out into the world in order to find that story._

_I am here to bring to you the beginning of that story. I am here to tell you of the experiences I had when a young human, whose name I am quite sure you all know, came to into my world, and changed it as drastically as the day that I died. I am here to tell you of the beginning (for me; the beginning of the story for you was about forty chapters ago…whoops… sorry) of the greatest story that I have ever had the privilege to tell._

_But, before I get to that, I must tell you of my background. It would not do for you to drive blindly into this. Before this story begins, let me tell you of mine. It is not nearly as glorious, nor as long (I am sure that some readers have heaved a deep sigh by now…again forgive me), but I hope it will serve to inform you as to why I am here, and why this is happening._

_I was born in a small village in Western Lordaeron, now called the Western Plaguelands. I grew up there, and so did I die there. My life was no more interesting than that of a gargoyle's—I watched, and I waited, but I did nothing. I took no action, and though I longed for it, I (and I'll be frank with you) was terrified of the world. It was a mundane existence, but my fear of the world kept me closed within the town of my birth and the surrounding area. It was one of my defining character faults, I'd like to think._

_I grew up, and married a rather plain woman named Margaret (I think, it may have been May, or even Madeleine; her face and memory to me are now so distant), and we had two children, a boy and a girl, named Raki and Susie (again, I am unsure). To make a living, I worked in a small store, and wrote poems and short stories in my free time, sending them to various newspapers in Stormwind. Few were published, and even fewer received any attention at all. I do not know why; I was told by many of my friends and colleagues that they were quite interesting. Perhaps it was the timing, or perhaps it was simply a sign that the pen, however mighty, would never measure up to the sword that dominated the era. With two great wars under our belts, we humans must have lost our interest in words and literature. Who knows?_

_But my quaint existence did not last. No, for one day the sky turned dark; the sun was blotted out, and a hazy mist fell over the entire land. No one knew quite what to make of it. And then, I remember, came the strangest feeling. It came over all of us. It was a tingling, followed by a painful headache, and then a maddening itch that overcame our entire beings. By that time, we all knew that something was wrong. I remember seeing my two children and wife desperately try to stop the itching; they even went as far as to use my wife's cheese grater to rip their skin off. Sickened? I was too._

_Then came the cold. _

_The horrible, biting, soul freezing, heart-stopping cold; it was unlike anything you can imagine. It permeated every cell in my body. It froze everything within me, within all of us; yet the land remained rich with flora and fauna, and the air was as warm as ever. The cold was inside of us, and it has been from that moment._

_I don't remember anything after that. I had become one of them. I had become a Scourge. I only remember a hunger that could not be satiated. I do not (thankfully) remember what I did to satisfy this hunger, but I know that whatever I did must have been horrible. It continued like this for years._

_And then I awoke._

_It was strange. It was not like coming out of a deep sleep, even though that is what it is called, "awaking." It felt like returning to your mind, after you have been daydreaming. I felt as if nothing had passed, but instead of finding myself in my house, I found myself in a forest, and standing over me was one of the most beautiful creatures that I had ever seen._

"_Get up," she had ordered. I had done so, hearing my nearly exposed bones crack and grind as I moved. It sickened me, but I found that I could not retch._

_The woman did said something; she told me who she was; Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, self-proclaimed Queen of the Banshees and my new leader. She told me what I now was, and what I would be doing. I was surprised, as any would be, but she didn't care. She told me everything straight-faced, and minced no words. I was now undead, and I had just been freed from the control of the one who had done this to me: A creature called the Lich King. I would now work for her, and would obey her and her every command, or she would destroy me._

_At the time, I was disoriented. I had no idea what to feel, just that something had just changed. Had I been in the right mind, I may have taken up her offer of destruction; for it was later, standing on the shore of a lake and staring into my reflection, that I discovered what I had truly become. _

_A monster._

_A perversion of humanity._

_But I also realized, later, that I was of no use to this strange, beautiful woman. I told her as much, and fully expected to be killed (well, destroyed) on the spot._

_She didn't, however, kill me. She directed me to another of my kind (it sickened me when I heard those words spoken), a former mage named Kokiri, whom she ordered to take me on as an apprentice. He did, and from that moment on, I learned the craft that made me useful to Sylvanas._

_And the years passed._

_I grew strong in the use of the techniques taught by Kokiri, and I fought alongside Sylvanas as she launched her tirade against the dreadlords of Lordaeron (a group of nasty demons, one of which now serves Sylvanas faithfully, by the name of Varimathras), and the capture of the place that is now my home: The Undercity._

_I did grieved at one point for my lost family; they had once meant so much to me. But for some reason, it felt like they were a part of a life that was never mine. The man; the undecided, fearful man who wanted to live a rich and full life but was too scared to do something about it, too scared to face the world and all its horrors, was gone. He was not I. He was not the Fenritt that I was. Their faces faded in time, and even now I can only remember snatches of what they were really like. Their names even elude me now. But it does not sadden me. That Fenritt is dead, and a new one remains._

_I saw many things in that time, and when the wars had ended, and the Undercity was now our home, I finally got the chance to live my dream. _

_Sylvanas made me an ambassador to the other creatures of the Horde, of which she had recently joined. She believed that I would be the best suited (though I think she did it, in retrospect, to simply get me out of her hair; I had become quite confident over the years, and that confidence brought out the lyrical sarcasm and wit that you are now familiar with). _

_But, because I was oh-so-important, she assigned to me a bodyguard; a rogue by the name of Myrdraxxis: the one who has since become my best friend._

_We of course, did not start out that way. Myrdraxxis, you must understand, is not the most social of people. He is silent, as befitting of his chosen profession, and very stern. He is extremely loyal (as am I) to Lady Sylvanas, though his devotion is to a much greater degree. In his mind, what she says goes. It borders on zeal (but do not call it that, for he will think I am associating him with the Crusaders). _

_And he is wise. He is battle-hardened, and even before he died he was an extremely skilled assassin for the Alliance. He'd fought in the last few wars, and met his end when the Scourge attacked Stratholme. He, like me, owes his awakening to Sylvanas herself. We were among the first to be awoken, making us (in my opinion) quite special._

_At first, the most he ever spoke to me were a few choice, and usually rather caustic words that made me, a rather talkative person, fall as silent as the dead (that simile had to be used). But that didn't stop me. While he seemed content (that word is misplaced, to be sure) to keep me at arms distance, I wished for at least someone to converse with. For some reason, I was not well liked among my kind. Perhaps it is my optimistic, and borderline human attitude that causes so many people to dislike me in an instant. Perhaps I remind them of how they used to be; it seems that many now can no longer bear to be reminded of their pasts._

_My personality caused a stir among the other races as well, though not in such a bad way. They found my wit (at least I'd like to think) fresh, and far cry from others of my kind. They had always had a wariness of us, and no matter how friendly I was, I would always feel it. They did not hate us; no, they feared us. But fear, as one knows, is only a small step away from hate. Perhaps it was why I was made ambassador: to show them we can be trusted._

_Slowly, however, Myrdraxxis and I became friends. It was never spoken between us, but more and more we found ourselves together outside of our missions. Perhaps he had come to find my wit to be amusing, or perhaps he felt the same that I did. Perhaps he wanted a friend, or at least a companion, as much as I did._

_But that abruptly ended. It was when Sylvanas, without any warning, decided suddenly to break off from the Horde. _

_I was shocked, not only because I would no longer get to travel the world, but because it seemed to me entirely unnecessary. Both Myrdraxxis and I, who were constant confidantes of the Banshee Queen, were never told why she had done it. I believe she gave Thrall the reason that it was the Scarlet Crusade, but I did not believe her; nor do I think Thrall did, either. But he accepted it, and thus we were alone once more._

_I cannot say that others did not find this satisfactory. Some had protested the original decision, and now that we would no longer have to deal with smelly cows or crass trolls or drunken orcs, we would be much better off. I protested, of course; I was furious that Sylvanas would not simply accept Thrall's help, but it made no difference. Sylvanas' word was law, and that was that._

_Out of a job, I began to join Myrdraxxis on his little missions; they were anything from carrying a package, to assassinating an influential member of the town council of Hillsbrad—a small farming village that possess and intense hate for our kind, and spend quite a bit of their time trying to destroy us. They are worse, even, than Southshore-- the tiny colony of Stormwind humans who live nearby. They don't get along, thankfully, or Tarren Mill, our town in that area of Lordaeron, would be sunk._

_Nevertheless, though I was no longer able to pursue my dream, I was relatively content. I kept myself busy, and as the years passed, I grew more comfortable with the situation. I was still angry with Sylvanas, but I could not despise her. She was my savior, and always would be._

_Years passed like this, and nothing changed._

_That is, of course until the time of this story. _

_It was on a day, as Myrdraxxis and I were returning from a delivery to Tarren Mill (I believe it was some spider venom that the Royal Apothecary Society had been needing, along with some foreign ingredients that were being smuggled in by a well-known air pirate named Matthias Hindenborough), that this story begins. _

_For Myr and I, at least._

_

* * *

_

"We're making good time, aren't we?"

"I suppose."

"Suppose? Can you be any vaguer?"

"Perhaps."

"I thought so. I really have come to enjoy these little talks we have, Myr'; they are really illuminating, and I really feel like I am getting to know you. We should do them more often, hmmm?"

"We should. Now do one thing?"

"What's that?"

"Shut up."

Fenritt slouched into silence, crossing his arms in front of his emaciated chest. If he had had lips, he would have stuck them out and pouted. Instead all he could do was hunch forwards even more than he already was, and scrunch his pale blue face up in a most horrible way. He looked more like a specter of death than a mock-pouting mage. He brushed a lock of his greasy, teal-colored hair from his face, and then looked up into the depressingly dreary sky.

"I miss the sun."

Myrdraxxis said nothing. He walked a little ways ahead of Fen on the dusty, deserted road leading away from Hillsbrad. His wild, black hair was ruffled slightly by the breeze, but he did not bat it out of the two glowing dots that had become his eyes. The dark forest, dreary forest of Silverpine loomed ahead of them, its massive evergreen trees stretching high into the heavens, so thick with needles that it was almost impossible to see anything through them. Numerous smaller trees, as well as thick miniature forests of bushes and shrubs created a wall between them and the confines of the forest, and though only entrance was a large opening for the road to go through. An eerie mist had settled down upon the land, making the path ahead of them seem all the more ominous.

Though he did not speak it, Myrdraxxis agreed with his partner. There were some times when, even for someone like him, it could be a most welcome friend.

Unfortunately, it rarely shined in this place at all. In addition to the thick, dark clouds (that almost never rained), there was layer of the foulest smog that covered the sky of the area, blocking the sun's rays. The smog was the byproduct of the Undead Plague sent by the Lich King. It had resided there since the plague had been released. It grew thicker and thicker as one got closer and closer to the Plaguelands.

Upon entering the forest, the two stopped for the briefest of moments. Silverpine was a notorious place for bandits and assassins—normally comprised of little bands of Dalaran wizards, who came seeking natural supplies within the wood from their sealed city near the edge of Lordamere Lake. Neither of the two Forsaken wished to be ambushed by the fools, so they played the cautious card and waited a bit. They sniffed the air a few times, too. Their sense of smell, while not much better than a human's, was sensitive to certain kinds of flesh. Human flesh was the easiest for them to detect.

Aside from a few lingering smells, neither discovered any humans in the area, so they moved on.

Fen remained silent. He didn't feel like bothering Myrdraxxis with any stories he had made up, so he just looked around, and enjoyed the scenery (though there was not much to enjoy).

"Geez, that guy wasn't anything like I imagine him to be," Fen said, out of the blue.

Myrdraxxis raised an eyebrow. "You mean Hindenborough?"

Fen nodded. "Yeah; I expected him to be a rough and tough pirate guy, you know, with an eye patch and everything. But he was kind of like a little kid…he even challenged you to a drinking contest of some sort, didn't he?"

Myrdraxxis nodded. "Until I told him that it is impossible for me to get drunk, and therefore he would die before I even felt the slightest of buzzes. He is a fool."

"Lady Sylvie seems to like him."

"She hates him; she is merely entertained by him, and benefits from his jobs, nothing more. And don't call her Sylvie, she is the Dark Lady, or Lady Sylvanas, to you and I."

Fenritt grinned, lapsing into silence once more. That was a common occurrence between the two. Fen loved thinking of pet names for Lady Sylvanas, and Myrdraxxis would always correct him. Neither had any intention of stopping, either.

"I dunno, he still seemed kinda cool, for a human, anyways. Maybe next time I can—"

"Stop."

Fen did, and looked at his partner with a frown. "What is it?"

Myrdraxxis's twin glowing eyes shifted in his direction. "I smell human."

Fenritt sniffed the air as well. He did too.

* * *

"We should stop soon, Naruto, it's getting dark."

Naruto stopped, and turned to look in Kira's direction. The girl was sitting on a log a few feet behind him, Kylia by her side. They had been walking for only an hour, but Kira was right, it was getting darker than normal, and the blonde guessed that night would be upon them soon.

And in a creepy forest to boot.

"Alright," said Naruto, taking a seat on the same log. He dropped his backpack onto the ground behind him, and stretched. Tsuwabuki padded up next to him, taking a seat by his feet. All four of the group then yawned, simultaneously; it had been a long day for them; a long couple of days, rather.

Their flight back to Orgrimmar (both to deliver Thrall's beer, as well as Gen'rash, Golbarn and Kaine) had set the tone for the rest of the journey across the sea. The members of Matthias Hindenborough's crew were among the strangest people any of them had ever met; and Matthias himself was no exception. The captain of the zeppelin had spent the time he hadn't been directing his crew to their tasks to challenge Naruto to inane and startlingly random games that Naruto was quite sure the man made up as he went along. Because neither liked to lose, and whatever game they were playing usually had vaguely defined rules, they usually ended with a colossal shouting match that drew the amused attention of the entire crew.

When not doing that, Naruto had spent what little time he had remaining with his friends. While it had been short, it had been meaningful; by the time they had reached Orgrimmar, all of them had said goodbye in their own ways.

Golbarn had said nothing, predictably, and, after departing the zeppelin (aptly named _The Hindenborough)_ he'd said nothing more than it would be much more peaceful with the blonde gone. But Naruto knew he didn't mean it. For though he didn't speak it, his eyes showed Naruto what he had really meant to say.

"_Bother someone else for a change; but it'll be boring without you."_

Naruto had expected nothing less of Golbarn. He grinned at the orc's back, and though he couldn't see it, he knew that Golbarn was smiling too.

Kaine had made a big show of things, and had dragged Naruto off the zeppelin and around Orgrimmar saying goodbye to everyone that Naruto had already said goodbye to before he had left for the Darkmoone Faire. At the end, he'd parted with something befitting him, as well.

"Next time you come here, Naruto, I'm going to kick your ass, okay? You'd better not slack off! Because I'm going to get my grandfather to teach me, so when you get back, I'm gonna be way stronger than you!"

He'd left before he had given Naruto a chance to answer. Though Naruto suspected that the tauren was aware of how he was going to respond, anyways. He'd just waved after the tauren, smiling widely.

Gen'rash had said little too (though not for lack of trying); he'd given Naruto a bright grin, a bow, and an extremely hard to follow goodbye; and that was that. He'd then turned to Kira, the person whom he had spent much more time with, and instead of bowing or smiling, he had hugged the girl, showing Naruto just how small Kira really was. It had left her dazed, and not at little embarrassed; it had given Naruto a bit to tease her about afterwards.

They did not stay much longer than that; Thrall came to see them off (or more likely check if his beer was intact) as had all of the people whom Naruto had met and made friends with in the city. They all watched him, as he, Kira and Kylia looked over the railing of the _Hindenborough_ and down at them. He saw many cheering and waving to him, others just smiling, and still others just looking at him; he even heard the familiar bellow of "ELROY MENKINS" as the zeppelin took the sky. But no matter how they looked at him, all of it touched the blonde. They were all Naruto's precious people now.

And so they had flown away from the great city of the orcs, and away from those they had come to respect. Naruto's heart was full of emotion as he watched the shoreline slowly disappear, and when he could see it no more, he had turned away, towards the direction of their destination. Their journey now continued, and Naruto was heading back to the continent that he had first arrived on.

The flight had taken some time. They passed most of it doing their own things. Kira practiced the new jutsu that she had learned from Gen'rash; Kylia practiced her aim using her daggers (below deck, of course); and Naruto spent his time alternating between practicing his Tetra-Elemental style, developing techniques with Tsuwabuki, and practicing with his sword (which he had been neglecting slightly in the past few months).

Hindenborough proved himself to be an apt pilot, though on more than one occasion, he went out of his way to impress his guests with an insane flying maneuver that usually had Kylia running for the railing. He'd even taken them dangerously low to the sea, allowing them to witness some of the more bizarre creatures that inhabited it. Kira complained about this, of course, so to distract the man Naruto agreed more often to his strange challenges. By the end of the trip, they had a rivalry that might have compared to Kakashi and Gai's; except that both participants were as eager as the fuzzy-browed _jounin_.

The skies had soon darkened, and the sea below them had turned an almost putrid green. They soon spotted land in the distance, a place that Matthias called Hillsbrad. It was where he was going to be dropping them off, after his delivery of course.

"_Why not just drop us off first?" _Kira had said.

"_Already late enough as it is. 'Sides, It won' look as suspicious if I head up the coast a little ways after I deliver the stuff. I trade with both Southshore an' Tarren Mill, ye see, so I can jus be under the guise o' delivering stuff in that direction. Don' worry, they won' spot ye, or smell ye. They know that humans be on this ship. Just lay low, and in a while, we'll leave and drop you off further up the coast, nearer ta' Silverpine."_

Kira had accepted it. She couldn't afford to argue, really. It wasn't her ship, and she had no right to say anything about how it was flown. Though she didn't exactly trust Matthias, she did trust Thrall.

The _Hindenborough _had come to rest a little ways away from the ruined burg that Tarren Mill had become. It looked like a ghost town from Naruto's point of view; the houses looked old and worn, there was little light being emanated, and even littler sound. When Matthias had stepped off the zeppelin, however, he had been greeted by a large group of some of the most horrid looking creatures that Naruto had ever seen.

They were, in effect, human corpses, that walked, talked, and apparently even laughed (at least when talking to Matthias). Their flesh was in the process of decay; it was either a pale blue, a deep white, or a waxy gray, and much of it hung off their bones like wrinkled clothing. They hunched over, the flesh on their backs so decayed that their spinal cords were in plain view. Their eyes and faces were in some cases the most intact part of their body, but in others the most disfigured. He saw some with normal human ones, albeit extremely pale, and with strange glowing yellow eyes. But others were missing those glows, and even missing parts of their faces. He saw some missing lower jaws (and yet he could still hear them speaking, to his shock) noses, ears, and some just had deep, black sockets for eyes. Their hands were more like claws, and few of them wore boots, or any sort of footwear at all. But what was amazing was that despite the exposed bone in their joints, they walked with as much fluidity and proficiency as a normal human did.

The oddest thing about them, however, was their hair. It came in all shapes and colors, and the majority of it defied gravity in some way. It either stuck up in long, bright green spikes or a Mohawk, but could also hang low across their faces, greasy, stringy and black.

From the ship, Naruto, Tsuwabuki, Kira, and Kylia had all watched in fascination at the creatures. It was clear that even Kira had never seen such creatures in her life. They were both disturbing, and at the same time, incredibly interesting to watch. They spoke in a guttural, fierce-sounding language that Matthias would later identify as Gutterspeak—a language that Sylvanas herself had created. It was a derivation of one of the High Elf languages, seeing as how Sylvanas had once been one.

They spoke to Matthias for a while, and eventually led him away from the _Hindenborough_, until he was out of sight. The rest of the crew had then begun unloading a bunch of foul-smelling (to Naruto and Tsuwabuki that is) boxes and passing them to several Forsaken that had stayed behind. Naruto and others lay low the entire time, and Naruto noticed the oddest thing. Aside from the smell of the cargo, and the natural smells of the world around them, he couldn't smell anything else. There was no hint of the rotten, moldy smell of decayed flesh, or the musty smell of old bones, or anything really.

The Forsaken had no smell.

Tsuwabuki confirmed this for him. The fox hadn't caught a whiff of the undead villagers since they had landed. The two of them puzzled about this the rest of the time. Kira just watched them; rather like an artist observing her subject. She watched the way they walked; the way they spoke; the subtle differences in their eyes and noses (what ones that had them, anyways) and essentially everything about them. It was as if she guessed that by observing them, she could somehow better associate with them.

Finally, Matthias returned, grinning as usual. By that time the cargo had all been unloaded, and the rest of Matthias' crew was already on deck, eager to leave. And leave they did, with Matthias casting a final cheery wave over his shoulder as he stepped onto the zeppelin, which then began to rise slowly into the air, away from the waving undead below them.

He turned to Naruto, and said, "We'll be headin' down the coast now. Yeh'll be let off nearer to Silverpine, sound good?"

Naruto nodded. "What was the cargo?" he asked, blinking curiously at the captain.

Matthias shrugged. "Bit of what it always is. Some hard ta' find roots, plants and flowers that grow only in other parts o' the world. Some rare animal parts: spider venom sacks, hydra humours, naga spines; that sort o' thing. The Royal Apothecary Society—the group o' alchemists an' healers that Sylvanas keeps around for whatever reason, badger me about gettin' more o' the stuff every time I come. Dunno what they're gonna do with it all, but it must be somethin' important; that stuff ain't cheap, or easy to find, ye know."

His question answered, Naruto turned to head back to the railing—a favorite hangout of his. Not five seconds after he had turned his back and started walking did Kira zip over and begin to badger the competitive captain with a hundred questions about the Forsaken and their culture. She only knew what little Benedictus had told her: that they were undead, and they were ruled by a vicious snake (a woman). Now that she had seen them, she wanted to know everything about them; from what they ate, to how their bodies worked, and even what holidays they celebrated. Matthias did his best to answer what he could, but it did little to satiate the girl's sudden burst of enthusiasm to learn all about the Forsaken.

For Naruto himself, he was less interested in how they lived, as how he was going to talk to them. Everything he had gotten from Thrall, Vol'jin, Cairn, Kaine and the others in Orgrimmar had been that the Forsaken were among the most hateful of the races in Azeroth. They had a right to be, of course, seeing as how they were no longer human. He wondered if they'd even listen to Kira and him.

He shook his head, annoyed. He'd get them to listen. He'd done it before, hadn't he?

Of course, there was also another thing on his mind, which was much more pressing for the blonde.

'_What kind of ramen do they have?'_ he wondered. It occurred to him that he didn't have the faintest idea what the Forsaken ate. Bugs? Dogs? He even got a creepy thought that they might enjoy the taste of human flesh. No way; they'd been human once, so why would they?

It occurred to him that he might have to go with out ramen (or some equivalent) until he got the elves.

Now that was a scary thought.

A little while later, Matthias brought the ship down, and he landed it on the shore nearby an extremely foreboding-looking forest: Silverpine. He grinned at the three travelers, and one fox, as they got their things together. They then stood before him, and he shook their hands, bowing his head as he did each.

"I wish the best o' luck to ye all. Naruto," said Matthias, clapping Naruto on the shoulder. "I have somethin' for yeh, before ye leave." He took something from his coat, and handed it to Naruto. It was one of the oddest contraptions Naruto had ever seen.

It was a rectangular box, about the size of a crabapple. It was a metallic grey, and had some strange symbols on its side. On one of the faces was a small red button. The face opposite that had a small red light, which was unlit. On the face between those two was a set of small holes. Naruto looked over the object a few times, confused. "What is it?" he asked.

Matthias grinned. "Dunno what its called, somethin' strange in Goblish, though. I got it on a trip to the Undermine, a couple years back. It's part of a pair. Yeh press the red button, speak into those holes, and then release the button. Wherever the other half is, it records what ye say, an' so I'll be able to communicate with ye from long distances. Ye manage to survive this, then gimme a call, and if I have the time, I may be able to cart ye to wherever ye be needin' ta go. Sound good?"

Naruto stared at the box again. "So they're like long distance walkie-talkies?" the blonde said.

Matthias blinked. "Eh? What're those?"

Naruto opened his mouth, before thinking better about it. He didn't quite want to give the man a rundown on basic ninja reconnaissance technology, so he just waved the man's question off, and stuffed the box into his pocket. He grinned. "Thanks! I'll be sure to use it."

Matthias nodded to him, and then grasped Naruto's hand one final time. He gave it a fierce shake, and said, "Yeh're a fine opponent. I never thought I'd find such a young rival. I hope that ye are able to accomplish what ye set out to do." Then he smiled at the blonde, showing his bright, shiny teeth.

Naruto grinned back, "Thanks, old man." He had never stopped calling Matthias that, much to the youthful captain's chagrin.

Kira smiled at the interaction between the two. It once again made her realize that Naruto was the best choice for a person to accompany her. He had the ability to make friends of anyone. She realized that it was something that benefited both parties. Naruto received more and more friends, and those he made friends with were inspired by the blonde's personality. It was no wonder that he would be able to make a friend out of a smuggler like Matthias.

She then noticed, with a blink and a slight fracture in her smile, that neither had let go of the other's hand. She also noticed that both of their smiles had become obviously forced, and had beads of sweat forming on their brows.

"Best o' luck…" said Matthias, his hand starting to shake slightly from the strain.

"You too…" Naruto said, wondering how much more his arm could take. He didn't look it, but Matthias Hindenborough was actually rather strong.

They stood there a full ten minutes, by the end of which the crew had started taking bets on who would give up first. At this point, Kira had been forced to her wit's end, and so she introduced a factor that made both release their grips at once.

One of Kylia's daggers.

Finally, the four travelers stood on the soft, wet sand of the shore, as _The Hindenborough_ floated into the sky. They all waved at it (Naruto with his good arm) until it had disappeared into the skies. Then they had set off towards the forest.

Now, an hour later, the three were resting. Naruto wasn't particularly tired, but he agreed with Kira in that traveling at night, especially in such a frightening place, was probably not the best of ideas. Naruto was confident that he could take on anything that showed up, but his experiences in this world had instilled within him a tad more caution. He built a small fire, not to cook anything, merely to give them light and some warmth. Nobody said anything for a while; they just stared into the fire, yawning occasionally. Finally, Kira broke the silence with a question.

"Do you think Sylvanas will let us in?"

Naruto shrugged. "Dunno. I haven't heard much saying that she will. Everybody so far has been rather wary about her. What do you think?"

Kira thought a moment. "I don't know. I think that if we explain we are messengers from Thrall, it would give us a much better chance than if we were to simply say we were humans who needed to speak to her. But…I fervently hope that she at least will hear us speak."

Naruto nodded in agreement. It was all they could do at this point. Hope.

'**_I'm hungry,'_** said Tsuwabuki, nudging Naruto's pack. '**_I won't eat anything in this place, it all smells rotten. Give me some meat.'_**

Naruto glared at her, but dug into his pack anyways. He was rather hungry as well. He didn't have the supplies to make his favorite meal, but the dried meat, bread and other traveling essentials had been given to them back in Orgrimmar would be suitable for now. Finally locating the bag of dried meat, he reached in, and was about to grab a piece, when he heard a twig snap behind him. Following this, Naruto felt a sudden presence so close that though he couldn't smell, hear or see a thing, he knew it was there. It brought the hairs on the back of his neck to attention, and he was able to duck and roll out of the way before a large, curved dagger could slice him in two.

Naruto landed on his feet a yard away, his hand immediately going for _Magni's Pride._ But before he could pull it out, the presence was upon him again, in the form of a tall, white-faced, black-haired Forsaken with glowing yellow eyes, no lips, and wielding a pair of large, black daggers. He was dressed in a black shirt with long flaring sleeves, covered by a red and black tabard; ripped black pants, black leather boots, and black leather gloves.

The Forsaken moved as fluidly and swiftly as a shinobi might, striking Naruto in the middle with a kick, which the blonde absorbed with a swift _Kongou_. Startled by Naruto's stability, the Forsaken leapt back, only to have Naruto shoot forwards after him, driving the hilt of his now drawn sword into the Forsaken's gut. However not possessing much air in his lungs to be knocked out, the Forsaken recovered swiftly, and parried Naruto's follow-up sword strike with his dagger.

The two danced across the campsite like this, exchanging blows in rapid succession, but neither was able to hit the other properly. Finally disengaging him, Naruto leapt backwards, forming a familiar seal.

"**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"** he cried. Two clones popped into existence next to him, and his undead opponent's glowing yellow eyes grew larger, in obvious surprise. All three Narutos now came at him, the original delivering a downward slash at the Forsaken's head while the clones struck out with kicks to both of his sides.

The Forsaken parried the sword strike with one dagger, and sunk his other into the clone on Naruto's right's foot. He then attempted to shift his weight to the side, to avoid the other clone's kick, but it swiftly changed the angle of its attack, and struck him in the middle. Knocked off his feet, the Forsaken struck a tree trunk behind him, causing him to elicit a gurgle of pain. The Forsaken raised his weapons in defense when he saw that Naruto was going to press the attack, but was unprepared for a very sudden burst of supernatural speed from the shinobi. Using the _Kazaashi_, Naruto appeared right in front of the Forsaken, delivering a lightning-fast right hook to his jaw, still clutching his sword. The Forsaken was thrown by the power of the punch, but managed to remain standing when he landed a few yards away.

Naruto readied to attack again, but a voice stopped him cold.

"Oi, kid, you'd better stop that, or else the little one right here might suddenly find herself without a head to speak of…or with."

Naruto turned at once, meeting the empty black sockets of another Forsaken, this one dressed in dark green open front robes with silvery lining; he had long, stringy, teal-colored hair, and was holding a small dagger to Kira's throat. Though his words had been light hearted, his face was anything but. He had a fierce look on his face, despite not having lips to scowl. Though he had no eyes, Naruto could tell he was looking at the other Forsaken.

Kira's eyes were wide, in both fright and pain. Kylia lay behind her unmoving. She seemed conscious, but was bound by some hidden force, preventing her from coming to her misress's aid.

But the sight of the dagger at Kira's throat ignited a tremendous anger in Naruto. Before he had even realized it, he felt the Kyuubi's chakra seeping through his tenketsu and surrounding him with a plume of fiery orange chakra, his vision sharpening, and his need to rip the Forsaken that was trying to hurt his friend apart grew exponentially.

"Let her go."

Naruto said the words with such force that they could have smashed through stone. His grip on his sword was so tight that if the hilt hadn't been made of the finest materials in the world, it might have shattered. At the slightest of moves, he would attack.

"**KILL THEM'**

The Kyuubi had made itself known again, after months of remaining silent. Naruto bent his knees, ready to follow the orders, but Tsuwabuki stopped him.

'**_Don't. He's up to something. Calm down, Naruto!'_**

The shinobi did stop, and his spirit beast's words reverberated through him as if they were the echoes from a mighty gong. The rage vanished, abruptly, and the demon chakra drained away as swiftly as water. The whole process left Naruto feeling light-headed, and bereft of feeling for a moment.

When he finally gathered his wits, the situation hadn't changed. The Forsaken still held a weapon to Kira's throat, and the other one was still staring warily at the blonde. His yellow eyes were glowing even more intensely now, and the one holding Kira socket's were as round as saucers.

"What the hell…?" the Forsaken with teal hair said.

"S-stop!"

Kira's gurgled cry, in Orcish, brought the attention of the two Forsaken to her at once. The one holding her pulled the dagger away, his pale brows knitted together in confusion.

"Did you just speak Orcish?" he said in the same language.

"Y-yes! W-we are…emissaries f-from Thrall!"

At this, the Forsaken let her go completely, and she stumbled forwards, coughing. The Forsaken looked at her, with a look that could only be surprise, before he quickly composed himself.

"Prove it."

Massaging her throat, Kira pointed behind her at Naruto. "His clothes," she wheezed.

The Forsaken face sagged into a frown (as he had no lips), and he looked past her at Naruto's clothes; the dark, flaring pants of a Shadowhunter, brown leather boots, white shirt, and a black and orange jacket that Thrall had given to Naruto, with the symbol of the Frostwolves sewn over Naruto's heart. It was given (the symbol, that is; the jacket was still from the gnomes) to all those who completed the Tetra-Elemental training; technically, Naruto hadn't, but it had been enough for Thrall.

The skin round the Forsaken's eyes grew taught with surprise, and he said, "What the hell…?"

His partner walked over, his eyes never leaving Naruto or Kira, and he smacked the other Forsaken in the head.

"Idiot," he said. "You'd be dead if she had been bluffing."

The other Forsaken sunk a little in a pout (which gave Naruto the heebie-jeebies just watching) and muttered an apology. He quickly recovered, then, and said, "Wait a minute…why would humans be emissaries from Thrall? Who the hell are you people?"

Kira looked at them warily for a moment. Then, she answered.

"It'll take a while to explain…but please, it's the truth!"

"I know," said the Forsaken. "I'd recognize that symbol anywhere."

"So explain," the yellow-eyed Forsaken said.

Kira gulped at the undead's tone, and squeaked, her eyes darting at Kylia, "Could you release my friend first?"

* * *

"So…you were sent by Thrall, who wants to make an alliance with the other races of Azeroth, to help repair his relations with us and start some with them?" said Fen later. The group was huddled around a roaring fire, the Forsaken on one side, the humans and fox on the other. Kylia had a dagger in her hands, and was looking warily at the Forsaken with teal hair, Fenritt (Fen for short). It had been he who had used some sort of paralyzing jutsu to stun her (Arcane Freeze, he had called it). Predictably, she wasn't not at all happy with the one who had put a dagger to her mistress's neck.

"Yes," said Kira, trying to seem at ease. No matter how she kept telling herself that they wouldn't hurt her, and that they were just a different type of creature, she could not help but glance at the rotten flesh around the two Forsaken's mouths, their strange eyes (or lack thereof), and notice their general disposition. It wasn't frightening so much as offsetting. She had never been this close to something that resembled rotten, _moving,_ corpses so much before.

"And you want to meet with Lady Sylvanas so that you could discuss this?" Fen continued, raising an eyebrow populated by only a few sparse hairs.

Kira nodded.

Fen grinned crookedly, "That sounds like the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

Kira blinked, looking crestfallen, but Naruto came to her defense, "Oi! You rotten bag of bones, it's true!" he cried.

Fen raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Hey hey hey, don't worry. It sounds stupid, but I didn't say I didn't believe it. Tell you the truth, I've been waiting for something like this to happen."

Kira blinked. "You have?"

Fen nodded. "Don't worry yourself. Myr' and I were already on our way back to the Undercity. We'll take you along, since if you came alone…well…I won't go into detail, since this is still a T-rated story."

The three humans blinked. "Huh?" said Kira.

Fen grinned, and waved it off. "Just don't worry about it. But we need to be back soon, so you'll have to start moving now."

Kira hastened to agree, and soon they had doused the fire and were following the two Forsaken through the dark woods. Fen remained in back, just a little ways behind Kira, while Myrdraxxis, his partner, remained up front, standing a little ways in front of Naruto.

"Oi," the blonde said, staring hard at Myrdraxxis's back. It had suddenly occurred to him that their formation was a little sketchy. It felt like they were prisoners. "This seems a little too much like you've captured us, and are taking us back to be killed or imprisoned or something."

Myrdraxxis did not turn. "You sound smarter than you look."

Naruto growled in fury. "Shut up! I'm talkin' about the formation you've got us in. It feels like if we try to run away, you'll either one of you will be in the perfect position to attack us."

Again, Myrdraxxis did not turn. "So you'd rather that your little friend be in the back, where she'd be easy pickings for the denizens of the forest? We can arrange that. I do not care whether we make it back with the three of you intact. It is either this way, or we leave you here."

Naruto twitched. He hadn't thought of that. Undeterred, he muttered, "Stupid rotten-guy."

"Your ability to think up insults astounds me. I have not heard that one before, believe me." The sarcasm oozed from Myrdraxxis's mouth like honey.

Naruto twitched again.

In the back, Fen grinned. "I like your friend; he's the only one who can get a witty retort out of Myr' other than myself."

Kira nodded, smiling weakly.

* * *

_Why, you ask, did I decide to take them? Easy. This was my chance. It was, I had hoped, the chance that I could return to my former job, and be able to fulfill the dream that I had always had. If there was any chance that Sylvanas would rejoin the Horde, I felt that this would be it. These kids had to be something special if Thrall had even considered using them as messengers._

_I met with Thrall loads of times back when I was ambassador. I know how he thinks. He isn't the type to just send in people, especially to Lady Sylvie, who he knows will fail. He isn't cruel enough to just send in walking bags of meat, not caring if they lived or died. He isn't like that. So these three humans must have been something if they not only had gained Thrall's trust enough to deliver such an important message, but had received his training as well. I saw how the boy moved—that was the Kazaashi, the Wind style. I've seen it in action hundreds of times._

_Call it selfish, but these kids were my chance to start following my dream again. I knew that Myrdraxxis did not approve of my decision; I don't know why he went along with it, though. Perhaps he longed for the old days, as well?_

_Another reason why I decided to lead them is because of the boy. Not only did the kid possess power enough to match, probably even surpass, Myrdraxxis, but he had that strange power that appeared when I had captured the girl. I'll admit, it was one of the first times I'd felt fear since I died. I knew there was something about that boy. Whether it was good or bad, I wouldn't know until later._

_Nevertheless, I would show them in. If they had tried to get in by themselves… I stand by what I said. The boy had it right, too. They were technically our prisoners, at least until we explained the situation. If they hadn't been, then our orders were to kill them on sight, and if their bodies were salvageable, take them back for food for the Abominations that guarded the city. Those guys eat at least their weight in animal parts everyday. Disgusting._

_

* * *

_

They traveled for two days, at a slow, methodical pace. Surprisingly, it took only a little time for the three humans to get over their initial uneasiness. This was mostly due to Fen's cheery nature—he filled the silences with and almost endless stream of chatter, and soon it was hard to not converse with him as they walked. Naruto found a kindred spirit in the upbeat undead, and the two talked almost the entire time about various things, mostly about their individual experiences in the world, their likes and dislikes, and things that Fen believed would annoy Myrdraxxis.

The surly Forsaken said little to the other members of the party—usually just a growl or a word in Gutterspeak to Fen, or to retort to one of Naruto's jibes. The blonde had taken to calling him "Myrdrasshole", which Naruto believed was one of his cleverest nicknames to date. His demeanor was one of a brooding genius, something that Naruto was quite familiar with. Therefore, he wasted no time in gloating over his almost victory, which appeared to be a sore spot for Myrdraxxis.

During these times when Naruto was bothering Myrdraxxis, or just silent, Kira would make small talk with Fen, asking him about what the Undercity was like, and what they needed to expect. He was happy to explain, in the most flowery and expressive of languages, all about his home and what they were likely going to have to go through.

One particular time, Naruto brought up a question that had been bothering him for some time. Falling back and settling next to the Forsaken mage, Naruto asked, "How come you guys don't smell?"

Fenritt blinked. Or at least tried to, but he really didn't have any eyelids to blink, so he paused mid-stride, and looked at the blonde with raised eyebrows. "You wound me. I smell quite a bit. You just can't smell what I smell like, because I smell like nothing. And you can't smell nothing very well, unless you are nothing…I think."

Naruto sweat-dropped. This guy was even weirder than he was.

Fen grinned. "Well, to answer your question, I don't smell because of a little invention by the Royal Apothecary Society. You see, when we were first awakened, we smelled like any other corpse would—bad. But after a while, Sylvanas got tired of the smell, as did many of us, so she had the Apothecaries whip up a little potion that would eliminate that. They did, but unfortunately it didn't last. It needed to be constantly reapplied, or after a while we'd just smell again.

"But they had an epiphany—the Undercity creates tons of waste by-products, due to all of the experiments and things that are going on down there, and the fact that everything is powered by chemicals. It comes in this nasty green goop, which used to be harmful to everyone but us. Sylvanas saw a couple of things that could be changed about this. So after eliminating the toxicity of the slime with another couple of concoctions, she added the deodorizing potion into it, effectively turning it into a river of that keep everything from smelling.

"She then built machines that could be used to harness the slime, and thereby create electricity to power the Undercity, and thus allow us to not only breath…which we do, by the way, but saved us tons of time and power. The slime is constantly recycled, so we essentially never run out of power. Neat huh?"

It was neat, and Kira was fascinated by it.

Naruto was less so, but he now knew that he'd have to be even more cautious. These guys didn't smell at all, and that meant that if they were really sneaky, like Myrdraxxis, they could get the drop on him and Tsuwabuki. It wasn't at all comforting for the blonde to realize this.

Soon they let Silverpine, and entered a plain, with dying grass, and a perpetually darkened sky. They were taken to a long road, tucked in a small valley a just a little ways outside of the forest. They traveled along it for a day, encountering no one.

As they walked, Naruto saw that on the right side of the valley, at the top of the hill, there was a large wall. It stretched on for the entire time they walked, and Kira explained that it was the walls to the city of Lordaeron, where Prince Arthas—the servant of the Lich King—had been born in. Fen said that the wall didn't do much anymore. It was a meager defense compared to the layers of dirt and rock that protected the Undercity.

They finally reached a crossroads, one of which led up the valley, towards a towering gate; one led left, and there was a sign that had "**Brill"** written in faded golden letters; the final one led straight, towards the Plaguelands that had once been the kingdom of Lordaeron.

Fen and Myrdraxxis led them up the huge hill towards the gate, which was deserted.

"We don't need defense up here…wouldn't make much sense considering all the defenses we have down there," Fen explained.

Inside the gate, there was nothing. They saw piles of stones, ruined fountains, broken down buildings while creeping vines crawling up the side. They saw signs that once advertised wares for shops lying upon the ground, rotten and faded. They saw the remnants of a once bustling city, a prosperous place the many people had lived in. Now it was nothing. It was dead, and everyone within it was too.

It took them only a few minutes to reach Lordaeron keep, which in its state, looked nothing like Castle Stormwind. Kira imagined that it had once looked just as, if not more, impressive than her own home. Now it was a ruin. It made her heart ache to think that.

They walked through into the entrance hall through a large hole in the stone. The doors were covered in vines, and rusted shut. No one even bothered with them anymore. The entrance hall had the same appearance of everything else—long gone, a remnant of a once great civilization. They walked past many vein encrusted statues of old kings and rulers of the castle, now all dead and buried.

At the end of the entrance hall, through a gate that was missing its doors, they came upon the throne room. It was circular, and seemed to be in better shape the all the rest, but a thick layer of dust covered it all, making Naruto and Tsuwabuki sneeze. Fen led them down a side passage, near the throne. Kira did not take her eyes off it. She had heard stories of the once proud kingdom. The King of Lordaeron had once sat there. Her heart ached again, and she was glad when she could no longer see it.

They passed into another, circular room, one that had many passages that branched out into different parts of the castle. Myrdraxxis led them down the one directly across from where they entered, down a long flight of stairs.

At the end of these stairs, Naruto glimpsed two horrendously grotesque beasts, standing on either side of a large door with a strange white symbol on it. Kira nearly screamed when she saw them, but Fen stopped her. It wouldn't do to have them attacking before they could explain.

Myrdraxxis walked forwards, and nodded to one of the creatures. It appeared to be a morbidly obese, and incredibly tall, humanoid that looked to be a patchwork of different color skins. Stitches lined its entire body, even around the arms at the shoulders, and feet at the thighs. Both were the roughly same pale blue that Myrdraxxis and Fen were (several parts differed in shade). Their mouths were gaping maws of mismatched, crooked teeth; their eyes were both different colors and sizes; they both had huge holes in their stomachs, where one could view the entirety of their digestive systems, which hung out, threatening to fall at any moment. Both had extra arms sewn on their backs, and they held huge meat hooks, which hung from long chains. Putrid green clouds of smoke hovered around them, rising like steam from their corpulent bodies.

The three humans and the fox stared in a mixture of horror and fascination at the beasts. They were disgusted by the appearance, but the stupid grins on both their faces stopped the three from feeling any sort of fear whatsoever. They didn't smell, either, which helped too.

"We have prisoners," said Myrdraxxis, coldly.

One of the abominations looked at Myrdraxxis, then back at the three humans and a fox.

"**That all Myr' say after not see Grunde for many days? Grunde crushed."**

Fen stepped forwards, grinning. "Long time no see, Grunde. But Myr's right, we've gotta hurry. Sylvie" Myrdraxxis set him a hard glare, which made him cough and correct himself, "I mean, Lady Sylvanas, would like to here our report as soon as we get in."

Grunde nodded, a green tongue lolling from his mouth. "**Okay. Can Grunde eat puppy? Grunde not have puppy for long time…"**

Tsuwabuki twitched, growling in a low voice, "**I'll rip that thing's throat out if it tries to eat me."**

Fen didn't here this, just shook his head. "Nah, she's a prisoner too. Wouldn't do to eat our prisoners, huh?"

Grunde pouted. "**Okay, Grunde let you in."**

The door at once shot upwards, revealing a large, circular room. The group walked in, and just after Kylia walked in, the door slammed shut. Kylia leapt forwards, shocked, and was so off-balance that seconds later, when the room suddenly sped downwards, she fell flat onto her face.

Everyone nearly followed her example from the sudden jolt, and then they were speeding downwards, so quickly that Naruto almost felt weightless. He grinned. It was a rather cool feeling, almost like he was flying again.

The elevator stopped suddenly, making everyone stumble again, and a door exactly like the one above shot open. Myrdraxxis and Fenritt immediately walked through, the others following dazedly. They passed another set of abominations, which just glared at them as they passed, and after walking down a twisting pathway, they came to the very heart of the Undercity.

And what a sight it was.

It was a huge, circular room—so huge that it must have been at least a mile or two in total distance. It was made of dark stone and metal, with a greenish glow in between; evidently they had found more use for slime than just power. They stood in the middle of a bustling street, which circled the room, along with many shops and passages that led into other parts of the city. The shops all had signs hanging down in front of him, and their owners stood outside, bellowing their wares in Gutterspeak in their attempts to attract customers. The "street" was filled with undead; all busy with their daily lives. Naruto saw them shopping at stores, sitting at tables in restaurants, and just walking along enjoying their own company. All in all, it was not unlike that of what went on around Konoha or Orgrimmar. It was stranger, to be sure, but in the very essence of it, it differed very little. They were all so caught up in their lives that they barely noticed the three humans that had just entered.

In the center of the room was a large, immensely thick column, which had many pathways stretching from the street that they were standing on, to small circular platforms that surrounded the column. There were more shops on these platforms.

Below them there was another level: a large stone platform where the column stood, and four large passageways that led away from the room. Surrounding the platform was a river of bright green sludge. It flowed quickly, but not quite a rushing river, and its consistency was that of blood.

After a moment of staring (for Naruto, Kira, Kylia and Tsuwabuki, that is) Fen beckoned them follow. They entered the street, and began weaving through the throngs of Forsaken. Oddly enough, they paid little attention to them. A passing glance here, a quick yet interested stare there, but otherwise they were largely unnoticed. This made Kira a little nervous, so she asked Fen in a low voice why they weren't reacting to them.

"Easy, 'cause you're prisoners. We get them all the time—you'll just be used for experiments or chopped up for abomination feed to them. There isn't really anything for them to notice that isn't everyday."

Kira gulped, and nodded weakly. She really hoped, at this point, that Sylvanas would be understanding.

They went down one of the walkways that led to the column, and then down another to the bottom floor. They went over a bridge, and into a dark tunnel—the former sewers of Lordaeron, cleaned (relatively) and fit for walking. They walked along the dank and musty passageway for some time, encountering only a few people, covered by hoods and quickening their pace when the group got near them.

Finally, they turned down a different, smaller passage, and eventually came to another river of slime, and another street. This river was larger than the previous, and moved much faster. It made sounds befitting a river of slime as it sloshed against the sides of the canal, and Naruto was almost mesmerized by it as they crossed over it on another bridge.

"You can watch it for hours and never get bored," grinned Fen.

On the other side of the bridge, there was a large, looming gate, which was open. Standing on either sides of the gate were not abominations, but Forsaken. They wore the same tabard as Myrdraxxis, black and red, and wore red hoods that obscured their faces.

Myrdraxxis saluted them. "We must speak with Lady Sylvanas. These are emissaries from Lord Thrall, of the Horde."

One of them came forwards, returned the salute, before looking at the group. This one had lips, and so he was able to show his obvious distaste for the three humans and the fox. His eyes were bright orange, making him look quite frightening.

"How do you know?" he asked.

Myrdraxxis looked at Fenritt, waiting for him to answer. Fen nodded, and explained why he thought so, and their reasons for being there.

The Royal Deathguard's expression did not change when he had heard the full story. But he trusted Fen and Myrdraxxis quite a bit. Everyone did. They were among the Banshee Queen's first, and favorite, loyal warriors. He gave a nod, letting them pass, but glared at them the entire time they were visible.

They passed through four more sets of Royal Deathguards, each set showing in some way, their disgust for the group of humans. It made Kira gulp. She was not used to such obvious scorn. Naruto weathered it, as did Kylia, and so they stood in front of her, shielding her from the hate. Naruto met their glares as they passed.

Finally, they came to a titanic, circular room. Royal Deathguards stood every few feet along the walls of the room, a huge raised platform, surrounded by four thick columns. A large chandelier hung over the center of the platform, illuminated by an otherworldly light. Upon this platform, in the very center, sitting upon a big stone throne, was the Queen of the Banshee, Lady Sylvanas Windrunner.

Myrdraxxis, upon sighting his queen, fell into a bow. Fen did too, but at a much slower, almost leisurely pace. Kira quickly followed, as did Kylia, but Naruto and Tsuwabuki remained standing. He had gone through this with the last rulers as well. He bowed for no one.

The woman upon the throne looked at Naruto with stark white eyes that Naruto could see nothing within. She was not blind, because Naruto could feel her gaze upon him. She was dressed in a simple black robe, tied at the waist around a perfectly formed and curved body. She had full breasts, long legs, a thin waist, and her skin was a grayish color. She had long, pointed ears, and wore a hood that covered her silvery white hair. On her lips, which were black as night, there was an amused, yet sardonic smile.

She was beautiful…or may have once been.

Her beauty seemed perverted, perhaps even false. She seemed to wear it as a mask, to cover something that she did not want anyone to see. It was different from Tsunade-baba's beauty in that Tsunade simply hid her true form because she was vain. Sylvanas did not have a true form to hide; she had something unseen that she did not want to express. Something deep and dark.

Naruto stood staring at her, sizing her up, and perhaps she was doing the same for him.

Finally, she waved her hand, and said simply. "_Arise, Myrdraxxis, Fenritt. Tell me who the disrespectful little human is."_

Her voice was beautiful too, but once again, it seemed to be a perversion of the beauty it may have once held.

Myrdraxxis shot a look back at Naruto, which the blonde couldn't decipher. He backed away, letting Fen stand up and speak.

"He, and the girls, and the fox I think, are messengers from Thrall, My lady," said Fen. "They've come to tell you of what Thrall wishes to do."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow, and then her smile widened a little.

"_What he wishes to do? Then tell me…you have caught my interest."_

Fen nodded, and backed away too. Kira rose, looking at Naruto for comfort, and the blonde nodded. She stepped forward, and began to speak. She spoke of what Thrall, and she and Naruto wanted; she spoke a little of the experiences in the past, of how many they now had who were willing to join them. She even spoke of her heritage.

Her words made Fen and Myrdraxxis blink (figuratively). It did not sound like Thrall wanted this, or that he had come up with it. It sounded like the dreams of a young girl, who simply wanted to make the world a better place. It was not the same as what she had told them, not really, but the fact that the blonde had been able to win over Thrall, Vol'jin and Cairn still spoke volumes of his ability. It may not have been what Thrall had originally wanted, but it was good enough for Fen.

At the end, when Kira spoke her final plea that Sylvanas help them, the Banshee Queen was still silent. During the course of the explanation her face had not changed, but her milky eyes had. There was a sudden gleam in them, but only for a few seconds.

Then, she laughed.

* * *

_Yes…the laugh._

_That sweet, melodic sound that makes my still and silent heart give a few sputters before retiring again. It makes me smile every time I hear it, and it fills me with a courage that only the laugh of one sweetheart can bring._

_Did I just write that? This isn't a romance. Forgive me._

_The laugh…_

_I am the only one who has ever felt good when hearing that laugh. For it is a laugh that the enemies of Sylvanas do not want to hear. It spells doom for all those who hear it._

_That laugh may be a weapon in itself._

_

* * *

_

When she stopped laughing, she looked at Naruto; not at Kira, Kylia, Tsuwabuki, or even Myrdraxxis or Fenritt. Her eyes were filled with that gleam again, and this time it didn't go away.

And with a single, simple word, she crushed Kira's dream, smashing it to the ground beneath her iron boot.

"_No._"

* * *

The end…of the chapter.

Not much to say this time, although I do apologize for both the lateness, and the lack of action in the chapter. Well, they can't all be filled to the brim with fighting, huh? This one is going to be a bit more passive, but still packed with action. Don't worry, I just have to set the scene.

I do have a few questions.

Love it? Hate it?

I realize that this is somewhat of a change, what with the narrative from Fenritt, but it though it made the atmosphere, and gave you all a pretty good insight on to the history of the Forsaken, as well as some witty banter that I have been dying to do for some time. It also gave you more information on the characters.

I hope that you guys like it. I did, and I plan to keep adding Fen's little blurbs of dialogue throughout the arc. Tell me what you think. Just don't flame the hell out of me if you hate it.

Myrdraxxis is the name of my character in game, by the way. He's a rogue. Fenritt is Muhi-Tatsu's character in game (the guy who did all the omakes back then), and though he gave me the name, basic personality, and appearance, I've filled in the blanks with back story and such. I hope he is pleased…it is his character, after all.

Finally, Kokiri is my brother's character.

That's all. Sorry for the lateness, I was visiting family all weekend, and only managed to get four or so pages done by Sunday.

Next week—What will Naruto, Kira and the rest do, now that Sylvanas has refused them?

Seeya.

General Grievous


	42. The Scarlet Monastery

**Disclaimer: Eu não possuo Naruto ou mundo de Warcraft**

**But (I felt I should add this) I do own all characters that are not part of either world. Too many to count, this time.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

_I admit it._

_I had seen this coming. _

_From the moment the girl spoke (or the princess, I should say. I can't believe I had been walking with a princess for two whole days! My mother would have whipped me had she known how crass I was in Kira's presence…I think) to my dear Lady, I had expected exactly what she was going to say. There is something that you should all know about Sylvanas._

_She has a specific toleration level for just about everything that exists on this earth. I have yet to discover the tolerance level for many of these; however, I do know that her level for sarcasm is rather low—thus, I use it all the time. Interestingly, she has a pretty high tolerance for some other, rather obscure things: stupid jokes (funnily enough), puns (punnily enough), little anecdotes, and random mutterings in Common that one usually doesn't want her to hear._

_However, there are two things that I know that she does not tolerate at all. These things, should you speak of them or utilize them, will evoke very different reactions, but both are extremely detrimental to your health._

_The first is her age._

_Being nearly ten thousand years old is not something, I gather, that one likes to be reminded of. To speak of her age, in any way, shape or form, in her presence, will usually result in an arrow or some form of pointed weapon driven through one's skull. I have seen it happen…she doesn't even need to use a bow._

_The second is stupidity._

_Sylvanas can never, and will never suffer fools. She cannot stand to be in their presence, normally, and when one finds her turning and walking away, in the middle of a conversation, it is generally agreed that the person that was she was conversing with was not the sharpest dagger in the armory…if you know what I mean._

_But there is sometimes an opportunity that she cannot resist. When a fool (who in this case, though I regret saying it, was the little princess) speaks to her of something that Sylvanas finds intriguing, or perhaps exploitable, my dear Lady will waste no time in doing exactly that…exploiting the situation. Her mind is faster and more developed than anyone I have met; she can think up a plan in order to use the fool for her own benefit in the time it takes for Myrdraxxis to draw his dagger (which is quite fast). _

_When I heard that laugh, and saw that smile, I knew that was exactly what she was thinking._

_But what she was going to do, I did not know._

_But I knew that it would not bode well for these three humans (and one fox)._

_

* * *

_

"N-no?" stuttered Kira, frozen by shock at the Banshee Queen's words.

"No?" Naruto muttered, entirely not surprised, yet at the same time angry that Sylvanas seemed to be enjoying Kira's reaction.

"_No_," repeated Sylvanas, her smile growing a little wider, as if to further stoke the shinobi's temper.

"No," said Fen, turning to Myrdraxxis and nodding, feeling a pressing need to speak the word as well.

Myrdraxxis glared at him hard for a moment, then turned back to Sylvanas, and bowed his head slightly.

Kira looked lost for a moment. Obviously, she had been less prepared if Sylvanas had refused, and didn't know what to say. Finally, she schooled her features as best she could. But the shock and despair that was so prominent on her face seconds before was still visible in her eyes. Her hope seemed to be dwindling.

"Why…?" she asked. She had really no idea why Sylvanas had refused. How did remaining alone benefit her and her people at all? Surely there must be more Forsaken like Fen: ones who wished to see the world and escape the dreary confines of Tirisfal Glades.

Sylvanas clasped her hands in front of her face, and crossed her legs. She looked extremely imposing, and even more beautiful, and her glossy white eyes stared straight into Kira's. The corners of her mouth, still stretched into a cold grin, were still visible behind her hands.

"_Why…?"_ Sylvanas repeated. "_Surely you could not have guessed by now? What you are doing is not truly an alliance at all. You are simply winning the hearts and minds of all the other rulers of this world. You don't truly seem to have looked beyond what you will do after you have forged this 'Great Alliance'." Her smile disappeared. "Perhaps you will do as all humans who have power inevitably try to do—you will take control._"

"That's not true!" cried Kira, looked horrified at the notion. "The whole purpose of this is for us to achieve peace! Don't you want that for your people?"

Sylvanas laughed a little. _"Peace? Is that not what we have had for the past few years? Without any form of alliance between the races, things have calmed down, haven't they? Not a single one of my warriors has been slain by a dwarf, elf, gnome or human in the past few years. Was it because of an alliance? Of course not. The only way to achieve peace is to keep everyone occupied, as they have been. I have no doubt that as soon as you announce this alliance, it will erupt into war once more."_

"No it won't!" Kira was shouting now; her fists were clenched, her eyes were narrowed, and she was shaking with bottled anger and a torrent of other emotions whose presence were made known every time she spoke. "Everyone wants peace! Once they hear what I have to say, they will…!"

This time, Sylvanas erupted into her brilliant, sweet laughter again. "_You are such a child,"_ she said, as she recovered. "_You do not know the true nature of people, no matter what race."_

Kira opened her mouth in protest, but stopped when Sylvanas continued. _"There are only two outcomes to your alliance should you actually manage to get the allegiance of every leader. The first," she raised a finger for emphasis, "is that as soon as you announce it, it will erupt into violence. Your people will turn against you, and soon the world will erupt into war again. The Scourge will only benefit from it, and it would likely allow the Lich King"_ she spoke the name with enough venom to murder an army, despite the fact that her face never changed, " _to increase his army and eventually become the sole ruler of this world. Would you want that?"_

Kira recoiled slightly from Sylvanas' words, and tried to speak, to offer up some defense. But she could find nothing; nothing that didn't seem as naïve as she felt at that moment.

"_The second,"_ Sylvanas continued. "_Is that you will succeed. The alliance would possibly go strong, for a while, at least, but inevitably, those who would protest the decision will rise up, and it would take but a single attack upon another race for the alliance to crumble. The races you seek to unite have such enmity for each other that you cannot imagine, girl. They can never get along. Your goal is so disgustingly childish that I cannot imagine how you got this far. What you are attempting is utterly impossible, and it is so incredibly foolish that a girl like you should be ashamed for even suggesting it."_

Kira's cheeks were burning with embarrassment. It was only her upbringing that evoked this, however. Her dream had never before been called childish. She had had the support of her master, Naruto, Kylia, then Magni and Mekkatorque, and finally Thrall, Vol'jin and Cairn. They had all had their doubts, but not once had they called it childish. She honestly believed that she could do what she was attempting to do.

But now, Sylvanas was wounding her in the most terrible of ways. She was crushing Kira's dream. She was belittling it, ripping it apart, and then stomping it to death with her boots.

And she was doing it with cold, clear, and nearly undeniable logic.

And that was why Kira suddenly felt so bad, so stupid and so unbelievably naïve. Sylvanas was using logic to stamp Kira's dream into the ground; and because Kira did not possess the strength of will that Naruto did, she found that she could not protest it.

But, she offered one final, feeble protest. "To defeat the Lich King…we need the power of all the nations…don't you wish to see him destroyed?"

Sylvanas smirked. "_Nothing more would please me. But I have no need for an alliance to achieve that. When the Lich King falls, I wish it to be by my hand, and my hand alone."_

"The Scarlet Crusade!" Kira cried desperately. If pleading hadn't worked, perhaps bargaining would. "We can help you defeat them! I have just as much reason to get rid of them as you do!"

"_Those little red ants? I could destroy them at any time, and in any way that I see fit. They are nothing to me; nothing but annoying little insects that think they have a chance in getting rid of me."_

Kira hung her head; she was defeated.

Fenritt watched her out of the corner of his eye socket. He felt a stab of pity for the poor girl. Sylvanas never made things easy for anyone. Even him.

But by this time, Naruto could no longer stand it. He had endured the belittling of his friend's dream long enough. His face red and his eyes blazing, he walked forwards, standing almost protectively in front of Kira, and snarled.

"You can't say anything about Kira-chan's dream. I won't have it. What she is doing is for the benefit of the whole world, even you. She's doing it because she's had enough of the death and the hatred, and is brave enough to try and do something about it. It isn't childish; Kira-chan is smart and she knows exactly what she is going to do when she has made her dream come true. Her people believe in her, and in their hearts, they want her dream to come true as much as she does. Even a wrinkly _super_ old hag like you should be able to understand that."

Fen nearly passed out when the words, "wrinkly," "super," "old" and "hag" left the blonde's mouth. He quickly looked at Sylvanas, watching for a movement of the hand. He didn't see any arrows near her, but he expected she had a knife or something in her robes, that she was no doubt about to rip out and skewer Naruto with. He waited for the splash of blood, and the "urk" sound that would be issued with the blonde's final breath.

But, to his immense surprise, Sylvanas did nothing. She simply stared at Naruto a moment, almost in shock, before her eyes narrowed dangerously, and she drew herself up to her full height. Her eyes, though they still were as murky and emotionless as ever, now seemed to have hidden fires behind their white veils; he could feel the heat, hotter than any fire he had ever felt, upon him. But he did not wilt, and stared straight back.

Sylvanas watched the arrogant little blonde boy stare at her. In her entire life, all ten thousand years, she had never been treated as such, but by such a young child. However, because of that, she didn't feel the need to kill him as an example. No…she had far bigger plans for them.

"_Leave."_

Kira looked up, exchanging a quick, worried glance with Kylia, who now stood by her side. "What?" she said.

"_Leave,"_ Sylvanas said again. "_I have nothing more to say to you and your foolish little bodyguard. I will not join your petty alliance. It will fail; there is no question about that. If you even attempt to return here…you will die. I do not care who you are; I will have you killed and fed to my guards. Now leave."_ She looked at Fenritt and Myrdraxxis. _"You can give your report to Varimathras later. Take out the trash that you brought in."_

Fenritt looked for a second to protest. Myrdraxxis, however, nodded to the Dark Lady, and with a push, made Fen nod as well. He grabbed the back of Naruto's jacket, while the blonde stared, seething, at Sylvanas, who had turned away. Naruto opened his mouth to shout something, but Fen, quickly, covered his mouth and pulled him away. Naruto kicked and struggled, but soon stopped when he realized that his mouth was in contact with rotted flesh.

He immediately went limp, and remained so for the rest of the way out.

* * *

_How did I not see that coming? _

_Wait, I kind of did, sorry._

_Sylvanas, lovely as she is, might be the harshest person I have ever met. She has long since abandoned any concept of dreams or really any optimistic, pleasant thoughts. She has seen many things, and experienced too many others to hold on to such "frivolous ideas" (her own words). _

_As you might see, I had not. _

_I had, perhaps to the point of foolishness, believed that Sylvanas might have listened to the cute-as-a-button princess; her words, though childish, still struck a cord in me. Sylvanas wasn't always right; I wanted the peace that Kira spoke of as much as she did. It served, perhaps, as a lesson to me. It was just another dream; it was something that could not be achieved in reality. _

_Even so, that didn't stop me from being bitter about it._

_

* * *

_

Fen and Myrdraxxis brought the two back up to the surface, and walked them down to the intersection of roads that they had passed earlier. They stopped there, and without another look, Myrdraxxis turned and walked back up the slope. Fen did not.

"I'm sorry," he began, sighing. "I should have prepared you for something like that; Sylvanas is not the type to believe in things like dreams or hopes. She has experienced a bit too much reality. I don't think she believes that such things can happen anymore."

"She's an idiot, then," growled Naruto, his arms crossed.

Despite thinking along the same lines, Fen felt the need to defend his queen. "Don't be too harsh judges, okay? Sylvanas, for all her pessimism, has done great things for our people. You wouldn't believe it, but I wasn't always the cheery, optimistic, and devilishly handsome and witty character that you see before you today…"

Naruto just stared at him, his eyes squinted, so he coughed and continued. " Right, the point is, Sylvanas helped me. She gave me a confidence in myself that I thought I could never have. I guess you really don't know what if feels like to wake up suddenly, and be told that you're dead and would look like a rotting corpse for the rest of your life, and that you would have some cravings for raw, usually human, flesh, and that you would be hated by everyone in the world. I was, not surprisingly, not the happiest of campers for quite a while. I wasn't alone, either. Just about everyone that Sylvanas "awakened", felt much the same. They hated their new forms, and their new lives.

"When we first came here, after all the fighting, and began to build a home, it wasn't the bustling metropolis that you saw. It was a cesspool, and the people that made it up were the worst tempered people in the world. Some people hated themselves so much that they stopped eating, sleeping and essentially living…metaphorically of course. If it wasn't for the fact that our metabolisms as so incredibly low that we need very little food, and we don't really need sleep, or even to breath, there'd be a lot less of our kind around now. I'll admit: I was one of those, at first. But, as I said, Sylvanas changed that.

" She forced us to stop thinking that we were just perversions of the human race—nothing but shadows of our former selves. She gave us an identity: we weren't just "the undead"; we were the Forsaken. We were a race in itself. She told us that we had no reason to feel sorry for ourselves, because we were now a part of another race. We weren't monsters anymore; we didn't think of ourselves as "inhuman". We began to think of ourselves as Forsaken, and nothing less. Sylvanas gave us pride in our race. She is our savior, and no matter how angry I get at her, or how much she does things that I don't agree with, that will never change."

"So you're just gonna go with it?" Naruto said, hotly. "You're just gonna let her decision stand, and not even try to do something about it? I thought you wanted to see the world again. I thought you didn't want to stay trapped in this dreary place, 'cause if you do, you're not gonna be able to write your story. If you let things continue like that, how the hell are you going to be able to do that?"

Fen sighed again, and offered the blonde what he thought was a sad smile. It turned out to look like he was grinning cheerfully, as a skull might, at it disturbed the shinobi quite a bit.

"You're right…but really, kid, do you think that in this world, anyone will accept us? We may think of ourselves as Forsaken, but to everyone else, even the Horde, we are just more Undead. There isn't really a place for us in this world."

Naruto said nothing. He looked away from Fen, at the ground for a moment, his features warping from pained to angry, and finally to acceptance. He didn't look at Fen again, and just began to walk down the road, towards where the sign said, "**The Plaguelands**," Tsuwabuki hot on his heels.

Fen sighed, and offered a skull-grin at the two girls, and a half-hearted wave. He really did feel sorry for them.

"If it makes you guys feel any better, the Argent Dawn—a group of humans and various other races, have a camp near the entrance to the Plaguelands. They have sort of the same idea that you have. You should head that way, and see what they have to say. I bet they'll be impressed with what you've done so far."

Kira smiled a little at him, and said a quiet "thank you" before departing after Naruto, Kylia by her side. Soon they were engulfed by the darkness of the trees. Fen sighed, and turned back up the hill. Myrdraxxis was waiting for him at the top, his face as unreadable as ever.

"Shall we deliver our boring report to His Majesty the Pompous and Egotistical Demon?" Fen said, without his usual enthusiasm. Mocking Varimathras didn't seem quite as fun now, for some reason.

Myrdraxxis nodded, and they departed.

* * *

"_Varimathras,"_ said Sylvanas, hearing the slow, thundering gait of her second-in-command. She waited a moment, standing in front of her throne, watching the entrance to the Royal Chamber. A huge shadow suddenly emerged from it, making the Royal Deathguards back up a few steps as the monster moved towards the throne. It was only a few seconds later that the chandelier above Sylvanas cast light upon her commander, and to most, it was not a pretty sight. 

Varimathras the Dreadlord stood at over eight feet tall, his skin as pale as his Lady's eyes, and as leathery as a reptile's. His face was wide and as stony as granite, but his chin was rather pointed and sharp, as was his nose. His eyes were an ethereal, glowing blue, with no pupils or irises visible. Twin, curved horns sprouted from the top of the front of his hairless head, and two large, bat-like wings sprouted from his back. He walked on hoofed feet, his immensely muscular body shifting and rippling beneath the dark, purplish and silver armor that he wore. A purple sash hung at his waist, falling between his legs like a loincloth, depicting a golden skull. Aside from the Dark Lady herself, there was no more fearsome creature in the Undercity.

"**_Milady,"_** he rumbled; his voice was deep and powerful—it filled the room, as if he was making sure that even the rats within the walls could hear. "**_You called for me?"_**

"_I did,"_ said she, walking towards the titanic Dreadlord slowly. He shifted slightly at her approach; he had more of a reason than any to fear Sylvanas, for she had been the one to enslave him. "_Have you spoken to Fenritt and Myrdraxxis?"_

The demon nodded. "**_I have. Their report is as thus: the apothecaries in Tarren Mill have made much progress in their research, and they gave to the two a packet of notes of this research, which I have already delivered to High Apothecary Faranell. He says this will speed up the process immensely."_**

Sylvanas smiled a little. "_Oh? Is that so? That is good news."_

Varimathras nodded. "**_The supplies that they delivered, as well as the ones from Hindenborough will allow them more experimentation with the formula they have come up with so far. Faranell hopes to get a sample of this soon enough."_**

Sylvanas nodded too, her smile widening a little. "_Good. But I want it quicker than that. Have Faranell develop a formula suitable for testing in the next few days—I have a sudden plan that may cut down on months of research."_

Varimathras bowed, "**_I shall do as you ask."_**

"_And send Fenritt and Myrdraxxis back in. I have need of their services once more"_ her smile suddenly became unbearably cruel, and Varimathras began to sweat slightly.

"**_As you wish." _**He stood, and turned to go. Then, however, he stopped, and turned back to face the Banshee Queen, his face set once again in stone. "**_My lady…has the boy gone?"_**

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow. "_Boy? The loudmouth human child who came in earlier? I did not realize you met him."_

Varimathras shook his head. "**_I did not. I heard of him from Fenritt, but even before that, I felt him. I felt him long before he even set foot in this city."_**

Sylvanas took a seat on her throne, resting her chin on her arms, which she had clasped in front of her. She looked almost interested.

"_Felt? I felt nothing from him, other than an intense annoyance."_

"**_He felt strange; there was a monstrous power in him, one that I have never felt before. It was animalistic, terrible; greater than my own. It was demonic, too, and was fighting to get free. If the boy wields this power…will he become a threat?"_**

Sylvanas' face remained unchanged, but her eyes seemed to gleam for a moment.

"_Perhaps…but we shall wait and see. He is the first that I have not killed for commenting on my age. I wonder why that is?"_

Varimathras coughed, but said nothing. This boy must be more frightening than he had imagined, to have survived such an ordeal.

* * *

Hours later, the group sat around a crackling fire, each lost in their own thoughts. Naruto was staring grumpily into the flames, ignoring everything around him, while Tsuwabuki rested her head near the log he was sitting on. Kira sat a little ways away, her head hung, her eyes downcast. She hadn't spoken a word since they had departed from Fen, and Kylia, who sat next to her, was getting slightly worried. 

They had gone to the Undercity that very day, and in less than an hour, had been thrust out again. They had accomplished nothing save for angering Sylvanas, and probably eliminating any further chances they had with her. It was no wonder why nobody felt like talking, Kira most of all. Kylia looked at her mistress with eyes full of sympathy and sadness. She wanted to do something, anything if it meant that her mistress would look like her old self again.

It made her heart ache to think of what Kira was now feeling. The girl had firmly believed that her dream had been in the best interests of everyone. She had never stopped to think if it was childish, or stupid, or that it would fail. Those who had encouraged her to pursue it, and had actively pursued it themselves, had been nothing but supportive of her dream.

Kylia did not know how it felt to have a dream stepped on like Kira's had been today. She had never had a dream of her own; past doing her very best to protect and make sure Kira was happy. But at the moment, she didn't believe she was doing a very good job.

She shot a side-ways glance at Kira, whose face and posture remained unchanged. Deciding that it was best to break the heavy silence that had fallen since they had left, Kylia said, trying to be chipper (despite still stumbling on saying her mistress's name), "K-Kira, would you like something to eat?"

Kira didn't answer, nor did she move. Kylia sighed. Rummaging around in her pack, she found some bread and meat, both of which she offered to the girl. "K-Kira, it would be best for you to eat, you need your strength for the journey."

Kylia waited, watching, as Kira did absolutely nothing but stare into the fire. She sighed, and took a bite from the bread herself, drawing back. Just as she did, however, Kira spoke.

"Kylia?"

The girl immediately sat up straight, almost dropping the food in surprise and delight. "Yes, m-Kira?"

"Is my dream childish?"

Kylia eyes went wide. "M-mistress?" she blurted, looking at her in confusion.

Kira didn't respond. She just looked into Kylia's eyes, her own so full of sadness.

Her handmaiden calmed down quickly, and took a deep breath. Then, she slowly shook her head.

"I…do not think it is childish. You are fervently working to create a world where people can live without fear or war, where the great nations can work together in absolute harmony. To many, it may seem childish, but a child does not think about its actions, or the consequences. You have, because I know you very well."

Kira's eyes grew wider as Kylia spoke.

"You know it in your heart that what you are trying to accomplish is not easy, and will never be so. But you will do everything you can in order to overcome the hatred of the past, and to make this work. You are not seeking an easy way out; you know that there is none, and so you have committed yourself to working as hard as possible to making sure that your dream can be brought into reality, and can benefit the people of this world. Your dream isn't childish, mis—Kira, and I know that you know this."

Kira's eyes filled with tears. She said no words, but she could not have asked for a better friend.

"She's right."

Kira looked over to Naruto, who was watching them with a solemn face. His eyes, however, were filled with both wisdom and determination. He knew exactly what he was speaking of, and exactly how Kira felt at that moment.

For his dream had been mocked too.

"If you work your hardest, no one can call your dream childish. You've gotta keep going, and you've gotta realize that there are no shortcuts you can take. If you know that, then your dream can come true, in time."

Kira very nearly sobbed, but held it in. Instead, she gave Naruto was bright, teary smile and bowed her head a little. Kylia inched forwards and hugged her softly, while Kira stuttered out thanks to both of them. She was grateful that she had such amazing people around her; she knew that without them, this dream of hers would've been just a distant, impossible hope. It was because of Naruto, and of Kylia and everyone else she had met that gave their support to her dream that she was this far.

But mostly Naruto, she thought with a smile.

She wiped away the last of her tears, and looked up. Though her eyes were still slightly puffy, it was clear that she was getting her old spirit back. Her mind settled back down, and she began to think.

"What do we do now?" she asked, quietly.

Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest, squinting in concentration as he thought. "Dunno…we could go and see those Argent Dawn people that Fen mentioned…or we could go back and fight until she listens to us."

Kira sweat-dropped. "That last idea doesn't seem so good…but perhaps we could speak with the members of the Argent Dawn; I have only heard a little about them from master, but it seems that they are fighting the Scourge at their very source, and don't care who joins them, as long as they are willing to fight."

Naruto nodded. "Then we'll go there, huh? But what do we do about Sylvanas?"

Kira shook her head. "I don't know. I don't think we can do anything right now…. Sylvanas sounded quite serious about what she said; I think you're comment on her age might have had something to do with it."

Naruto blushed a little. "But it's true…" he mumbled.

Kira glared at him, but then gave a slight nod of assent. He was right of course. Ten thousand, which was said to be Sylvanas' relative age, was quite a bit over the hill for some people. She sighed. "We can't do anything. We have to find some other way to get her to listen. When I find out how, I'll tell you, but right now we should at least find people who might be willing to help us. I think the Argent Dawn will."

With a nod from Naruto, it was settled. They would follow the road to the Plaguelands, and find the Argent Dawn camp near it. They would think of what to do once they got there.

So they lapsed into silence once more, but this time it was far less tense. Kira and Kylia began eating their packaged meals with gusto, while Naruto tried to keep his food away from a hungry Tsuwabuki, who claimed she was too tired to hunt anything for herself, and that everything still smelled rotten.

Then, they all prepared for bed. They would begin their trek in the morning, and with Tsuwabuki keeping watch, all planned to get the best night's rest they could in a strange, dark forest in the middle of undead territory.

And they did.

* * *

Naruto awoke suddenly, responding to more than a slight nudge from Tsuwabuki. Sitting up, he looked blearily around him. It was still dark, and the forest was silent. It had always been silent, he remembered, but it somehow hadn't registered before. There were no insects buzzing or owls hooting or wolves howling; it was dead (in every sense of the word) silent. 

"What is it?" he whispered. He didn't know why he whispered, but it felt like he shouldn't disturb the silence. In an eerie sort of way, it was rather nice.

"**_Do you smell that? Humans, coming this way."_**

Naruto sat up straighter, his hand suddenly going for his sword. He stood slowly, his eyes watching the blackness between the trees for any sign of movement. The fire still crackled, though it was small and gave off very little light. He had not set up any traps, which he now regretted.

He then wondered what humans were doing around here, of all places. Could it be the Argent Dawn, sending out scouts to search for undead along the road? He then remembered what Kira had said about this place. It was where the Scarlet Crusade had a base, the monastery in the hills, where many of her people had fled after the death of her father. Could it be them?

He slowly drew out his sword, making sure that it didn't make a sound. The smell of human flesh suddenly caught his attention, as did clumsy footsteps, obviously making no attempt to conceal their presence. He waited a moment. Tsuwabuki had melted into the shadows behind him, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Despite her odd coloring, she had learned very quickly how to keep hidden.

It was only a few moments before Naruto caught sight of two dark figures moving towards them through the trees. Both looked rather hunched, in almost Forsaken-like postures, but he couldn't tell much else.

When the first stepped into the clearing, Naruto had already bent down into an attack stance. He very nearly leapt forwards when there was a sudden, startlingly loud fart, which made Naruto stumble forwards in surprise, and then quickly back when the smell hit him.

"Ugghh!" he cried, clapping his hands to his face, and squeezing his nose shut as tight as possible.

"Ho ho ho ho! Sorry about that, sonny! Didn't expect that baby at all! Musta been somethin' I ate, or just cause I'm old. When you get old, yer body has a way o' reminding you o' that every step o' the way."

Naruto blinked, and met the amused gaze of a hunched, smiling old man. He had a gray beard, very few teeth, skin so wrinkled that it looked like a wad of rolled up paper, and was dressed in brown robes which covered his entire body. He was leaning on a gnarled staff.

"A geezer?" Naruto blurted. What was an old man like this doing out here?

"Geezer? That'd be me. Two o' us, actually, me brother's back here somewhere. Bart! Bart! We are yeh? Ye still alive, eh, Bart?"

Seconds later another old man shuffled into the campsite, dressed in the same clothes, leaning on a similar staff, but had quite bit more skin hanging off his face, so much so that it seemed as if it was about to all fall off into a heap on the ground. He was beardless, toothless, and one eye was shut, while the other was comically large. He was easily the strangest looking old man that Naruto had ever seen (and Naruto had seen his fair share of strange-looking old men).

"Oh good, Bart, though ye might've passed on back there. Had me worried, eh?"

Tsuwabuki slunk from the shadows, looking almost depressed. "**_Just two old humans… and I was ready, too."_**

"Oh my, ain't that a pretty little creature? He your pet?" the first old man said, grinning at Naruto.

Naruto couldn't resist a small snicker at the fox's expense, but said. "Nah, she's my friend."

The old man nodded, scratching his chin. "I have a friend like that, his name's Jenkins. He's right here somewhere, I know it. Jenkins? Jenkins!"

Silence answered him, but he suddenly turned and said happily, "There ye are! I been wonderin' where ye been, Jenkins!"

Naruto cocked his head to the side, watching where the man was watching. He saw nothing, but the man hobbled over to a patch of bushes and mimed picking something up. He hobbled back into his original position, stroking the air in front of him as if he were holding a small animal of some sort.

"This here's Jenkins! Ain't he sweet? Say hello Jenkins!"

Predictably, Naruto heard nothing, and the growing sweat-drop on the back of his head began to weigh his entire body down so that he slouched forwards. He stared dumbly at the man; he embodied, so far, all the senility that an old man could possess. He wondered if Jiraiya would get like this someday.

That made him snicker again.

However, the old man's rather loud words had stirred Kira and Kylia from their deep sleeps. Kira slowly opened her eyes and sat up, looking blearily around. "Naruto? What's…going on?"

The old man stopped petting his invisible creature, and bent down and looking straight at Kira. "Oh hello there, lassy! Didn't see ye down there. My eyes must be goin' too!"

Kira blinked, not reacting for a few moments, before she suddenly gave a loud yelp and leapt from her bedspread, backpedaling until she stood next to Naruto. She was clutching her chest and breathing very deeply, her eyes wide and her hair almost on end from fright.

"W-w-w-w-who a-are you!" she cried.

Kylia had leapt up as well, her weapons drawn and she was looking wildly around for whatever had caused her mistress such fright. She stopped when she saw the old man, blinking a few times to get the sleep from her eyes. Had this old man attacked Kira? Or worse, had tried to defile her?

"Oh! Beggin' yer pardons, missies! Name's Matt Siscardry, this old bag o' bones behind me is Bart, me brother. He don't speak at all, had his tongue chopped out when he was little for disrespecting our daddy, he did. I do all the talkin' for him, ye see!"

Naruto turned his head to the side, staring at Matt with questioning eyes. He was suddenly reminded of Fen. This old man acted rather like him. He was bit cruder, yes, but he seemed to have the same strange sense of humor.

Kira had regained her composure by then, and after taking a few more calming breaths, she looked at Matt in confusion.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Siscardry? In a place like this, at this time of night, why are you two wandering around?"

Matt scratched his beard again, and said, "We smelt yer fire, and decided to have a look-see! Good thing we did, too. But yer mighty disrespectful to your elders, not giving yer name or nothin'!"

Kira blushed a little, looking embarrassed. She quickly introduced herself and Kylia, while Naruto introduced himself and Tsuwabuki.

Matt grinned at all of them, before taking a seat on a log that they had used for a bench near the remains of the fire. He set his walking stick aside, and barked at Bart to sit down as well, as well as telling Jenkins to stop mewling for food, because he wasn't going to get any right then.

'_Is he crazy…or just old?'_ Kira, Kylia, Naruto and Tsuwabuki thought as one, staring at the old man as he chastised empty air near his feet. When Matt began beating the air with his walking stick, and then railing out into the darkness, shaking a fist, that Jenkins wouldn't be getting any dinner at all, again, until he apologized!

It then occurred to them that there was a very fine line between crazy and old.

Bart sat down next to him, not saying a word. His hunched posture reminded Naruto once again of a Forsaken's, but the old man not only looked, but also smelled like a human, he just wrote it off as him being old.

Matt said, "Why we're headin' down that there road, towards them there Plaguelands." He pointed off into the darkness, probably not in the direction that he was planning to head.

"Why?" asked Kira

Matt gave her a thumbs-up. "We're going ta join the Argent Dawn, we are! Goin' to offer our services ta' fightin' the nasty undead beasties of the Plaguelands, we are! Ain't that right Bart?"

Bart nodded jerkily.

Naruto stared at him, his gaze lidded, and wondered what they could possibly do to help aside from probably confuse the heck out of them, as they were doing now. He opened his mouth to say this, too, but Kira stopped him with a look (after wiping the sweat-drop off her face), and then turned back to them.

"We're going that way too. Do you want to come with us?"

Matt looked delighted. "Aw, thankee little miss. We'd be honored ta' accompany such a fine batch o' ladies such as yerselves! The more the merrier!"

He fell silent, and then Naruto, noticing that Matt hadn't distinguished him from the two girls he was traveling with, which meant he had just been called a lady.

"Oi! I'm a guy you old geezer!"

"Eh? Who are you again?"

Kira sweat-dropped as Naruto seethed at the man.

And so they were six (seven if you counted Jenkins). As she watched them, however, there was a buzz in the back of her head. Who did they remind her of?

* * *

"Ah! What a beautiful day!" cried Matt the next morning. They had just left the confines of the forest and were walking along the road towards the Plaguelands. Everyone had awoken rather early due to Matt's sudden bout of extremely bad gas, so bad that even Kira and Kylia had been able to smell it in the land of dreams. 

They kept off to the side of the road, nearest the forest. That way, if they encountered something that appeared hostile, it would be easier for them to escape. Kira and Kylia were up front, Tsuwabuki and Naruto in the middle, with the two ancient men bringing up the rear.

Matt's comment made Naruto sweat-drop, as he looked up at the dark, smoggy sky and around at the still dark and misty trees that lay on either side of them. "Beautiful" wasn't exactly the word that he would use for this sort of situation.

"So, Mr. Siscardry?" asked Kira falling back so that she had fallen into step beside the old man. "Why exactly do you want to join the Argent Dawn? I mean you are rather…old…not that that's a bad thing or anything!" she added quickly.

Matt rolled his head to the side a few times, thinking. "I like the tabards."

Kira missed a step and face-faulted at that, making Kylia squeak and hurry back to help her mistress. Matt shook his head.

"You should watch your step, missy! You never know what's goin' to greet ya when you hit the ground!"

Kira allowed herself to be helped up, and quickly hurried back to the front. What a weird person….

Naruto, however, was snickering under his breath. It seemed like a good enough reason to him.

On they walked. Since there was no sun for reference, nobody could tell what time it was. But it was after a few hours like this that they decided to stop to eat for a bit. They took rest near a small patch of trees on the side of the road, and settled down in the most comfortable positions they could.

Naruto and Tsuwabuki watched Matt, as they ate, as he periodically snuck peaces of his food and offered them to the invisible Jenkins. He would just drop them onto the ground and then quickly bring his hand back up to where it could be seen. So far there was a small pile of meat, bread and cheese pieces where he had dropped them all.

Kira did her best to ignore them. She instead focused her attention on their surroundings. She could see for a fair distance around her in the forest, but couldn't hear a thing. It was silent, as usual, which continued to disturb the girl. No forest should be silent.

Only a few minutes later, Naruto and his spirit beast suddenly stood alert. Tsuwabuki looked around sniffing the air a few times, slinking back behind a tree, while Naruto's hand went for his sword.

"What is it?" whispered Kira, ducking over to where Naruto was standing. The boy frowned.

"We smell more people," he said. He looked over at Matt and Bart. "Do you guys have any friends out here somewhere?"

Matt thought a moment. "Nope!" he said cheerfully. "Do you?"

Naruto didn't answer. He scanned the trees around them, looking for any sign of the humans they had sensed. Whoever they were, it was obvious that they were making more of an attempt to conceal themselves than Matt and Bart had.

Then he caught sight of a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. '_There!'_ He spun quickly to face it, drawing his sword in a flourish, and came face to face with a group of five humans. All of them were dressed in clothes of the deepest crimson.

"Stop!" the foremost person cried, a girl, probably only a few years older than him, with long blonde hair and pretty blue eyes. She was dressed in a form-fitting robe of red, with a golden emblem resembling a mace set on the front. "Stay your weapons! We are humans, like you!"

But Naruto didn't relax. He saw Kira, who was shaking with shock and fear, and realized that these guys must be the Scarlet Crusaders that she had talked about. He didn't lower his sword, but he didn't move either. He waited as they walked over, as did Tsuwabuki and Kylia, who were also prepared to attack.

The girl stopped a few paces away from Naruto, eyeing his blade with slight trepidation. "Please," she said. "We really don't mean you any harm. We are friends." She offered him a warm smile, still laced with a bit of wariness.

Naruto finally relaxed. It was a girl, he reasoned, and she seemed honest, if anything. Kira looked at him almost in horror. What was he doing!

Matt and Bart stood, waving cheerily at the newcomers. "Salutations, little missy and good sirs!" The other Crusaders were all men; heavyset and tall, dressed in red armor and wearing the same red and gold tabard across their chests. They all had clean-cut hairstyles, and wore no beards.

The girl gave a slight bow to Matt. "Good evening, good sir." She then turned back to Naruto and Kira, smiling a little bit more warmly. "We are fortunate to have found you before nightfall. We have heard from another group that a small band of Scourge may have entered the area."

"F-fortunate?" Kira whispered, wondering what she had done to deserve this. She was standing in the presence of the faction that had essentially killed her father, and was ruining her kingdom. It was making her more than a little anxious.

The girl nodded. "Yes. You must be refugees from Stormwind, yes? If you are seeking sanctuary, then you needn't do anything but follow us. We have had so many refugees in the past few months. We shall take you to the monastery."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest. He didn't think Kira would want to be in the camp of the people who were essentially her enemies, and he knew it would pose too much of a threat. But Kira beat him to it.

"Y-yes…Thank you."

Naruto stared at her, eyes wide. What was she thinking? She gave him an "I'll explain later" look, and then turned back to the girl, who seemed relieved.

Matt stroked his beard, thinking. "Well, we were gonna go that way…" he pointed off into a completely random direction again, the look of concentration still on his face. "But if it's sanctuary you're offerin' then I'm all for it! Sides, I like those tabards!"

The girl sweat-dropped. "Oh good! It will take us some time to get there, so we'd best go no—" One of the large men nudged her, giving her a hard glare. She nodded, realizing that she had committed a mistake of some sort, and then approached Kira.

"I forgot…we have to test whether or not you have contracted the Plague. It will only take a moment." She seemed afraid now, as if at any moment Naruto or Kira or Kylia or even one of the old men would reveal themselves to be a ravenous ghoul.

She weaved a few seals, causing her hands to glow a bright, golden yellow. She reached up, making Kira stiffen and close her eyes. The girl laid her hand across Kira's forehead, for only a few seconds, and then retracted it, sighing in relief.

"You're clean."

She repeated the procedure with Naruto, Kylia, and the two old men. Tsuwabuki stayed out of sight, prowling behind the trees, watching the group.

The girl finally relaxed when she was assured that they were all uninfected. "Shall we go then?"

* * *

"We're so lucky we found you before you got infected!" said the girl, whose name turned out to be Maya. They were walking up a sloping path into the mountains, much later that day. They had done a heavy amount of backtracking before they had found another path, which led high to the mountains of Tirisfal Glades. "You don't know how many we encounter like that…it's terrible." 

Kira, who was walking alongside her, asked as politely as possible, "What was that spell you used?"

Maya smiled. "It's a special spell; it was developed by the monks up at the monastery, and is taught to everyone who seeks to become a Scarlet Seeker. It allows us to tell who has been infected, by showing us the status of the person's life force. A Plagued person has a mutated life force, perverted by the evil plague within them, and though they remain alive, their body dies and rots like a cadaver's. That takes a long time, to be sure, but the life force perversion takes only a little while. The spell allows us to read your life force and see if it has mutated or not. We do it to everyone, twice. You'll be read a second time once we reach the monastery."

Kira nodded, and then lapsed into silence. Maya continued talking, about anything and everything, so Kira slipped back and fell into step alongside Naruto.

"Why did you say that we would go with them?" he whispered to her, as soon as he was sure none of the large Crusaders, who were listening to Matt talk about Jenkins, could hear them.

"I need to see my people," said Kira, quietly. "She said that many of them have come here. I need to see them; I need to see if they are all right."

Naruto frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and looking broody for a moment. "Be careful," he said.

She nodded, "I will."

Both of them knew that there was a big chance Kira would be recognized. If that was the case, they were in deep trouble. The last thing they needed was for Kira to be noticed in such a dangerous place. But Naruto respected Kira's wishes. This was something that she had to do.

And so on they walked. Maya was very upbeat, and quite friendly to everyone. She was not at all like what Kira believed the Scarlet Crusaders to be like. Far from being fanatical and overzealous, she was kind and polite, even a bit timid. She seemed like a normal girl. She did her best to get Kira and Kylia to open up to her, and succeeded for the most part. Naruto liked her. She was cute, and nice, and far cry from what he expected members of the Scarlet Crusade to be.

She was very knowledgeable as well. In order to keep things from falling totally silent, she would talk about the area, and some of its history. She knew a lot about it, considering she had grown up in a small town near just inside the border of what was now the Plaguelands. But she also talked about her profession: the Scarlet Seeker.

"We are sort of like priestesses," she explained, "but our only job is to discover who possesses and who doesn't possess the Plague. We learn everything about the Plague in order to be as effective as possible, as well as learn a bunch of different techniques including the one that I used on you to find out what has the Plague or not." Then she blushed. "But I'm still in training. When I'm a full-fledged Seeker, I hope to have a bit more confidence."

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "'What has it'? You mean things other than people can get it?"

Maya nodded. "Yes, that is what makes it so dangerous. Almost everything can get it—plants, animals, people; it can even grow as a sort of fungus, by itself. They call these 'plagueshrooms'."

Naruto shivered. Kira did as well, before asking, "How is it transferred?" It was one of the few things that Benedictus had not taught her. Very little was known about the Plague, even now. Hence, there weren't many decisive theories on how it could be transmitted.

Maya thought a moment. " Thankfully, there are only a few ways. It can be by breathing it, since it is an air-born disease originally. But that is very rare, nowadays. It has settled down, mostly, and that's why the Plaguelands are as they are now. The 'plague smoke' that originally delivered the Plague mutated the area until it became the horrible place that it is today. That was what gave birth to the 'plagueshrooms'. Their spores are the only surviving airborne form of the Plague.

"Another way is very simple—if you are bitten, or exchange any sort of fluids with a Plagued person, you will be infected. That's why you must avoid Scourge as much as possible. Even a bit of drool getting in an open wound can infect you. Thankfully you won't get it just by touching or being touched by an infected person, creature, or plant."

Naruto relaxed. That was good. Never until now had he ever feared getting sick. This place was a whole lot more dangerous than he originally thought, and it brought out the hypochondriac in him. But he knew now to avoid any strange looking mushrooms and to avoid being bitten or otherwise injured by anything that looked as if it were rotting in any way.

It was early evening (probably) when they reached a towering stonewall with a closed portcullis gate in the center. It was at the very top of a long slope, and they were quite high in the mountains. Naruto had at one point been able to see the ocean, far below them. The air was cooler, and clearer up this high. Things smelt less rotten, and didn't look as strange.

Maya and the four large men approached the gate, and saluted as another Crusader, a man, appeared behind it. He saluted them back, and they whispered to each other for a few moments, occasionally glancing at the small group behind them. They must have a looked quite a sight: Naruto in his outlandish, foreign garb, and his suspicious glare; Kira and her beauty; Kylia and her unconcealed weapons; and Matt and Bart, waving cheerily at them, with Matt occasionally rebuking an unseen Jenkins at his feet for doing something or other.

As this was happening, Naruto caught sight of Tsuwabuki out of the corner of his eye. Positioning himself behind Kira, he made a seal with his hands.

'**_Kokoro Heisetsu no jutsu (Spirit Link Technique)'_** he thought, letting his chakra flow through the bond between him and the fox. He could suddenly feel what she did, and could sense her confusion and wariness.

'**_What do you want me to do?' _**Tsuwabuki said, through the link.

'_Try to find a way in without being seen. I don't think they'd let a silver fox inside. Stay out of sight, okay?'_

'**_Fine. Be careful."_**

Naruto gave the slightest of nods, and released the jutsu. He stepped away from Kira again, just in time to see Maya finish up her conversation.

Maya turned and hurried back to them. "They're allowing you in. You just need to come up and get tested again before you can enter the rest of the monastery."

Kira swallowed. She felt as if she was about to enter a den of demons.

But it was for her people.

She led them through the gate, and then up a long, very ornate looking staircase inside the wall. Simple torches lit it, and many ornate designs, probably runes, were carved into the walls as they walked up. At the top of the staircase they entered a large, rectangular room, with two rows of four large columns dividing the room into three sections. In the middle, a heavyset man dressed in robes similar to Maya stood, waiting for them. He had a severe face, which was turned permanently downwards in a scowl. He didn't move as Maya walked up to him and gave a deep bow.

"Master Astonius."

The man nodded. "So you have brought us refugees, Seeker Maya?" He looked past her at them, his eyes scanning them over briefly. "You have checked them thoroughly, have you not?"

She nodded.

"Good," he said. He then walked up to Kira, gave her another quick look down, and then placed his hand on her forehead. He closed his eyes, and just stood there a moment. He retracted his hand, and then made a seal, making it glow like Maya's had. He pressed it to her forehead, and then quickly retracted it.

"You are blessed, child. I see that you not only are uninfected, but you follow the path of the priestess. You may enter our humble abode without fear now. May the Light give you protection, and may you be safe as long as you reside in these walls."

He was smiling now. It was a warm smile, too. There was no trace of ulterior motive, no falseness, nothing. His words were true.

Kira was baffled. Her fear didn't disappear, however; indeed, she got even more wary.

Master Astonius moved on. He repeated the gesture with Kylia, and pronounced the same thing as he had for Kira. On Naruto, he took a bit more time, and at the end, spoke something different.

"You are pure. You walk the way of the warrior, child. May the darkness fall to thine blade, and may you learn much in your stay in this place." He smiled at Naruto, and gave him a little pat on the head before moving on to Matt and Bart. Naruto stared back at him dumbly, a little weirded out by the man's final gesture.

'**HE IS A FOOL. HE CANNOT EVEN SENSE ME: A GREATER DARKNESS THAN ANY PLAGUE.'**

Naruto raised an eyebrow. '_You're back.'_

'**WHERE WOULD I HAVE GONE IN THIS PUNY LITTLE BODY OF YOURS?'**

Naruto scowled inwardly. '_Mind telling me what the hell you've been doing?'_

'**THINKING.'**

'_About what?'_

'**WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT ME TO THINK ABOUT, BRAT?'**

Naruto didn't answer.

By this time, Astonius had laid his hand on Matt's brow, and was frowning. "You are a bit cold." He made the seal and used the Plague scanning spell. He nodded. "You are clean." He then added, "Perhaps our healers can do something about your fever. You seem delirious."

Matt scratched his beard. "Eh? Do I?" He turned to Bart and smacked him upside the head. "Why didn't ya tell me!"

Everyone present sweat-dropped.

Master Astonius coughed, and then did a quick scan on Bart. When he turned out to be much the same as Matt, only a bit warmer, he was pronounced clean and Master Astonius smile at all of them.

"Enter, and find peace."

Maya gave a final bow. "Thank you master!"

The four Crusaders that had been accompanying Maya had already gone off, through a large metal door at the end of the hall. Maya led them towards another door at the end of the row they were standing in. It was metal as well, and there was a large slot for a key of some sort to go through. Maya smiled at the guards, and one of them drew a large, unsurprisingly red key attached to a leather thong from beneath his armor, and slid it into the hole. The door gave a loud creak, and slowly began to open.

While it did, Maya turned to her charges. "This door leads to the Main Square and the Cathedral, where the majority of the refugees are staying." She gestured to the other doors, "And these two doors lead to the Armory and the Library. The armory is where we keep the weapons we use to fight the Scourge, and where the warriors are trained to fight them. The Library is where not only we keep the entire history of Azeroth, but where the monks continually attempt to research and develop new ways of dealing with the undead. They are even trying to develop a cure!"

Kira looked stunned at this. A cure? Was that even possible?

When the door had finally opened, Maya led them down another long staircase that looked much the same as the one they had come up earlier. At the end, they came to an immense courtyard, and were greeted with a shocking sight.

Almost every square inch of the courtyard had been filled with people. They lay on blankets, their supplies strewn about them, or stood in small circles, talking to each other in low voices. They ranged from the smallest of children to the most ancient of elders. They were dressed in the most fancy of cloaks to the most tattered tunics. But there was one, unifying theme that bound them all together, and it was not their surroundings.

It was their disposition.

They were happy.

Some were smiling, and talking animatedly with their neighbors about this and that as they ate small servings of bread and cheese, and drank from little wooden bowls. Others chatted amiably with Crusaders that were walking along the large, stone pathway that surrounded the courtyard. Children played happily in the small pool and waterfall at the very end of the courtyard, while Crusaders walked by, smiling at their delight.

Kira could not believe it.

Her people were happy.

They were not suffering, or being treated poorly, or angry or at all distressed. They seemed as at home in this tranquil garden as they had been in their own city. It felt like a punch to her gut. These people were happy, and it wasn't because of her. They were happy because they had braved the terrible wilds and come to this beautiful place. The Scarlet Crusade was making them happy. She could feel their absolute comfort in this place. They were at home, and they were safe.

It almost made her retch. It was only Kylia's quick thinking that kept her from falling to her knees.

She saw the smiles the Crusaders gave them; they weren't fake, or at all forced. They were genuinely pleased that so many people were happy. They weren't preaching radically about death to all Plagued ones, or to orcs or to any other races at all. They were just doing what they could to help these people, her people, who had endured entirely too much pain.

Maya looked at Kira worriedly. "Is something wrong?" She sounded concerned, even going so far as to lean forwards and look directly into Kira's eyes. "Miss Kira?"

Kira wanted to look away, but she didn't. She looked into Maya's eyes, and searched with all her power for some sort of falseness. Some sign that Maya was not concerned, and that she was as fake as this entire place was supposed to be. But she found nothing.

"I-I…I'm fine," she said, recovering. She schooled her features, and smiled. " I was just surprised…do you have enough room for us?"

Maya blinked, and then smiled cheerily. "Of course! We have room for everyone."

"What about food?" it was Kylia, surprisingly, who asked this.

"We have plenty; most of its conjured, but it still tastes great and fills you up nicely. The water is pure and untainted, despite the children playing in it now," Maya said, giggling. "Come this way, we'll find you all a nice place to settle down."

They followed her along the stone walkway towards the stairs that led up to another level of the courtyard. There were many more people up there, as well, but less enough to allow Maya and her charges to find a small section near the ledge, and settle down into a circle. A monk dressed in bright scarlet robes hurried over, carrying a basket of bread for them. Another came with a pitcher of water and some bowls.

Maya eagerly tore into the bread, as did Naruto, Matt and Bart. Kira didn't feel at all like eating, so she just nibbled a little, and watched her people. Kylia ate slowly as well, as if testing the food for poison.

Maya began talking about the Cathedral, giving them all a brief history on it, and how it was made. It had been established, many years ago, by the former High Inquisitor, a man named Jaquin Fairbanks. He was the uncle of the current High Inquisitor, Whitemane. It was extremely durable, and could withstand even the harshest attacks by the undead.

As he ate, Naruto gazed at the people as well. He then spotted a group of Crusaders moving among them, led by a huge, barrel-chested man dressed in blood-red armor, and a white tabard with a red flame in the middle. He had a brown, clean-cut beard, and tidy, silky brown hair. Standing at the head of the small group of Crusaders, this man was obviously quite important. He nodded occasionally at people he passed, who would smile back at him, almost adoringly.

"Who's that?" he asked Maya, pointing.

Maya turned and a dreamy smile crossed her face.

"That's…the Scarlet Commander Mograine!" she said, swooning slightly. "He commands the warriors that are trained here, and is one of the most powerful warriors in the Crusade! He's the son of the former Highlord, the Ashbringer!"

"Ashbringer?" Naruto said, cocking his head to the side.

Maya nodded. "Yes, it was the name given to Highlord Mograine because of the weapon he wielded—a mighty sword known as the Ashbringer. It was said that he could kill undead so quickly that in mere seconds he could reduce whole bands of them to nothing but ashes. It is so unfortunate that he is dead…."

"I have heard of him…" said Kira, thinking back to her teachings. "He was slain in battle against the lich, Kel'Thuzad, wasn't he? A long time ago, before I was born, even."

Maya looked sad for a moment. "Me too. It is such a shame that he is no longer with us. His blade, too, is lost. But if it is recovered, I know that there is no one but Commander Mograine who is fit to wield it!"

Kira gave a simple nod, but said nothing more. She went back to watching the people around her, sipping her water as she did.

* * *

Across the courtyard, watching from a small window high above the massive doors of the Scarlet Chapel, sat High Inquisitor Andria Whitemane. Her beautiful green eyes stared, almost bored, at the large crowd that had been living in the monastery for many months now. 

She observed them in a manner not unlike a careful buyer inspecting a merchant's goods. She wished she could reach out and pick them up, weighing them in such a manner. But she couldn't, so she watched.

And today, she was quite glad she had. For she had spotted something that greatly interested her. At the far end of the courtyard, just in front of the ledge, sat the missing Princess of Stormwind.

What luck.

Smiling as a cat might after catching his mouse, but before he had eaten it, she called a monk to her.

"I need you to do something for me, Brother Jakken."

* * *

Maya had finished her bread and water, and now stood. Naruto patted his stomach pitifully, wondering how these people could function after eating so little. He wanted to get out some of the food he had left in his pack, but didn't know if he was going to need it or not later. 

Maya smiled at all of them. "How about a tour? I can show you all around the monastery, or at least where I'm permitted to go."

Naruto stood, shrugging. "Sure."

Kylia looked over at Kira, who didn't look as if she was going to answer. So she did it for her. "I don't think we should…"

"Are you sure? It won't take very lon—"

"Seeker Maya?"

A tall, young man with a smiling face walked up to her. He was dressed in much more ornate crimson robes, and had ice blue eyes behind a pair of spectacles. Though he was smiling, Naruto did not like him. Out of all the Crusaders he had seen so far, his smile was the most unnerving; for it was the kind that Orochimaru or Kabuto made. The blonde tensed a little at the man's arrival.

"Brother Jakken?" said Maya. "It is good to see you! What can I help you with?"

Brother Jakken gave a bow. "The High Inquisitor has expressed a wish in seeing the young Princess. Might I borrow her for a bit?"

Maya looked stunned. "P-princess?" She looked back at Kira, and looked shocked as well.

'_How did they…?'_

Naruto stepped forwards. "What does she want?" he said, glaring into the man's eyes.

Being cut from the same mold as Orochimaru, the man didn't react to Naruto's hostility. He just smiled wider and said, "Simply to meet the young princess, nothing more. She has been very worried, you see. You need not worry. She can take her young bodyguard, if she wishes." He smiled at Kylia, who stood up straighter, and stepped in front of Kira, protectively.

Kira suddenly spoke.

"I will go to meet her."

Naruto and Kylia turned to her, alarmed. "Kira-chan!" " Mis—Kira!"

Kira shook her head, looking at them as reassuringly as possible. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Lady Whitemane was a friend of my fathers, so there's nothing to fear."

Naruto gritted his teeth. He knew what she was doing. She was playing along, so as not to alert the hundreds of Crusaders around them, all likely battle-ready. She offered Naruto an extremely false smile, her fear and anger simmering just behind it.

"Well then, follow me," said Jakken, turning and walking away.

Kira did so, and Kylia followed quickly behind. Naruto made to go as well, but Kira turned and shook her head. "Naruto, you don't need to come. I'll be fine. Go on the tour, okay?"

Naruto stopped, stunned a little, and before he could protest even that, Kira was gone, following Brother Jakken across the courtyard.

Naruto scowled. "Fine, let's go."

Maya looked after Kira in amazement. "She was a princess…wow. I mean…come along then!"

* * *

Matt and Bart stayed behind, sitting in the remains of the small circle. They were completely silent for a while, watching the surrounding people. Then, Bart spoke. 

"How come I'm the guy who got his tongue cut out? Why can't I be the crazy old man for once?"

Matt's features remained in the same, disturbed look as before, but his words were different. They were harder, deeper, and far more serious.

"Because you can't act. And you can't lie. And I enjoy the silence."

Fen harrumphed. "So what do we do now?"

"We wait for the opportune moment. Then, we strike," said Myrdraxxis, fingering a small pouch hidden beneath his cloak. But he was careful not to disturb it much.

For in it was death.

* * *

_Hah! I bet you thought I was the crazy old man, huh? Whoo! Fen: 1, Audience: 0!_

_

* * *

_

Long chapter again, and no fighting. Oh well. Still fun to write.

Not much to say at all. I'm glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter, because I have been looking forwards to this arc for quite a while. I will do my best not to crap it up.

Can anyone guess what this week's language of the Disclaimer is?

Well, that should be all…

I think…

_Next week: Whitemane speaks, and Myrdraxxis and Fen make their move!_

_Spellbook:_

**Plague-Sense- **Used by Scarlet Seekers, and developed by the Arcanist Doan. It is used to detect whether or not a person has the Undead Plague, by sensing if their life force is pure or not.

**Kokoro Heisetsu no jutsu (Spirit Link Technique)**- Allows a person who possesses a spirit animal to feel what his animal feels, and communicate over long distances.

_Bestiary:_

**Scarlet Commander Mograine (Humanoid)(Elite)- **Commands the legion of Scarlet Warriors that are garrisoned in the Scarlet Monastery. Son of the Scarlet Highlord Mograine the Ashbringer. His skills are as of yet, unknown.

**Varimathras (Demon)(Boss)- **Servant of Lady Sylvanas Windrunner. A Dread Lord (Nathrezim) who was enslaved by Sylvanas and forced to kill his brother Balnazzar. Immensely powerful, and quite afraid of Sylvanas. His powers are unknown.

**High Inquisitor Whitemane (Humanoid)(Boss)- **Leader of the Scarlet Monastery, and a powerful priestess. Might be responsible for King Anduin's death. Extremely cunning and beautiful. Her full powers are unknown.


	43. The Corruption of the Scarlet Crusade

Disclaimer: Iay on'tday ownay Arutonay oray Orldway ofay Arcraftway 

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

_You may be wondering what in the hell Myr and me were doing in that red ant hive. _

_I can assure you that it wasn't just to see what Myrdraxxis would be like if he and I switched personalities. _

_No, it boils down to the fact that good ol' Sylvie had some plans that were as dark as her title. She had a job for Myr' and me, and as soon as I heard it, I wish I hadn't._

_It was only a few hours after we had sent the little humans packing. I felt like drowning my sorrows in alcohol, even if I really couldn't get drunk. So that was where we headed, and spent the next hours. I didn't feel like talking in the slightest—my dream had just passed me by again, and I was going to be bitter about it for as long as I could._

_Unfortunately, after a few hours in the dingy little tavern that Myrdraxxis and I usually haunt (it is called the Rotten Pony; not a terribly appealing name, even to our kind) Lady Sylvanas' lovely little pet Dreadlord, Varimathras, came knocking, saying that Sylvie needed to see us. I did my best to ignore him, of course; I had little respect for Varimathras, mostly because he was gloomier company that Myrdraxxis and he turned to a frightened rabbit whenever he was in Sylvanas' presence. He was powerful, no doubt; probably even stronger than I, but it doesn't do well for one's reputation to stutter and shake like a cornered animal when the Banshee Queen addressed you. _

_So after much grumbling, and a few biting comments from both Myrdraxxis and Varimathras, we went down to the Royal Quarter again, where lady Sylvanas was waiting for us. She looked quite beautiful, as always, and I commented on how her dress looked particularly ravishing that night. _

_Of course, she had worn the very same outfit since I had known her, and so after sending me a withering glare, she spoke to us._

"_I have a job for you two," she began. _

_Big surprise, I remember thinking. I was quite sure that she had called us down for tea; I was sadly mistaken._

"_Ask, and we shall do it, My lady," said Myrdraxxis, bowing low. This was his typical statement before Sylvanas gave us a mission briefing. I bowed too, if only out of reflex._

_My beautiful lady smiled and motioned behind her. Out came possibly the last person I wished to see at that moment._

_Master Apothecary Faranell. _

_I am generally a pretty tolerant person. I had to be, because of my job as an ambassador. But then, and even now, Faranell is a person that really tests the limit of that tolerance. He is the worst sort of person that you could meet, even out of us Forsaken._

_He was greasy and slimy looking, due to the chemicals that he was constantly around in his little laboratory deeper in the sewers. He had long, greasy black hair, wore drab, discolored robes, and to add insult to injury, did not possess a lower jaw. Now, this probably would have lowered his annoyance factor by ten or so, at least, but our race was gifted with a delightful in some cases, but extremely annoying in others, trait that allowed us to speak without really moving our mouths._

_How is this possible, you ask?_

_Don't ask me. Perhaps it is a crazy sort of evolution, at best. As Scourge, we had no need for speaking, really. We were completely mindless, and therefore had nothing to say, rather than groan or gurgle or in some rare cases, snicker our name._

_After regaining our senses, and our use of chakra, our bodies had to catch up with the fact that our minds still believed we spoke, and thus sought to rectify the fact that some of us no longer had tongues or lower jaws. So, instead of our tongues forming the words necessary to speak, our chakra does it. It's something about our chakra systems reworking itself, and that the coils that once ran through our throats and mouths have now wrapped around our voice boxes, and they do the work of the tongue. It is all very technical, and I've never received an accurate explanation for it, but all I know is that we can talk, and that that ability is not fitting at all for Faranell._

_He's a wormy person; he is sniveling, shrewd, and horribly sycophantic. He's insane, to a degree, too. He was supposedly once a great Dalaran alchemist, but after death his mind warped and he became the intolerable boil of pathetic drivel that he is today._

_In front of people like myself, he acts like a king. He is, after all, the Master Apothecary, and therefore he is far more important than all of us. He struts about, and when Sylvanas isn't present, orders people around like they were his subjects. He's very fussy, too. When something doesn't go his way, he acts like a small child and petulantly demands whatever it is, no matter how hard it is to acquire._

_Now, if this wasn't bad enough, around Sylvanas he did a complete 180-degree turn. He becomes sniveling, pathetic, and carries out whatever Sylvanas orders him to. He would do a back flip and dress up like a girl if she ordered it. The point is it's impossible to watch such a display without at least dry heaving. Even Myrdraxxis has to visit Faranell on an empty stomach. _

_But, I digress. As much as I hate Faranell, it isn't relevant to the story. Now, as I silently seethed and prepared to be reintroduced to the alcohol that I had so recently consumed, Faranell walked over and bowed deeply in front of Sylvanas, holding out a few vials of poisonous green liquid, which reminded me horribly of the plague cloud that had taken my life._

"_As you asked, My lady. I have completed it as fast as possible." _

"_Good," she said, taking the vial from him and holding it up to her eye, smiling that pretty smile of hers. She then waved her hand, dismissing him. I could hardly believe it. _

_Neither could he, apparently. He slunk off; obviously displeased that he hadn't been praised more than a single word. _

"_This," she said to Myrdraxxis and me, "is your mission."_

"_What is it?" I asked. _

"_My new plague."_

_At this, I stood to attention. Plague? This was the first I had heard of it. But what did she want with a plague?_

"_A plague?" I asked her, slightly stunned. "For what?"_

_She laughed sweetly (in my opinion). "What else? Would it not be the most terrible irony that I kill that fool Arthas with the same weapon that he killed all of you? This is our weapon against him, and against the other fools in this world. Once I release this plague, it will destroy the Scourge, as well as annihilate all my human enemies. It is my ultimate weapon."_

_I was stunned. Elated, in a way, but stunned even more. A plague was not the type of weapon one usually thought of. It was uncontrollable; once a plague broke out, unless a cure was found, it would continue to spread. Obviously, Sylvanas intended this. And I doubted that she was going to bother with a cure._

"_But, as any scientific discovery, it must be tested. While I could find a round of Scourge to test it on, I believe I have found a much more suitable target."_

"_Who?" I wondered. _

"_Why, those nasty little red ants in the mountains, of course," she said, delighted. _

_I nodded. It made sense. I hated the Crusade as much as anyone. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all._

"_But I have some specific requirements for this mission, Fenritt. I stayed off punishing him for this reason."_

"_Him?" I asked, frowning. _

"_The little blonde boy, and the little princess, of course."_

_My heart plummeted (to this day, I cannot tell if it was metaphorically or literally)._

"_What?" I was not feeling particularly verbose after such a statement. _

"_You are to make contact with the boy and you are to stay with them until they have encountered the Crusade. It shan't be hard, for there are plenty of them patrolling the road towards the Plaguelands. They will no doubt pick them up, and take them directly to the monastery, where you will then release this plague, and exterminate those bothersome little pests for good."  
_

_My mind was still reeling. I looked at Myrdraxxis, but his face was as a rock: stony and unmoving. _

"_But what is the point of getting Naruto and Kira into the monastery?" I asked her. _

_Her smile widened. That was probably the only time that I did not enjoy seeing the smile._

"_I intend to show him and that little girl exactly how childish her dream really is," her smile then died. "She must learn that the world is not the nicest of places, and that things will not always go her way. Only when she had tasted despair like I have will she learn what the world is truly like."_

_If I had eyes, they would have been the widest they could be. She was going to teach Kira a lesson…by killing her and her people?_

_I tried to speak, to do anything to dissuade her from this course of action. But her word could never be contested. She had made up her mind, and I knew that once she had done that, she could never be convinced otherwise. I slumped. _

_She spoke again, just before she sent us off._

"_And the brat called me old. I never let anyone go without a punishment for that."_

_She dismissed us to get fitted for our costumes then, but I left feeling hollow. There had to be another reason for why she was doing this. Perhaps it was just a test and a life lesson, but something told me, deep down, that Sylvanas was doing this for far different reasons._

_And I could do nothing but obey._

_

* * *

_

The Cathedral of the Scarlet Monastery could easily, in Kira's mind, compare to the ancient and ornate Church of Stormwind where her master worked. The floor and walls were made of cold, grey stone that was dressed with scarlet banners and torches. The ceiling was made up by a series of buttresses holding up the ornate stones that made up the roof. The rafters, though old looking, were still extremely decorated, and it must have taken their creator quite a while to carve such intricate details into something that people wouldn't see very well.

She stood at the entrance to the Cathedral, staring directly down a large aisle where many monks dressed in scarlet robes and tabards were kneeling in prayer. Large, ornate columns had been constructed on either side of the aisle, each one with a different statue of a famous hero carved within. As Brother Jakkan led her and Kylia past, she could not help but shiver at their gaze. It felt like she was being judged, as if they wondered why such an unbelieving, traitorous girl would dare look upon them.

So she averted her eyes. She did not feel much like watching them anyways.

Kylia was traveling by her side, her eyes darting around the room and the silent monks every second. In a room full of potential enemies, with only herself and her mistress, she did not want to be surprised. So she kept herself alert as they walked down the center of aisle, towards the massive altar at the very end of the Cathedral.

Kira looked behind her, wistfully wishing she had let Naruto come with her. It certainly couldn't have hurt, and it had made her ache to just brush him off like that, especially in such a dangerous place.

But she thought again. This was something she needed to do, and as much as Naruto had helped her in the past (and that was quite a bit) she couldn't have him shouting or making a ruckus in this instance, no matter how meaningful his words could be. That was going to be her job.

Besides, this would give him a chance to see the rest of the monastery, and possibly plan out an escape route. She doubted Naruto could do such a thing, as his plans usually came to him in the heat of battle, rather than formal planning before. Nevertheless, she hoped he would at least pay attention.

The altar was set on a dais that was only raised a few feet off the ground, so low that one could access it by only two steps. The dais itself was quite wide, and on the corners of the highest level were four braziers, burning brightly. A massive, illuminated scroll was spread out in the grandest fashion upon the altar, so that the people who looked upon it would be smitten by its beauty, and drawn like moths to a flame to the words that it held.

Standing in front of the altar, his solemn, blue eyes catching her own purplish ones, was Mograine, the Scarlet Commander. He seemed even larger than when she had seen him earlier, walking amongst her people. She hadn't even noticed that he had left.

Brother Jakkan bowed deeply in front of Mograine, who gave a simple nod in return.

"My lady wishes to speak with you, young princess," he said, affixing her with a granite stare. His face had been carved, much like the statues in the columns, into a powerful scowl; but rather than there being any anger behind it, it seemed to simply be his normal expression. She wondered what he would look like if he did scowl.

She nodded. "Yes," she said stiffly. "I know."

Without giving her another look, he pointed behind him. There was a small, red wood door, with the emblem of the Crusade carved most illustriously upon the front, directly behind the dais.

"Through there lies Lady Whitemane's chambers, where she is waiting. Go quickly, she does not like to be kept waiting."

She nodded, and headed forwards. Jakkan made to move as well, but Mograine gave him a hard look, and he stopped. So they went on alone, through the door and into a large, circular chamber.

A bright, large chandelier that reminded her of the one in Sylvanas' throne room lit the chamber in a warm and inviting light, much more so than the meager lighting of the torches and braziers in the previous room. There was a large table off to one side of the room, and an opulent four-poster bed opposite it. But her attention was soon drawn to the center, where two chairs had been set up, facing each other. In one chair, the one facing her, sat High Inquisitor Whitemane.

She was unchanged from the last time she had seen the terrible scarlet witch. Her hair, still the unnatural pale blonde, was tied in a single plait behind her. She wore the same scandalous garb she had always worn in front of her father (so it hadn't been a ploy to seduce him, evidently), and wore red chapeau atop her head, giving her much more of a priestly look. Her legs were crossed, and she had laced her fingers together in front of her. She was the picture of patience and serenity; smiling a beatific, if disgustingly faux, smile at her.

She rose when Kira came fully into the room, and gave a heavy sigh of relief.

"Praise to the light that you are safe, Kira. I have been terribly worried, having heard that you went missing all those months ago. To think that you have come to this place, safe and sound. I am glad that—"

"Shut up!"

Whitemane stopped smiling, appearing quite shocked. "W-what?"

Kira's patience had been obliterated the moment Whitemane had opened her mouth. To hear her speak such words, as if she actually cared, as if she were her mother or something, infuriated the girl. Who did this bitch think she was? She had destroyed her father, and now had the gall to act like she was worried for Kira's safety?

"You have no right to say anything about my safety, you monster! You're the one who put me in such danger in the first place! How dare you act like that!" she cried.

Whitemane still looked stunned. She began to recover, asking, "What do you mean, Kira? What have I done that—"

Kira nearly slapped the woman. She was even trying to deny it! It made the hate and anger that she had buried for so long, and the sadness too, surge up and nearly burst from like a volcano erupting. While he had promised herself she would remain civil, it was long past that point. She could not contain her disgust, her fury, or the pained sadness that still lingered any longer.

"YOU KILLED MY FATHER!" she screamed. "YOU TURNED MY PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND HAVE HELPED DESTROY THE ALLIANCES THAT HELPED MY KINGDOM PROSPER! HOW CAN YOU EVEN BEGIN TO THINK THAT YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING?"

Kylia had backed away from her mistress, eyes wide. The room still rang with the girl's words, and Kira was shaking madly. There were tears in eyes, the sadness of her father's death bleeding forth again, the wound reopened.

Whitemane looked at her with wide, unblinking eyes for a moment. Then, the kindness in her eyes died a little, and she looked down.

"So that is it?" she asked, her posture sinking slightly in the chair, giving her a brooding pose.

Kira wiped the tears from her eyes, and stared straight into the gaudy, fake emeralds that were Whitemane's eyes. "Yes," she said, coldly. What more was to be said? She had made it clear her intentions, and now she knew that something was going to happen. She readied herself for whatever it may be.

Even so, she was unprepared for Whitemane's next words.

"Forgive me, little princess, but you are a fool."

Kira's eyes narrowed. "What?"

Whitemane stood, clasping her hands behind her as she did. Her face was hidden from Kira, as he had turned away and down. "I would like to ask you what I possibly had to gain from doing what you speak of."

Kira hardly blinked, answering almost as soon as the last word left Whitemane's mouth. "To get my people to join your ranks and support you!" she cried. "To cause as much dissention and create a rift in the my people so that you gain more people to continue your horrible crusade against everyone non-human on this world!"

Whitemane glared at her, showing an immense amount of emotion swirling in her jewel-like eyes. There was so much of it that she wasn't able to tell exactly what Whitemane was feeling, but she soon made it known.

"Do you see soldiers out there, girl?" Whitemane's tone was now clipped. The warmth and calmness that she had demonstrated before were gone, not even a memory.  
"I ask you, do you see a single person out there who is capable of helping me in any way? Do you see those people getting up and fighting, or even willing to fight?"

Kira blinked, bewildered. She had not seen anyone like that, to be sure. There had been mostly women, children, and older people. There had been men, to be sure, but none of them had looked like they were able, or even wanted to fight.

Whitemane continued, her eyes blazing. "I did not accept those people in here with the hope that I could make them into Crusaders, girl. I have not supported and given them shelter just because I intend to use them. I took them in because no one else would; because right now your city is in turmoil and they cannot stand to see it in such a way, and because they need help and I intend to give it to them!"

Kira's face went white for a moment in sheer astonishment. For a second she had let the woman's words touch her, wondering if what she said could possibly be true. But just as quickly, it reverted once more into rage, and she stalked forwards angrily.

"But you brought them here!" she bellowed. "You're the cause of the turmoil, you and your Crusaders spoke lies to my people, turning them against each other! If you hadn't come then none of this would have happened!"

Whitemane stalked forwards as well, as furious as Kira. "What reason would I have for doing that? I wanted an alliance with your father! I wanted, yes, to continue the Crusade for which my people have been named, but I wanted to do it with your father! I wanted for him to help me, and wanted to help him, destroy the Lich King and the awful monsters that plague this world!" Her face was white with rage, and her fists were clenched tightly at her sides. She was shaking so much that it almost looked as if she was going to have a seizure. "How dare you accuse me of doing such a thing! I wanted to help the people of this world, and I did not want at all to hurt your father, whose death has hit me as hard as it has you!"

Kira's choler then reached a crescendo. It flooded her body, igniting each vein, artery, each nerve and cell; she had never hated anyone more in that moment. She had never believed herself capable of such wrath, but at that moment it took all of her remaining willpower not to kill Whitemane where she stood.

'_How dare she! HOW DARE SHE EVEN COMPARE HERSELF TO ME LIKE THAT! HOW DARE SHE SAY THAT MY FATHER'S DEATH AFFECTED HER IN ANY WAY!'_ she thundered within. Out loud, she spoke, her voice deathly silent, every word laden with enough explosive hatred to raze a city.

"What…makes you think…you can say something like that…?"

Whitemane stared back at her, and for a single moment, her features softened.

A single emotion passed through her eyes, a signal flare in the eye of the storm.

Kira's rage died instantly. She backed away, as if terrified, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

'_No…'_ she thought. It couldn't be true. Something like that wasn't possible.

"No," she repeated aloud, taking a step backwards, her body going numb.

Whitemane's rage died too. She looked almost defeated. "Why is that so hard to believe?"

"It can't be true!" Kira cried. "Someone like you can't have…!"

Whitemane smiled sadly, sitting back down in the chair and slumping. "Have fallen in love?" the woman offered.

Kira felt sick; because this horrible witch had somehow fallen in love with her father, who was now dead, and because she had believed that someone like Whitemane couldn't fall in love: Benedictus had called her and her faction monsters.

And monsters couldn't fall in love.

But it was more than that. Whitemane's reaction, her posture, everything, all seemed genuine. There was nothing false about her words; even the emotions that she felt wafting from the woman could not be faked. Because of this, Kira was suddenly introduced to the slayer of every belief and dream.

Doubt.

Had Benedictus been wrong? Had it been someone else who had killed her father, and Whitemane's intentions had been nothing but beneficial? Had all of this been necessary?

Now Kira truly did wish for Naruto's company. His words, she knew, could make anyone feel better.

But, even if he wasn't there, she could borrow something from him.

His never-ending tenacity; his rock-solid belief in everything he did and said. It was about time that she learned something from him, for it was something that had gotten them here today.

Kira steeled herself. She adopted a demure attitude, and deflated. "I'm going," she said, turning and walking back towards the door.

Whitemane said nothing in response, and Kira took a final look at the woman's bowed head, and her quietly shaking shoulders. Before the doubt could return, Kira left the room, Kylia in tow.

But she did not know that the shaking shoulders were not from tears, but from silent, sadistic laughter. Whitemane looked up, just as Kira left, with a broad, insane grin stretched across her beautiful face.

* * *

"And these are the stables, where the horses are kept!" said Maya, pointing to the long row of simple looking stables with thatched roves, only half of which housed a horse. Naruto nodded, his eyes having long since melted into a bored squint. He had clasped his hands behind his head and had been walking along like that since Maya had started the tour. He was only half-listening, for he had other things on his mind.

Kira's brush-off, for instance; at first he had been rather angry that Kira had done something like that. It was a rather sharp reminder of what most of his childhood had been like, and it was the first time Kira had done something like that. But as he thought about it, he realized that he'd be butting in to a very personal situation with her. She probably figured that he'd blurt something out that would make someone angry, and had accounted for that by telling him not to come.

Still, as much as he trusted her, he felt as if it would have been better for him to be there. Kira-chan was strong, no doubt, but no way was she strong enough to even put a dent in the sheer number of Crusaders that he had seen walking around. If they turned hostile, Kira and Kylia would be doomed.

But then again, she probably wouldn't let that happen, since she had a much better grip on her tongue that Naruto himself did.

Nevertheless, Naruto brooded the majority of the tour, only nodding every so often to make it seem like he was paying attention. It was something he had learned during Iruka's lectures in the Academy.

The Scarlet Monastery was massive. Naruto had had really no idea how large it was, but it far surpassed what he felt a monastery should be like. He and Ero-sennin had passed by one or two in the six months he had trained in the Fire country; they were small, fortified places with only a few aging monks, who spent all their time drinking tea and blubbering about philosophical topics Naruto didn't understand. They had also possessed none of the extravagance and beauty that this place had. Weren't monks supposed to be simple folk? This place reminded him more of a small town than a building, and its people were comprised of mainly soldiers.

Not a single Crusader that he could see walked without a weapon by their side. These weapons ranged from small daggers to immense war maces strapped across their backs. They passed places where Maya told them early morning training exercises were done, and spotted a group of Crusaders marching in a frighteningly militaristic fashion. The Scarlet Crusaders, evidently, were as hooked on discipline as they were on destroying the undead.

After a while, he got bored (that is, bored to a point where he couldn't take it any more, and decided that he needed to do something about it). Looking over at Maya, who had lapsed into silence and was focused on leading them to the next place on the tour, Naruto asked, "Why'd you join the Scarlet Crusade?"

Maya looked at him in surprise, then her face drooped and she sighed. She didn't speak for a moment, simply remembering.

"My family used to live in Tarren Mill, a long time ago, before I was even born. Back then it was a prosperous town, until Sylvanas and her Forsaken attacked and took it over. My parents then took my two older sisters and fled into the mountains, where they and bunch of other survivors rebuilt a small portion of the town, and tried to live in peace. I was born there, and lived there until I was around six years old." She then gulped, and took a few deep breaths, trying to steady herself. Naruto winced at his foolish words; he had obviously brought up some very painful memories for the girl.

After another deep breath, she continued. "When I was six, a massive band of Scourge came…and they utterly wiped the village out. They killed and infected everyone…but me. I watched as they tore my father and mother to pieces, before my sisters tried to get me away, and fight them off. They were killed too, but thanks to them I managed to get away into the forest. I just wandered along for a while; I didn't have a family anymore, so I figured I would probably die.

"But I didn't," she said, looking up, most of her sadness gone. "I was picked up by a group of Crusaders, who took me to the monastery. They did some tests to see if I was infected, and I wasn't, so they let me stay here. But I didn't want to just stay here like some, and just be a bother, so I joined the Seekers. I'm still training, but I'm on my way to becoming someone who can help destroy those evil monsters for good," she smiled at him. "The Scarlet Crusade are going to be the ones to get rid of the Scourge, I know it. I'm going to do all that I can to help them in that endeavor!"

Naruto smiled faintly. He wasn't sure if she was going in the right direction, but her dream was definitely admirable—it wasn't at all that different from Kira's. So he gave her a grin and a nod, to show that he thought what she was doing was okay in his book. She smiled back, proud to have a supporter.

They continued walking, and Maya pointed out a few rooms where some of the monks lived and conducted teachings. Naruto quickly grew bored again, and so he once more tried to divert Maya's attention from their surroundings, and back to something that was both useful and more interesting.

"How do you guys plan to keep feeding and housing all these people? There are a lot of them, so do you plan to just keep them here forever?"

Maya shifted. "I don't know. I imagine Lady Whitemane and Commander Mograine have an idea of what they are going to do, but I really cannot say. It has me bothered too."

Naruto nodded, lapsing back into his previous position, with his hands behind his head.

"But…" said Maya, frowning suddenly. "What bothers me more is the fact that many people who came here originally have left, quite mysteriously."

Naruto looked at her in surprise. "Disappeared?"

The girl nodded. "We have had numerous people coming to us saying that they woke up one morning and their husband or son or daughter or brother or…well the list goes on. There are a lot less people than when they originally began arriving. Many of us are not sure what to make of it."

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "Could the other Crusaders, the older ones I mean, have something to do with it?"

She gave him a confused look. "Why would they keep such things from us? I believe they are as baffled as we are, and so they have even posted more guards near the entrance to ensure that they are not being captured, or even led away by some otherworldly force. Why would you think that they knew?"

Naruto shrugged. "This place is supposed to be the safest place for miles, right? How safe can it be if you guys don't know what happened to a group of people you are taking care of?"

Inwardly, he was sighing. Even a nice girl like Maya seemed to be blinded to the thought that her faction might be the one that was doing something wrong.

Maya looked alarmed for a moment. "It is safe!" she cried, defensively. "But there are a lot of people, Naruto, how can we expect to keep track of all of them?"

Naruto shrugged. "Dunno, but you have quite a few people yourself. Most of the refugees are gathered in one place, you know? I'm not trying to say that the Crusade has anything to do with it…but you have to keep your mind open…okay?"

Maya frowned at him. "Even if we did have something to do with it, it is likely that they are safe and will be returned to their families soon enough." She then looked at him severely. "We are a just and noble faction, and all humans are our friends, Naruto. We're here to protect them, not hurt them!"

Naruto shrugged again. The two of them then lapsed into silence. After a few minutes, Naruto shot a look at Maya, and saw that she was thinking quite hard. He grinned mentally. At least he had gotten her to consider it. He wished he could have such great luck with all girls.

Then, maybe, he'd be able to get Sakura-chan to go on a date with him.

Eventually, to Naruto's surprise, they ended up right back in the main entrance room where he and the rest had been tested for the Plague when they had first arrived. They stood in the frame of a smaller doorway, while the three doors that led to the Library, Cathedral, and Armory lay on his right, and the exit passage his left. The room was deserted, save for a few guards who watched them as they walked towards the Cathedral entrance. Naruto glanced at the two other doors.

"Aren't we going in those?" he asked.

Maya shook her head, blushing a little. "I'm afraid not. They only let those who are needed in there. Not even I can go in without permission from Master Astonius or another senior officer."

Naruto sighed, but nodded. The Library would have been boring anyways, but he believed he was missing out on the Armory.

They descended the staircase that led to the courtyard, and to Naruto's surprise, they encountered Bart, who was walking up towards them.

"Where are you going?" asked Naruto, not really expecting an answer.

Bart thought a moment, stopping a few feet in front of them, and then made a bunch of weird hand motions, which Naruto guessed was a type of sign language. Maya was just as confused as he, so the two of them just stared at Bart for a few moments, while he tried, in vain, to tell them what he was trying to say.

"Where's Matt?" asked Naruto, frowning. He hadn't expected the old man to leave his brother.

In response, Bart let out a rather obnoxious fart, and pointed to the offending orifice.

This time, both Naruto and Maya understood, much to their disgust.

Bart moved on past them, and just as he walked past Naruto, he swayed suddenly, as if he was going to fall.

Naruto grabbed him, quickly, and steadied him. "You okay?" he asked, again not expecting much of an answer.

But he got one.

"Don't say anything," Bart whispered, his voice startlingly familiar. "You need to get these people out of here, fast. If you don't, they're all going to die. This isn't a joke, and it will be on your hands if you don't act quickly. I'll try to stall as long as possible, but I'll have to do it eventually. I'm going to release a plague, and it's going to kill everyone who is infected with it and that doesn't have immunity to it…like Myr and me. Now go, as fast as you can."

And then he was gone. Naruto stared forwards, unblinking, Fen's words ringing in his ears. Maya asked him something, but he didn't hear it. Grabbing the girl by the arm, Naruto bolted down the stairs towards the courtyard. He needed to find Kira, and fast.

* * *

_Perhaps I should explain a couple of things—namely, our disguises, and our supposed "immunity" to Sylvanas' homemade plague cocktail._

_The disguises are pretty simple to explain—the Royal Apothecary Society designed them for the sole purpose of infiltrating human settlements. Now, here's the thing—there is a technique that is taught to rogues like Myrdraxxis that achieves much the same affect. However, it is just an illusion, and could be seen through if one was intelligent enough._

_Now, because Sylvanas is hooked on changing things that would benefit her more (a delightful trait, In my humble opinion) she decided to add some insurance, and thus make sure that every infiltration job worked out splendidly. So, gathering the nerds of the Apothecary Society together, she had them create a synthetic "suit" which could be applied over our bodies, much like human skin. It even smelled like human skin, felt like human skin, and could bleed like human skin. It could be molded for a short period of time before it hardened, and then it lasted for several days—and voila, one becomes a perfect imitation of a human._

_So we used those, and became Matt Siscardry (which, phonetically, if you haven't noticed, is Myrdraxxis' name short one letter, which was added onto his first name) and Bart._

But how did we fool the "plague-sensing" technique? Easy. It's basically a life-sensing technique, so Sylvanas gave us little stones that she keeps on hand, called soulstones, which contain the soul and life energy of someone whom Sylvanas didn't like particularly. 

_So we just slip those around our necks, and when the time comes, use a bit of chakra to hide our own life energy, and let the technique do its work. We don't have much life energy anyways, and so that makes it easy to hide. _

_The "immunity" is much the same. Faranell (as much as I despise him, he is rather smart) developed something to help protect us from being slain by Sylvanas' own concoction, which makes no difference between Scourge and Forsaken. _

_So there you have it. Armed with my "human suit" and my immunity, and a batch of plague, I headed towards my intended target—the Scarlet Library, where almost a third of the entire population of monks hang out, copying, reading, and doing whatever regular monks do._

_The Library had been chosen because it was a popular spot, and therefore a very large number of people could be infected at once, and thus the plague could be spread faster. I knew that setting it off in the middle of the crowd of people would have achieved the same effect, but you know the reason why I didn't. I wanted to give Naruto and Kira a chance to get those people to safety. _

_Surprisingly, Myrdraxxis had not contested my decision to attack the Library first. He himself turned out to be heading to the Armory, another place where there would be a great many Crusaders gathered. He wouldn't, however, likely waste as much time, so I prayed that Naruto and Kira would be able to get those people out in time._

_If they didn't, then they'd all be dead._

_

* * *

_

The air was thick with the tangy musk of hardworking men, with a slight hint of the coppery scent of blood. Myrdraxxis had entered the Armory not too long ago, weaving through many long halls and spotting few Crusaders along it. His body was hidden from view with a special technique taught to all rogues—_Camouflage_, something that while it didn't make him invisible, made his body the same as whatever background he had. In the dark, it was impossible to see him, and even in the light it was difficult.

He sought the training hall—a massive room where the Scarlet Crusade trained all of their new warriors under the watchful eye of the strongest warrior of them all.

Herod, The Scarlet Champion.

But he had not yet gotten even close to that place, for he had been distracted by something. Something that made even him sick.

Deep within the confines of the Armory, there was a place that had little to do with training warriors to combat the undead Scourge. He had discovered it due to two young trainees being led by a senior officer through a trick wall, which led into one of the most gruesome places Myrdraxxis had ever laid eyes on.

A torture chamber.

He had seen very few such places in his life. There were no torture chambers in the Undercity (aside from Faranell's lab, that is), because there was really no need for them. Sylvanas herself could extract anything from anyone, without the use of violence. But Myrdraxxis had seen quite a lot of death in his life, from being a rogue for the Alliance and assassinating many of its enemies, to being a rogue for Sylvanas, and carrying out her most treacherous and bloody missions.

But this was something that crossed every moral line that had ever been made: a place where the stones were so stained with blood that they seemed to glow red in the darkness, and the smell of death was so intense that it hung like fog in the air. He saw devices of all sorts, each of which could be employed to make a person spew their innermost secrets and any sought after information in the most ghastly of ways. He saw cages, sitting in a corner—some occupied by still living humans, watching the horrors that went on below as their minds snapped in two from sheer terror. He saw the remains of victims of the atrocities that went on in the room, piled in a corner. Some had rotted away to just the bones, while others were still in that process—from ones still bloated with gas and fluid, stiff as boards, to ones that had deflated, their skin stretched tightly across their faces like masks.

In the middle of the room, a tall, ghastly looking man stood, addressing the two trainees and the other officer. He was dressed in robes of a different color than the others, one much darker, more like blood. His hair was dark, greasy, and matted, and didn't look like it had ever been washed, even after the tortures that had likely stained his clothes. His face was pinched and his nose hooked, and he was scowling at everything. Myrdraxxis did not know what he was saying, but then again, he didn't bother to listen.

Observing the death around him again, Myrdraxxis came to a single conclusion—these people had to die. As driven as he was to complete the Dark Lady's mission, he could not stand to let such atrocities go unpunished, and seeing as how he was in the very same room, hidden behind the camouflage technique that all rogues were taught, it made sense to dispose of them by his own hand.

He moved without a sound, leaping across the room and landing directly behind the three Crusaders the man was addressing. The only sound they heard was the sudden drawing his blades, before all three collapsed to the ground, their heads falling just a moment later, spewing blood in every direction.

The man who had been addressing them was drenched in the blood, but didn't seem to mind it so much. Before Myrdraxxis could attack him, however, he drew a disgusting looking dagger, covered in dried blood and adorned with wicked spines along the blade, and attacked the rogue, his clever eyes spotting Myrdraxxis amidst the carnage, despite his camouflage.

Myrdraxxis parried the man's initial strike, and then thrust forwards with his other blade.

He was met with the man's hand, locking around his blade and then wrenching it to the side. The blade bit into the man's flesh, but he only seemed to enjoy it.

The man leaned forwards, both of them still struggling to push the other back, and said in a soft, deadly voice, "What brings you here, Forsaken? I haven't had one of you to play with in quite a while…" he smiled a perverted smile, and looked at the blood dripping from his hand. "Feels nice, Forsaken. I don't feel pain…I am Interrogator Vishas, how do you do?"

Myrdraxxis didn't answer. He had always refused to speak during battle, for it not only wasted time, but also energy. Ending the tussle, Myrdraxxis spun away, wrenching his dagger from the man's grip. Vishas ran forwards after him, but once again Myrdraxxis blocked his attack. He countered with a powerful kick to Vishas' belly, driving the air from his lungs and knocking him backwards.

The interrogator of the Scarlet Crusade got up swiftly, hardly winded, and once again feeling no pain; he warded off a strike at his head, and then plunged his dagger forwards, hoping to hit the Forsaken.

Myrdraxxis leapt over the blow, spinning in mid-air like the arms of a windmill, his blades forming a deadly circle around him. The first one scythed through Vishas' outstretched left arm, causing it and the weapon it clutched to drop to the floor. Blood shot from the wound, but still Vishas did not show the slightest bit of agony. He merely grinned, and stared at Myrdraxxis, who had landed beside him, through one sickly, burgundy eye.

"Ouch," he mocked softly. With his remaining hand, he formed a half seal, and then raised the bleeding stump that had once been his arm. The blood stopped spraying, suddenly, and began to come together into a solid mass, which gradually lengthened into the shape of an arm.

Moving the fingers on his new arm, Vishas smiled sickeningly at Myrdraxxis. "What naughty secrets do you hold, Forsaken? Let me rip them from you!"

He stretched the bloody arm forwards, molding another half-seal, and immediately the appendage shot out in a long, sharp spike. Myrdraxxis leapt to the side, avoiding being punctured, and then moved forwards as fast as he could, aiming for Vishas' guts. The interrogator, however, turned and whipped the spike of blood at him. Long spines shot out from it, adding extra distance and deadliness to the makeshift weapon, but Myrdraxxis ducked beneath it, never breaking stride. He slammed his left dagger into the man's side, puncturing a kidney, and in the same instant drove the other through his chest. Blood exploded from Vishas' mouth, and the newly created wounds, but he did not appear to be in pain. With a cry of delight, he drove the arm of blood, now a claw, into Myrdraxxis' right shoulder. The long blade-like claws sunk in all the way, spilling greenish ichor onto the ground.

Forsaken did not have blood; all that flowed in their veins now was the essence of Undeath, a sickly green perversion of the essence of a human's life. It was one of the reasons the Scarlet Crusade hated them so: they were not creatures, merely corruptions of the greatest race on Azeroth. They were the opposite of everything that was human, right down to the color of their blood.

The two fighters parted; Myrdraxxis grunting, and Vishas snickering. The wounds in his side and chest were no longer bleeding, and he was looking at the green bile that drenched his fingers now. "So many secrets…" the man mused. "It isn't good to keep so many secrets. You even hide your pain…why? Reveal to me your secrets, Forsaken…REVEAL THEM!"

The interrogator rushed forwards again, bringing his claw back to deliver a fatal blow to Myrdraxxis' head. The Forsaken's right arm hung limp, still clutching his black dagger, and it appeared for a moment that he had resigned himself to death at the hands of this madman. But at the very last second, when the sharp tips of Vishas' blood claws were mere inches from his face, he moved. Both blades, in an instant, were thrust forwards, slamming with bone-breaking force into Vishas' chest. The mighty force of the attack sent him flying, both blades still buried in him. The wall cracked beneath the force of Vishas' flight, and there he remained still, leaning against the slight indentation he had made in the wall. Blood stained the wall behind him, and the ground beneath him; it dribbled from his mouth and chest, forming a pool at his feet, and drenching his robes even more.

He was still smiling, and as Myrdraxxis walked towards him, began to struggle to move.

"Did…I not say…that I do not feel pain?" he asked, lifting a hand, and grabbing the hilt of one of the daggers puncturing his chest. "You'll have to do more than that…Forsaken."

Myrdraxxis stared at him for a while, as the interrogator attempted to ready himself again. His face twisted into a Forsaken scowl: his mouth could not, so the rest of his face did.

"Prepare for it then…" said Myrdraxxis, forming a seal in front of him. "For it shall be all you feel in second."

Within the bleeding flesh of his chest, in between his lungs and liver, the black blades began to glow bright purple. For a moment, Vishas stood stalk still, a very strange feeling coming over him.

Then…

He screamed.

Jolts of purple electricity erupted from his body, arcing around him in a fantastic display of light and sound. His body began to convulse, and his blood arm began to bubble and burn. Vishas gave a terrible final scream, feeling all the pain that he had ever inflicted upon his victims, and died, his body burnt to nothing more than bones.

"There are no things greater than **Tuska** and **Poena** in causing pain, fool," Myrdraxxis rumbled, pulling the two blades from the Vishas' charred ribcage. Sheathing them, he made his way across the room, back towards the wall, before he spotted something out of the corner of his eye.

Huddled in one of the cages, a man watched him. He was filthy, covered in grime and dirt, and a bit of blood, too. He was shaking madly, watching Myrdraxxis with wide eyes. Out of the three humans that appeared to still be living, he was the only one that was moving.

Myrdraxxis walked towards him, and he backed as far away into the cage as possible. He made a few pitiful sounds, his eyes going wide with fear. Myrdraxxis stopped in front of the cage, and drew his dagger in a flourish, destroying the lock. He turned, and walked away.

"Get out, if you can," was all he said. Then he left, seeking his original target once more. The training hall wouldn't be far, he knew.

The man watched him disappear through the trick wall, back into the Armory. Then, he scrambled from the cage, and ran.

He needed to find his wife.

He needed to tell everyone of what was happening.

The Scarlet Crusade was not going to help them.

They were going to kill them.

* * *

_You expect that? Seems Myr does have a heart, metaphorically speaking._

_

* * *

_

As Myrdraxxis was leaving the torture chamber, Fen was grunting as he leaped behind a bookcase just in time to avoid being seen by a group of Scarlet monks that were heading in his direction. He had just arrived in the Library, and had just realized that he wasn't exactly the best person to be doing the "stealth thing" (as he like to call it in front of Myrdraxxis). Not being nearly as fit or as nimble as the rogue, he had been relying on sheer luck to avoid being seen.

Now, Sylvanas would not have sent Fen unless she was sure he could handle himself in such a situation. She also never sent any of her warriors unprepared, and this case was no exception. She had given him, courtesy of Master Apothecary Faranell, a large bottle filled with bluish liquid, the color of the sky. Now, aside from being rather pretty, this had a purpose—it could be applied topically, over the synthetic skin that still covered Fen's entire body, and would make him invisible for a short time. There was a cost to it, however, and that was that the skin would disappear rather swiftly after applied, so it only lasted a few minutes.

Which was plenty of time for him to get in, drop the Plague, and run.

However, he hesitated in using it. It was not because he rather enjoyed his human form (and he did, really), but because Faranell, the wonderful Master Apothecary, had been the one to make it. Fen was wary of anything that Faranell made. He knew it was stupid, but he'd rather take his chances with the Crusade then put something mixed up by Faranell on. He'd feel unclean.

But, after narrowly dodging another group of Crusaders, he gave a resigned sigh and drew the bottle from a bag inside his robes. Uncorking it, he poured the liquid over his head, draining the entire bottle, and covering himself in the bluish liquid. He must have looked extremely interesting, at that moment, standing covered in blue liquid, waiting for it to take effect.

Soon it did, and after shuddering a bit (both because of the icy feeling the liquid was bringing, and because he was now covered in something that had likely been touched by Faranell at some point), Fen looked at himself.

Or rather, the lack thereof.

Smiling proudly, Fen moved. He had to get to the very center of the Library, where the most people would be. Then he'd just drop the Plague and leave. It would take, he hoped, some time before it reached the courtyard, and thus allow Naruto and Kira plenty of time to get the people out.

He cheerily waved at a passing group of monks, who couldn't see him, as he made his way deeper into the Library. It was amazing how many books were there. He would have stopped to admire them, being a writer and all, but he didn't quite have the time.

It wasn't long before he reached a massive circular area, in the middle of rows and rows of books. There were few tables lying around, but to his annoyance, there wasn't anybody there.

In fact, it was almost deserted.

He frowned. Dimly, he remembered something that a passing monk had been talking about: "Doan wants to be alone" or something along those lines.

'_Doan…'_ he wondered, wracking his brain for any knowledge of such a person. Finding none, he sighed. Releasing the plague when nobody was around would do nothing, and so that meant he had to search for somewhere else to set it off in.

He listened for a while, hearing nothing but voices in the distance, carried through the aisles of bookshelves from all parts of the great library. He cursed. He'd just have to pick a direction and go, hoping it would lead him to a much more populated place.

But it was then that he heard the slight, but very near, shuffle of feet, and whirling around, he spotted a very old man, dressed in scarlet robes, shuffling towards one of the desks, his face buried in an absurdly large book. Fen watched, blinking, as the old man set the book on the table, and then lowered himself gingerly into one of the chairs nearby, his eyes never leaving it. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles in front of a pair of bronze colored eyes; had long, white hair with a receding hairline, and a trim beard.

As interesting as the old man was, Fen needed to move. Turning towards an aisle that he had not yet traveled through, he started to move, only to be stopped by a raspy voice that, though soft, still managed to echo throughout the area.

"And where do you think you're going, young man?"

Fen blinked. He looked around, wondering if there was someone he had missed. But the area was deserted, leaving only him and the old man.

"Yes," the ancient scholar said. "I do mean you, Forsaken. Come a little closer, I am old, and my eyes are not what they used to be."

Fen stood stalk still. "How did you know I was here?"

The man made an impatient noise. "_A mixture of_ _Khadgar's whiskers and Kingsblood, boiled over an open flame, and then strained and added into a mixture of earthroot and Peacebloom. Add a dash of powdered silverleaf, some murloc blood, and the fur of a shadowmaw panther. _That is the recipe for the potion of invisibility, dear boy. I know it by heart, and I can smell each ingredient. Do you take me for a fool?"

Fen shrugged. "That or senile, but they really go hand in hand. So you discovered me…exactly what do you intend to do about it?"

The old man sighed, and shut the book with a clap. He looked up at Fen, his eyes the color of bronze, and said calmly. "I intend to kill you. Or rather, destroy you and then use your body in my experiments." He stood, stretching, and then turned to face Fen, who seemed amused by the man's actions.

"I look forward to it, old man," he said, throwing off the old brown cloak that he had been wearing all this time, revealing his green robes. The bluish liquid had yet to dissolve the remaining faux skin, but now that he had been discovered, it would do no good. Reaching up, he ripped the skin away, revealing his true face, which was stretched into a Forsaken grin.

The old man adjusted his spectacles, and then spoke.

"_And the Light spoke to him, and filled him with its everlasting glory. 'The Darkness must be punished, and it is with this that I give you the instrument to do so.' And he accepted, and forevermore the Darkness would be crushed by the unending power of Light. _I am Arcanist Doan. I do not know how you made it in here, Forsaken, but it pleases me, for I have not fought in many years."

* * *

"Kira-chan!"

Naruto had dragged Maya, who was protesting that she could walk just fine on her own all the way, up to where there things had remained in a heap amongst the other refugees of Stormwind. The girl, along with Kylia, was already there.

"Naruto?" said Kira, blinking at Naruto's state. "What's wrong? Never mind…we need to—"

"We gotta get everyone out of here right now!" Naruto half-shouted, drawing confused looks from everyone near him. Kira blushed and flashed them all a reassuring smile, before she grabbed Naruto and pulled him down.

"Quiet!" she whispered quickly. Then, she smiled. "But you took the words right out of my mouth."

She did not believe Whitemane's words. She had come here believing what her master had said. It was Whitemane who had killed her father, and that she knew. She had not loved him. Ever since Kira had left her meeting with the woman, she had been working on a plan to get her people out of this place.

But Naruto shook his head viciously, and said in an urgent whisper, "You don't understand! We have to get them out now, or else they'll all die!"

Kira frowned. "What?"

Naruto quickly told her of his meeting with Fen. At the end, her face went white, and she began to shake.

'_Sylvanas…did she order that?'_ she thought, stunned. If Fenritt and Myrdraxxis were there, then that was the only explanation. But why? Why had she planned it now? Was it just a coincidence, or had it been because of her meeting with the Dark Lady?

She looked desperately at Naruto. "We have to do something!"

The blonde nodded. He crossed his arms a moment, and squinted his eyes, thinking hard. It was only a moment before he grinned and looked at her.

"Got it."

He stood up, took a deep breath, and then shouted masterfully, his words as dangerous as gunshots. He suddenly had everyone's attention.

"UNDEAD!" he roared.

A sea of heads whipped towards him, eyes wide.

"THERE ARE UNDEAD IN THIS PLACE! WE JUST SAW THEM! EVERYONE HAS TO LEAVE, NOW! THEY'RE PLANNING TO DESTROY THIS PLACE AND EVERYONE IN IT!"

The crowd of people didn't move for a moment, though panicked looks broke out across their faces, and many began to shift. It was such a Naruto plan that Kira immediately saw what he was doing. He was telling the truth, to all of them. He was facing the problem head on, as he usually did.

She got to her feet. It was only when Kira stood and shouted, that they truly reacted.

"HE'S NOT LYING!" she cried. "THEY ARE AGENTS OF THE LICH KING! STAND UP AND FLEE! THIS PLACE IS NO LONGER SAFE!"

Many, upon seeing Kira, gasped as they recognized her. It was the princess! Whispers soon broke out, as the news that their princess had returned to them spread. The ones nearest to Kira approached her, looking stunned.

"Princess Kira!" an old woman gasped, coming forwards. "We thought you were…"

"It doesn't matter!" she screamed. "Everyone, please, listen to me! This place is no longer safe! You need to leave, as fast as you can! Swords and shields cannot protect you from the weapon they plan to use! I swear on my father's name that this is no lie!"

Fear once again rippled through the crowd. People began to rise, gathering their belongings as their princess' words rang in their ears. Nearby Crusaders sought desperately to restore order to things. They approached large groups, assuring them that nothing was true, that the girl was obviously mistaken. But their assurances fell on deaf ears. Kira's heart soared when she saw that her people trusted her more than the Crusade. While she had made very few official public appearances, she had met many of them during her wanderings in Stormwind. It was something Benedictus had told her grandfather had done.

A ruler's relationship with his people was the most important aspect of being a good ruler. A good relationship, one based on trust, had and always would make a kingdom prosper.

Kira could not keep the smile of her face as her people rose in great waves, readying themselves to leave. She knew that part of the reason why they were so quick to obey was that she hadn't mentioned anything about the Crusaders. These people had supported the alliance with them, and thus mentioning them in any negative fashion would have ignited the fierce debate once more, and she would have lost their trust. The other was the simple mention of the undead—creatures of their nightmares in Stormwind, but a very real threat in this place. It was like shouting fire into a crowded building in any other circumstance. But thankfully, people were thinking, and did not break out into pandemonium.

But people were confused. Like sheep, they wanted to know where to go, and what to do. If this place wasn't safe, then what other place was there?

"Down the road!" she cried. "Towards the Plaguelands! The Argent Dawn can offer all of you protection!" She hoped they could, at least. Anything would be better than leaving them here.

People began to move, despite the Crusaders' continued attempts to get them to stay. Some remained where they were, intent on staying where they believed it was safe, but still they did not look entirely confident that what they were doing was right. What if she was right?

Sometimes, Kira learned, doubt could be a very good thing.

But suddenly, a voice rang over the crowd, titanic, nearly drowning the furious mutterings and panicked cries. The windy sea of winds changed direction once again, turning towards the door that led out of the courtyard, towards the monastery's exit.

Scarlet Commander Mograine, garbed in his glowing scarlet regalia, stood, his body filling the doorframe completely. His scowl seemed even more intense now, and it all seemed to be directed at Kira.

"We have destroyed them."

Kira's eyes went wide. Naruto's did too. What was he talking about?

Mograine continued. "We have already captured and destroyed the undead that young miss Kira and her friend has mentioned. You are safe. The weapon they plan to use has been destroyed as well. You have my word that you are in no danger in this place. You are protected by the blessed Light, and always shall be."

To Naruto and Kira's horror, people began to settle down. They were relieved.

Naruto's idea and Kira's hope had both been shattered to pieces. To shout anymore would make them look like fools, fear-mongers, even, and she didn't want that. At this point, there was nothing she could say or do that would turn the tides back on the Crusaders. She looked desperately at Naruto, her eyes wide.

'_What will we do?'_ was the message that her eyes conveyed to the blonde. He was scowling. They needed to get these people out of there, and right now that seemed impossible. Fighting wouldn't do anything, for once, and thus he had no real idea of what he was going to do.

But, whether it was his damned luck, or an act of whatever gods existed in this world, the opportunity came.

"Stop!"

The shout, from a guard at the top of the stairs, echoed through the stairwell behind Mograine, and half-turning to see what was happening, he was unable to block the way of a small, emaciated man, with ripped, dirty clothes and a bloody face and matted hair. He tore past Mograine, faster than one would have thought a man in such a state was capable of, and fell to the ground in front of the crowd, who stared at him with wide eyes.

"H-help!" he rasped. His voice was thick with fluid and he coughed a few times, spitting up blood onto the grass, making many back away in fear that he had some sort of sickness.

"R-run!" he cried again. "R-run! G-get away! M-monsters! MONSTERS!"

"Oh my god!"

More heads swiveled, and the crowd parted for a middle aged woman, who rushed across the courtyard and dropped to her knees in front of the man, clutching at him madly, tears in her eyes.

"Paul!" she cried. "Paul! You're back! Oh my god, I thought you had disappeared! Where have you been? You're back! You're back!" she sobbed, hugging the man tighter.

He didn't seem to notice her. His eyes were wide, and he was staring forwards dumbly as she clutched him, before he wrestled himself from her grip and scrambled away.

"Monsters!" he cried again. He stretched out his hand, and pointed. "MONSTERS! K-killed them all!"

His finger was pointed straight at Mograine, who was now the center of attention once more. The Scarlet Commander's face was placid as he stared down at the man.

"I-insane! A-all of them! Monsters! Killed them all! Tortured them! B-blood! S-so much blood! No plague! Killed them all! NO PLAGUE! NO PLAGUE!"

"Honey!" cried the woman, grabbing onto him again. "W-what are you saying? W-what are you…?"

The man looked desperately at her. "Sarah!" he cried. "They killed them all! They're going to kill all of us! They're insane! They didn't have the plague! They tortured them until they confessed to having it! NO PLAG--"

There was a sudden, sickening crunch, and then Paul's head burst apart, spilling all of its contents onto the grass beneath him. His wife, Sarah, stared dumbly, her face drenched in his blood, at her husband's now headless body, and the massive war mace that was being lifted from the gushing wound, and then at the arm that was attached to it, and the face that was a part of that body.

Mograine hefted the weapon back over his shoulder, his face grim.

"He was about to turn," the man said, calmly.

There was absolute silence. They had all gone into shock, staring wide-eyed at the display of carnage, all of them unable to move.

Mograine's eyes then swept across the courtyard. He gave a nod, and Crusaders began to approach the silent crowd, slowly drawing their weapons.

Naruto's eyes blazed, clenching his fists so hard that they bit deeply into his palm, drawing blood. '_That bastard!'_ the roared mentally.

Kira's hand was at her mouth, stunned.

Kylia moved towards Kira, ready to protect.

Maya fell to her knees, shaking. What was going on?

Mograine then spoke.

"You've all been infected now," he said, slowly. "There is no cure for the plague…save for death."

* * *

Done.

How'd you like it? I tried my best to get the emotions correct in the Kira/Whitemane scene, and tried to make it rather powerful.

The Forsaken facts, such as being able to talk without a lower jaw or tongue, I figured had to be explained sometime. I mean, it's obvious they can talk without the jaw, so how can they? Human bodies are very developed and responsive, it would make no sense that they would be anything less in Undeath. So the chakra coils usually found in that place wrap around the voice box, and with the mind dictating, they use their chakra to speak. No jutsu involved, or chakra wasting, since the chakra is being used internally, to form words.

Does that make sense?

If it doesn't, let me know, and we can work out something that does work.

Vishas fight: Fun to write, but rather pointless in retrospect. Vishas was a pointless character to begin with, whom I only included as an obstacle and a reason for Myrdraxxis freeing Paul (who alerts everyone that the red coat—er, red tabards, are coming to kill them). I like his power, but not his personality. Maybe I could do it again, and make his power a type of special jutsu… hmmmm….

It also gave us a little bit more on Myrdraxxis' personality. Despite being so loyal, he does have some morals, it seems.

Now news. I plan to get the next chapter out as soon as possible, before Sunday, because I am graduating from high school then, and won't be able to. It might be a bit shorter than the previous ones, but that shouldn't matter, since it's going to be mostly fighting. It will likely be two chapters of fighting, then another chapter or two ending the arc.

I'm looking forwards to it; much fun in the next chapter: Naruto vs. Crusaders/Mograine fight as well as Fen vs. Doan fight, and Myr vs. Herod.

That should be all. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

General Grievous

_**Armory-**_

**Tuska and Poena (**Daggers)(Myrdraxxis)- Daggers created by a Forsaken smith who imbued them with incredible power, Tuska (Finnish for Agony) and Poena (Latin for Pain), are Myrdraxxis' constant companions, and are incredibly powerful. Not only can they cut through almost anything, but also using his chakra, Myrdraxxis can supercharge them to nearly destroy everything they hit. He can wield the purplish electricity in many ways. He can control the direction and movement of his blades remotely, using his chakra, and hence they can never be removed from him for long.

_**Spellbook-**_

**Blood Manipulation- **Using ones chakra, allows one to mold their blood and use it in many ways, including creating limbs or weapons. Very strong.

_**Bestiary-**_

**Interrogator Vishas (**Humanoid)(Elite)- A twisted man who is the chief interrogator for the Scarlet Crusade. He tortures those who are brought to them until they confess everything he wants to hear, including things that they are not. He is so good at this that he has never lost a person to death before he has gotten what he wanted. He is a master of Blood Manipulation, and can not only heal and stem the flow from wounds, but create new limbs and weapons. He wields a diseased dagger called the Torture Poker.

**Arcanist Doan (**Humanoid)(Elite)- The chief scholar and researcher for the Crusade. Despite being old, his memory is near perfect, and he can recall every word from every book he has ever read. He powers are as of yet, unknown.


	44. Doans, Herods, and Mograines Oh My!

**Disclaimer: World of Warcraft or Naruto own don't I**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

_Who wants to hear me talk in the middle of this action? Not me. _

_After Myrdraxxis' tussle with Vishas, he made a beeline straight for the main training hall, where he planned to set it off. Predictably, it didn't go as planned._

_

* * *

_

Myrdraxxis came, finally, to a massive pair of double doors. As red as the rest of the décor, with golden trimming and the large cross-symbol of the Scarlet Crusade etched into the front, they loomed like impassable mountains in front of him. From behind them he could here the loud, rhythmic chanting of hundreds of Crusaders, training to join the ranks of the greatest undead-slaying warriors in the world.

The hall behind him was deserted. He had needed to use a few distractions, but he had eventually managed to clear it without exposing his presence. He was now free to pick the lock and enter the sanctuary of the Scarlet warriors. It took him little time, and soon, with a click, he reactivated his camouflage technique and slid inside, so swiftly and silently that the door may as well have not opened at all. He found himself on a balcony, overlooking one of the biggest rooms he had ever seen. It stretched for hundreds of feet across, and was perfectly spherical. There were only two other doors that he could see: one directly across from him, and another below that, one the ground floor.

Filling the room to the brim directly below him were hundreds of young men and women, dressed in dull red shirts and pants made of cloth, and clutching wooden swords. They moved in a set, predictable pattern, performing a drill. They would raise their fake blades, take three methodical, near-perfect steps forwards, and then bring them down with a loud "HAH!" Then they would take three steps back, and perform it again, and then forwards and then backwards. They were beginners, still learning the basics of fighting, and had never likely slain or harmed a creature in their life. If worst came to worst, he would have to fight a group of untrained children, attacking him with wooden swords. The thought made him nearly scoff.

As they continued their practice, Myrdraxxis moved away from the door, hopping upon the railing, and creeping along it around the room. The light in the room was rather bright, but the trainees were far too focused on their drill to notice the slight ripple in the background above them.

It was admirable, he thought. Though they sought to destroy him and his kind, they had remarkable devotion. And all of them were united under a single cause—to destroy the undead by any means necessary. If that devotion, that discipline and drive, were not perverted by zeal, insanity, and hate, then he would find words to praise them. But now, to him, they were nothing more than opposition; an itch on his mistress' back, that needed to be scratched. They were simply weak-minded fools, and they would deserve their fates.

He then stopped. The most logical thing to do would be to throw the vial of plague into the middle of the room, and that would give him not only a good distance from it's point of release, but he would lessen his chances of exposure as well. He looked around again. He did not see the supposed leader of this bunch, the Scarlet Champion, Herod. It bothered him, and yet at the same time he praised his good fortune. For if he did not meet that brainless oaf of a teacher, then he'd be able to complete his mission that much quicker. He'd already wasted enough time in fighting Vishas and freeing the little human in the cage.

So, reaching into a pouch at his belt, Myrdraxxis grabbed hold of the vial of liquid, and prepared to lift it out. The second before he did, however, he felt a presence behind him, so close that he knew it would take only second for it to attack. So he leapt forwards, off the balcony, and landed deftly upon the floor below. Though he made no sound, and remained hidden, the trainees stopped their drilling, and looked up at the balcony, directly where Myrdraxxis had been standing before.

Standing there was a bull of a man, standing nearly seven feet tall. He was dressed in nothing more than thick iron leggings and boots, a single, massive shoulder guard over his left arm, so large that it could protect the entire length of the arm if it needed to; and a large, red metal helmet that covered his entire face. He clutched a huge axe, which rested on his bare shoulder. He attention, Myrdraxxis could feel, was right on his position.

"**What's this? A little undead has breached the sanctity of this place? It cannot be!"** the man thundered.

Myrdraxxis was silent for a moment, but it was clear Herod knew where he was. There was no point in hiding now.

"You sensed me," he said. "An amazing feat for a dumb brute such as yourself."

Herod roared in fury. "**I can feel every warrior in this place, for only warriors may enter! It is sacred! You are no warrior, little man! Your soul is black and bottomless, you fight for the darkness! It is we who shall destroy you! That is your punishment, little freak!"** He then pointed at Myrdraxxis with his axe, roaring, "**Now come! I, Herod, will grind your bones to dust with my awesome might!"**

**

* * *

**

Naruto growled furiously as the Scarlet Crusaders advanced towards the crowd of Stormwind refugees, their weapons drawn, their faces set in solemn judgment. They were simply doing their duty. These people would soon, in their minds, because the awful Scourge, and therefore needed to die as swiftly as possible. There was nothing in the world that could dissuade them from this mission, for they were doing everything a favor in destroying these people.

It was the Light's judgment.

Kira didn't know what to do. There were too many Crusaders, and she didn't know how they were going to distract them long enough to get her people to safety. She looked desperately at Naruto, hoping he had some sort of plan.

Luckily, he did.

Naruto's hands flew together, forming a familiar seal. "** Taijyuu Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"** he bellowed.

The whole courtyard was suddenly engulfed in white smoke, and for a moment Kira could see nothing. There was only white, and the sounds of her people's confusion. Then, when the smoke cleared, Kira gasped.

Between every person in the crowd, standing upon rooftops surrounding the courtyard, crouching on every perch they could find, stuck even to the walls of the Cathedral itself were clones. Hundreds of them. They easily matched the Scarlet Crusaders, man for man. All of them had Naruto's vulpine grin, and many were beginning to retrieve weapons from their shuriken pouches, or drawing their swords, or even just settling into a fighting stance.

"Kira-chan!" they roared. "Get them out of here!"

A cluster of Crusaders, led by Mograine, stood in front of the door, barring the path of any who attempted to flee. Mograine himself lifted his war mace, glaring stonily at the crowd. He, unlike his comrades, seemed unshaken by the sudden appearance of so many opponents. With a motion of his hand, he started forwards, preparing to attack.

The army of Naruto clones then moved as well, descending upon every warrior in red they could see. Naruto himself shot through the crowds, straight to forefront, using the _Kazaashi_ to boost his speed to superhuman levels. He cleared the crowd of people and slammed his blade into Mograine's war mace, driving him back. Other Crusaders rushed to help their commander, but in a flash, they were engulfed in a cloud of Naruto clones, driving them back.

Mograine and Naruto were locked in a brief stalemate, each attempting to force the other back using only their strength and whatever leverage they could gather. Eventually, with a roar, Mograine pushed Naruto back, breaking the stalemate, and brought his mace swishing down, attempting to crush the blonde's head in as he had Paul's earlier. Naruto swiftly moved out of the way, causing the mace to smash apart the grassy ground of the courtyard in a cloud of dirt and grass.

As he tussled with Mograine, his clones were driving the other Crusaders back into the many passages that surrounded the courtyard, giving the crowd room to move and flee. Already, led by Kira, the Stormwind refugees were fleeing from the courtyard through the stairway towards the main entrance hall. Kira stood next to the doorway, ushering them through as fast as she could, while Kylia stood beside, her, daggers drawn, prepared to protect her mistress at all costs.

"Run!" Kira cried. "Go as fast as you can to the main gate!"

Suddenly, a flash illuminated the courtyard, and it was day again for a brief second. Then a tremendous boom blocked out the terrified, despairing cries of her people, and a bright crest of yellowish fire and light erupted near the back of the crowd. Nearly a dozen Stormwind refugees were killed in an instant, and sending dozens more crashing to the ground from the force.

Kira screamed. "NO!"

Naruto whipped around towards the source of the explosion, ignoring Mograine for a moment, and spotted a group of Crusaders that had managed to get past his clones. One of them formed a seal, and then pressed his glowing hands to his chest.

"**FOR THE LIGHT!**" he cried, rushing forwards at the crowd. Naruto suddenly had a horrible realization, and shouted at a group of clones.

"Stop him!"

As fast as they could manage, the clones launched themselves at the screaming Crusader, tackling him to the ground just before he breached the walls of the crowd.

The man promptly exploded, dispelling his clones in an instant and sending a group of refugees tumbling to the ground from the force of the blast.

'_Shit! They're killing themselves, trying to take out as many people as they can!'_ the blonde raged silently, stunned at the carnage they created, and by the sheer insanity of the Crusaders. They'd kill themselves even just to injure a few women and children? What point was there in that? It was disgusting.

These people truly were the monsters.

In his distraction, Naruto suddenly realized he had forgotten Mograine, who had not stopped to see the blonde's reaction to the brutality. The blonde ducked, avoiding a sudden swing of the Scarlet Commander's mace, and he danced away, cursing. Mograine moved after him, lifting his mace once more.

Meanwhile, other Crusaders had begun forming seals, pressing glowing hands to their chests, causing them to shimmer as well. They rushed the crowd, of which half still remained in the courtyard, intent on following their brothers to death.

Kira moved to head them off, fear fueling her. Her hands flashed through a quick bout of seals, and with a cry, she bellowed, "**Psychic Scream!"**

The kamikaze Crusaders, before fully intent on diving straight into the throng of people, were suddenly struck with such an overpowering sense of fear that it shattered through their mindless zeal, making them flee back towards the courtyard walls. They exploded en route, some not even making it to the buildings. Those that did blew apart the finely sculpted stone statues and beautiful marble walkways that surrounded the courtyard, peppering the fleeing people with debris.

But even as she did this, her people were still in grave danger. More Crusaders began to pour from the passages around the courtyard's edge, and even from the Cathedral in front of them. There were too many of them, and she didn't think Naruto could hold them off much longer.

Naruto agreed with her.

"Damn it!" he roared. "This is going too slow!"

He roared an order at the clones that remained (and there were still quite a few) and they quickly went to work. Abandoning their fights, they rushed at the crowd, grabbing and lifting up as many people as they could. Crusaders rushed forwards to stop them, and several succeeded in dispelling the clones and laying into the helpless people they had been holding. More clones filled the gaps, attacking the Crusaders, and driving them back. Two more Crusaders detonated themselves, but by then most of the clones had already left with their precious cargo, and so few were harmed.

Naruto himself disengaged himself from his battle with Mograine, by leaping away and lifting several explosive seals from his pouch, and quickly affixing them to kunai. He aimed the kunai at the large groups of Crusaders on his side of the courtyard, hurling them at the ground beneath as he ran across the bloodstained grass. Halfway down the courtyard, he bent his legs and took a flying leap over the thinning crowd, landing deftly on the other side. There, he launched his final two explosive notes into the smaller patch of Crusaders, before leaping into the air again, landing atop the waterfall above the pool. As he did, his notes began to go off, lighting the courtyard once more, this time in orange and red, rather than white and yellow.

Naruto's clones, meanwhile, began leaping over the buildings, and hurrying across the rooftops towards the exit. Kira gave a cheer at Naruto's ingenuity, just as the last of the refugees escaped into the stairwell. The courtyard was now empty of all but Crusaders, who were desperately trying to reorganize themselves after Naruto's devastating attack. Many Crusaders now lay upon the charred grass, dead, and many more were attempting to heal themselves from the wounds caused by Naruto's explosive barrage.

Kira gave Naruto a final look from across the courtyard. She wanted to say something encouraging to him, but before she could, she met his stare, his shining blue eyes boring holes straight into her teary ones.

'_Get outta here, I'll be fine,'_ they said. Naruto was grinning reassuringly at her, and then he stuck out his hand, thumb raised up.

Kira smiled gratefully at him, through her tears.

'_Good luck…'_ she thought, turning away.

As Kira left, following the trail of the refugees, Naruto now stood alone in the courtyard, among the many Scarlet Crusaders that still remained. He saw more begin to appear too, called by the sounds of battle. Falling into a ready stance, he glared at all of them.

"Oi, who's first, bastards?" he called.

Mograine was approaching him from across the field. The other Crusaders gradually converged on his position, their weapons raised, a great red madness in their eyes.

"The Light punishes those who would side with darkness, boy," rumbled Mograine. "But fear not…we shall cure you of that affliction soon enough."

* * *

"Hurry up, old man, I'll be as old as you are before we even start this fight," grumbled Fenritt, smirking amusedly as his opponent slowly got to his feet.

"Patience, child. I am old, give me time," Doan wheezed, dusting his robes off and adjusting his glasses. "And it is a mistake for you to wait, why not strike me down now, when I am at my weakest?"

"Because I don't believe you're at your weakest. Who was it that said, '_The wisest of fighters are always ready, even when they appear weak?'_"

The man's eyebrows shot up. "That would be Anduin Lothar, High Commander of Stormwind during the Second War. You know your literature, boy, I'm impressed."

Fen grinned a Forsaken grin. "Thanks old man, I am a writer, you know."

Doan nodded simply. "I see." Then, pushing his glasses up again, he said calmly, "I do enjoy this conversation, but perhaps it is time that this battle began? Or perhaps end, for I do not intend to draw it out very long."

Fen was already halfway through his seals as he spoke. "Way ahead of you, old timer. **Arcane Missiles!"**

Thrusting his hand forwards, palm out, Fen released five large purple blasts of chakra, shaped like arrows, from his fingertips. They flew directly at Doan, who didn't appear concerned about them. On the contrary, he seemed uninterested in them, and didn't even lift his eyes from his book when they struck a barrier, mere inches from his rickety old body. The glowing blue barrier absorbed them, briefly encasing the man in a shimmering ball of blue light.

Fen frowned. '_Mana Shield, huh? Kind of expected that.'_

As it faded, Doan looked sharply at him.

"Don't mock me, boy. We are both the same type of fighter—would this not be the first defense that you would employ?"

Fen nodded briefly. "True enough. I though you might have forgotten. No seals, either, huh? You really are old."

Doan chuckled softly. "I have been around for quite a while, yes. It does have its advantages. Take my counterattack, for example: it is a special ability that is rarely used anymore, and that I have rediscovered and mastered to a point where nobody else has. It is already in effect, and you have yet to notice it."

Fen frowned. '_What?'_

There was a sudden gust of wind, and Fen, sensing danger, backpedaled immediately, avoiding being struck by…paper?

He opened his mouth to mock the man's attack, but it died on his lips as he saw both sheets of paper slice straight through two tabletops on either side of him, causing the tables to crash to the ground. Fen moved again, just in time to avoid another barrage of paper missiles, which collided with the ground, sinking into the stone floor as if they were the sharpest of blades.

Fen's hands flew into a series of hand seals as he moved backwards, watching as a veritable storm of paper began to gather between him and Doan, who was watching the events with keen interest now. His hands hung limply by his side, meaning he was controlling everything without the use of any seals.

'_What control…'_ the Forsaken mage muttered. He himself could only perform on or two, very simple techniques without seals, but this man appeared to be able to use everything without them. He saw the paper begin folding itself into different shapes, some beginning dagger like and sharp, others folded into boxes, likely as hard as rock.

But Fen did not plan to just watch his enemy ready the potentially fatal attack. He finished his seals, and sucked in air into his shriveled, barely used lungs.

"**Fire Blast!"**

He released a massive gust of white-hot flames, which surged forth, engulfing the storm of paper and passing through, heading for Doan. The stream of fire struck another barrier, but instead of a barrier of simply chakra, it struck one of freezing cold air. The fire struck the water particles that had gathered around Doan, immediately filling the room with steam and a hissing sound as they fire went out. Both fighters were hidden in the white cloud for a moment.

"Paper? That's your special ability? Wow. You really are a nerd," Fen called into the steamy air.

His enemy gave a raspy laugh. "Is it? There is plenty of it around, boy."

There was a sudden dark blur in the white of the steam, which was quickly fading, and Fen's hands were only just able to crash together, forming a shield of chakra as a spear of wood, that once may have been the leg of a chair, smashed into his midsection. The protective chakra stopped it from striking his flesh, but the force knocked him back, slamming into a table behind him, causing it to splinter apart. The chair leg clattered to the floor, the end frayed and splintered from where it had struck Fen's barrier.

Fen stood shakily to his feet, spotting Doan in the very same position as before. Doan readjusted his glasses (as all scholarly men must regularly do) and focused his sharp, bronze eyes upon Fenritt.

"But it would be wrong to assume that I can manipulate just paper. My ability is _psychokinesis; psycho_ for mind and _kinesis_ for movement. It is an ancient art, created by mages long since dead. I rediscovered it, and have learned to use it in ways that you cannot imagine. Nothing is beyond my capability to move."

* * *

_In battle, I love to talk. _

_Why? It's a thrill. You can say things that normally you wouldn't, and not feel bad about it. If one can hold an intelligent conversation, in battle, then that speaks volumes about his skill. _

_To anybody who thinks talking in battle is foolish, and a waste of energy, as assuredly missing out on an experience (I know a few, as well; one of them is quite close to me, in fact). _

_Usually, I just comment on what my opponent is doing (with a rather satirical edge, of course) but the fight with Doan was the first fight I had ever had that my opponent loved to talk as much as I. Doan just liked to talk about books, which I do enjoy, but I hardly find it a thrilling topic for a battle._

_

* * *

_

Fen dusted his robes off. "Looks like I underestimated you, four-eyes. 'Course, I have a few tricks up my sleeve, too."

Doan rolled his neck to the side, the light reflecting off his glasses, shielding his eyes from view briefly. "Oh? Let me see, boy. I do not wish this battle to be one-sided."

Fen's hands flew together, forming two quick, concise hand seals. Sucking in air again, he breathed out a blast of frigid air, which came in the form of a white mist. Doan raised an eyebrow as Fen began making more seals.

"I won't even bother telling you about this one. It's a special technique I invented," Fen said, ending his seals, and then thrusting his hands apart, extending them out in opposite directions. The white mist moved with them, and an instant later, Fen clenched his fist and brought his hands swishing back in front of him.

The white mist, really an extremely heavy concentration of water molecules, converged suddenly, forming a series of icy spears, which flew forwards at Doan. The Arcanist raised his eyebrows in surprise, just as the icy spears converged on him, smashing through the stone floor and completely crushing the man within the mass of icicles.

"I don't have a name for it yet. How about **Icy Hell?** That sounds a bit cliché, but really, let me know what you think."

"It is far too cliché," muttered a voice from behind him. Fen spun, wide-eyed (metaphorically), and spotted Doan behind him. The old man adjusted his glasses, faintly amused. "Perhaps **Frost Veil?**"

Fen blinked a few times. "Oh, right…**Blink…**"

The old man nodded. "One of the most useful tools of our trade. A mage is not so easily defeated."

Fen sighed. '_I hate mage fights.'_

Blink was extremely useful, as Doan had said, but also an entirely necessary tool for a mage to survive in larger battles. Using their extreme control over their chakra (mages relied on this, for they were weak in hand to hand combat, and rarely used weapons unless as a last resort) they would instantaneously shift themselves through time and space, appearing in a place in their line of sight. It was known as "Blink" for the fact that it took but a blink of the eye for the whole process to complete itself. Fen himself knew a few techniques linked with Blink, but it was clear that this man had a much better grasp of the technique than he. He would have to, to be able to use it without so much as a single hand seal.

Doan brought his hand into the air, and Fen felt a sudden gust of wind flow from behind him. He suddenly realized that Doan was making do on his earlier words.

There wasn't really anything he couldn't move.

Indeed, he seemed to be moving the very air itself.

Doan brought his hand down with a swish, thrusting the dense air that he had gathered in his palm. Fen blinked away, just as the ball shot past him, crashing into a table, obliterating it utterly.

Fen reappeared behind the old man, his hands working into seals as he returned. He breathed another cloud of mist, much smaller than the last, and with a second set of seals, gathered the particles into small, paper-thin slivers. Grunting with effort, for controlling such a process was no easy feat, Fen thrust the icy weapons forwards, sending them shooting at Doan's back.

The Arcanist vanished in a flicker of light, and the blades shot harmlessly past, scything apart a few tables and bookshelves.

Doan reappeared instantly, thrusting his hand forwards to send pieces of the table he had destroyed mere seconds ago with his air ball at Fen. The crashed against his chakra barrier, put up in the nick of time, but Fen grunted when he realized that the weapons had come quite close to piercing it. He reinforced his objects with enough chakra to pierce through nearly anything.

In battle, a mage did very little moving. In large battles, they fought alongside those who were in a position to protect them, due to the fact that mages trained specifically for having the most powerful and damage-dealing techniques in the world. They also had the best control out of everything, but the cost was that they neglected their bodies. They rarely fought hand to hand, as they always had someone nearby to protect them.

In this case, since both Fen and Doan were mages, the battle basically consisted of the two trading techniques until one ran out of chakra, or got a lucky hit. Therefore, it soon became clear to both of them that it would be quite a while yet for one to strike the other with an attack.

Doan, specifically, wanted the battle to end as soon as possible. The longer it dragged out, the larger the chance was that his precious books would be destroyed.

Blinking away, Doan appeared at the very center of the reading area, directly in front of Fen. His breath was wheezing, but he did not seem overly tired. He seemed excited, if anything.

"I have enjoyed this battle, boy. However, I believe neither of us will get anywhere by this, as you children call it, 'shooting the breeze.' Perhaps it is time that I end this."

Fen grinned. He was not particularly tired, and so he knew that had that kept up, it would have been Doan who would have fallen first. Just the same, it meant he now had to be extra careful, for Doan's final attack would likely be a doozy.

Reaching inside his robes, Doan lifted out a sheathed dagger. Fen frowned. What type of mage attack was this?

"This is a power that I developed all myself. This blade is a science, a technique that can defeat even the strongest of warriors. Let us see how you fare against it, shall we?"

Lifting the dagger from its sheath, Fen saw that the blade was one of the strangest he'd ever seen. It seemed to glow, but not with any one color. It was a kaleidoscope of colors and flickering lights, contained within the shiny surface of the blade. It was hypnotic, and Fen soon found that his attention was solely on the blade.

"This weapon is called the Hypnotic Blade, boy. I see that you have already found out why. I have designed it so that the patterns and colors that you see open up one's subconscious, and makes one hypersensitive to suggestion. A human doctor named Mundsig Fraud developed the original technique of hypnosis long ago. After reading his notes on the subject, I developed this blade, making it much easier to coerce unsuspecting people into being subjects for my experiments. It even works on your kind. Now, let us begin."

He walked slowly forwards, holding the dagger in front of him, so Fen could plainly see it. The Forsaken mage had already gone limp. He suddenly felt extremely lethargic; his arms hung like dead weights, his back slumped even further than it normally was, and a glazed look passed over his frightening face. Doan stopped a few feet away from him.

"You feel tired, yes? Your mind is a blank slate; you are without any thought or emotion at this moment, correct?"

Fen gave a slight, tired nod.

"Now stand still. I have no need of you alive, Forsaken. It was a good fight, and for such a wretched creature, you were interesting to talk to. Nevertheless," he adjusted his glasses a final time, and then raised the dagger, preparing to thrust it into Fen's throat. "Your kind does not belong in this world. You are unnatural, and therefore all of you must die. The Archbishop Alonsus Faol once said: '_The Light accepts all things, from the smallest of ants to the greatest of giants. The Light gives birth to life; and life is the Light.'_ Goodbye, boy."

Thunk! 

The sickening wet sound of steel striking flesh filled the air, and for a moment, all was silent. Then, as Doan's blood dribbled down his front, and dripped onto the ground in slow, rhythmic drops, sound returned, and he gurgled, stepping back. Buried up to the hilt in his stomach was a dagger, put there by Fen. The Arcanist stared dumbly at the dagger for a moment, coughing a few times as he did. Blood sprayed from his mouth, wetting his beard and smearing his face.

He looked at Fen, who was grinning at him.

"How…?"

Fen shrugged. "Hypnotism's a crock. It only works if you're unconsciously willing to submit to it. Hence, I imagine that's why you went into such detail to describe the ability before. 'Course, that could be because you like to talk, so I guess why its worked for everyone else."

Doan stepped a few feet back, trying to gather his wits. Fen walked towards him, making a few seals as he did.

"I've read that book too, you know. Too bad, eh? But I'll take your advice. Frost Veil sounds much cooler than Icy Hell."

Sucking in his breath, Fen blew a stream of white mist in Doan's face. The old man gasped, inhaling some of the steam, and that was all Fen needed it for. His hands flying through more seals, he placed a hand on Doan's chest; the man stared dumbly at it, unable to do much else do to the pain of his wound.

It was over in a few seconds.

"**Frost Veil: Blossoming Winter Flower!"**

The white mist, mixing with all of the water already inside Doan, did its work spectacularly. Seconds later, Doan exploded as hundreds of large icy spikes erupted from his body, tearing it apart is a spectacular display of gore. All that was soon left of the Arcanist was a mass of bloody flesh, torn robes, and a spectacular ice sculpture that looked like a massive sea urchin made of icicles.

Fen stepped back, admiring his handy work. That took care of that.

He turned to leave, before the sudden patter of footsteps—a lot of footsteps, stopped him again.

"Over here!"

"I heard something!"

"Find Arcanist Doan, we must inform him that there are undead present!"

Suddenly, a mass of Scarlet Crusaders appeared from all sides. Apparently he had been found out, and they had been rushing to find Doan in order to gain his guidance on the subject.

But all they found was a single Forsaken, surrounded by ruined tables and signs of a recent battle, as well as a large, bloody star, with remnants of a scarlet robe, and a pair of bloody glasses nearby, glittering in the light.

They stood stunned for a moment, watching Fen. Then:

"Get him!"

"The monster has slain the Arcanist!"

"We must purify this place! DESTROY HIM!"

More soon arrived, as the first rushed towards Fen, their weapons drawn. The Forsaken mage grinned; lifting from his pocket a small vial, in which Sylvanas' Plague was contained. With a quick smile and a wink (which wasn't really a wink, but more of a wrinkle in the flesh around his eye sockets), Fen popped the cork and tossed the Plague at his feet. He blinked away just as it hit the ground, releasing a sudden explosion of purple gas, which engulfed the attacking crowd of Crusaders.

Fen reappeared atop a bookshelf in view of the reading area, and watched as the great cloud of purple began to expand outwards, forming a thicket of the disgusting purple colored smoke. From within, for a moment, he could here nothing but the confused shouts of the Crusaders.

Seconds later, those shouts began bloodcurdling screams. They were screams of pain, of hatred, of terror. They were unholy, and even Fen had to wince at the sheer horror that the screams brought. They brought back vague memories of how he had screamed, when he had first felt the Plague descend upon him too.

He turned away. They wouldn't die right away, he reasoned, or else they'd have no chance to transmit the disease. He didn't feel like hanging around for that time.

He hoped Naruto and Kira had been able to get as many of her people away as possible.

Then, the screams stopped.

Frowning, Fen turned again. Could they have died already?

He then heard snarling.

No, it was not snarling, first came wailing moans, followed by slavering screeches and burbling barks and gargling grunts; the most horrible, animalistic sounds possible, from the middle of the dissipating purple cloud. What emerged from them were not human; but nor were they undead.

They were monsters.

And as the monsters let out their horrible calls, and slunk away into the depths of the Library, towards whatever exit they could find, Fen got the feeling that what he had just seen had not been supposed to happen.

Sylvanas' plague had not killed them.

And so, in his mind, it had failed.

* * *

Kira and Kylia ran quickly through the gates that they had come through only a few hours earlier. There were hundreds of people milling around on the slope, confused, scared, and many weeping for those that had just been lost. She spotted several Naruto clones just finishing laying down the people they had been carrying, before giving her a salute and then vanishing in puffs of smoke. Kira's own heart ached with her people and it only made what she was about to do even more horrible in her eyes.

When she got into view her people swept upon her, begging her to tell them what to do. Where were they to go? Back to Stormwind? They would be killed along the way! There was nowhere for them to go.

Kira desperately tried to calm them. But the more she reassured, the more distressed they got.

Finally, she decided to end it.

"ENOUGH!' she exploded, shocking her people into silence. Kylia looked at her mistress with wide eyes. The command, the power, in Kira's voice had been reminiscent of Anduin Wrynn's. Looking at the faces of the people, Kylia guessed that they felt the same thing.

Taking a deep breath, Kira spoke calmly to them. "Listen, I know you're scared, and I know that you have just been driven from what many think was a safe place. But it never was! You were nothing to them! But you aren't nothing to me! I need all of you to be strong! I need all of you to show the spirit of Stormwind, the spirit that my father and my grandfather and his father before him instilled in you and your ancestors. Be strong, and help each other."

She could see they were listening, and she took another deep breath.

"Go along the road, towards the Plaguelands. Just before it, you will find a camp, where the Argent Dawn have set up, to keep the Scourge at bay. I want all of you to go there. They will provide you with protection, with food and a place to rest. You will be safe there, I assure you! Safer than you ever were within those walls!" she yelled, pointing at the Monastery, looming behind her. She could still hear the sounds of battle within. The Crusaders would come for them, soon enough, she realized. Not all of them would stay and fight Naruto.

She turned back to her people. "Please, be strong, and you shall overcome this! I believe in you, and I know that in your hearts, you believe you can do this too!"

Then someone shouted. "Lead us, then, young princess!"

"Yes!" said another. "Take us there! We'll follow you!"

Kira faltered. For a moment, she stood silent, her body rigid and her face downcast.

"I cannot."

A ripple of shock ran through the crowd. What did she mean?

Kira took yet another deep breath. She looked up. Where Kylia had expected tears, there was nothing but determination. They were eyes that Kira's father, and Naruto, would be proud of.

"I must do something…something that will one day benefit you all. I must put my all into this, and I cannot go with you…for now, my duty is elsewhere."

Shocked protests rang out among the crowd, making Kira falter again. She looked ready to burst into tears. But she held them back, and taking a shuddering breath, she said, "I am your princess, and one day I will be your queen. I know my duty is to you; but for the greater good, I must do this task that I have set out to do. I am doing it all for you, and therefore I must be away from all of you for a little bit longer. I know you are strong, I know you are capable of fighting for yourselves. For that is what Stormwind has done for many years—it has fought, and it has triumphed, and it has always risen, greater than before, from the ashes that once destroyed it. You are all made of the strongest spirit—for you are all of the kingdom of Stormwind. Now, I beg of you: go to the Argent Dawn; they will shelter you, and in time, you will return to the city, and when you return, our nation will be stronger than ever before!"

Kira's voice nearly cracked at the end, and though her resolve was breaking, she did not cry. She stood stiffly, watching her people with her determined yet sad eyes. But her words had gotten through to them. They then began to go down the hill, away from her. Some stared back at her with still confused, but hopeful eyes; others did not bother—whether it was merely contempt or simply that her words had gotten through to them, she did not know.

Kylia watched Kira, who stared down at their retreating forms. She did not cry, even now, when her people were not watching.

'_You think she is childish, now?'_ she thought, wanting to spit the words in Sylvanas' face.

"Miss Kira…?" whispered a tiny voice beside Kylia then.

Kira turned, spotting Maya there, staring at her with confused eyes, slumped upon the ground. The girl was lost. She had not known of the true intentions of the Scarlet Crusade. She had been blind to their faults, but that blindness had shielded her from their prejudices.

"Maya…" she said, walking slowly towards the girl.

"What am I going to do…?" the girl whispered, tears flooding down her cheeks. "What is going on…? Why are they doing this…?"

Kira bent down, putting a comforting hand on Maya's shoulder. "You must be really confused now, huh?" she smiled as reassuringly as possible at the girl. "I can't say that everything will be alright, but I can say this: go out into the world, and see it for what it truly is."

Maya looked at her, briefly, her eyes full of confusion. Kira gave her the warmest smile she could muster under the circumstances, and elaborated.

"If you base all your beliefs on what others say—what the Scarlet Crusade believes are right and wrong; then you will live only a shadow of a life. Up until now, you've only lived by what they have said, and what they have done. As hard as it is to accept, that doesn't necessarily mean what they say is true." Kira's eyes were suddenly downcast. "But sometimes, you learn that what others say is really what is true, even if you don't want to believe it. But you can only truly make that judgment if you experience what they did for yourself. I learned this lesson, just recently, in the hardest of fashions; so have you. Now you have to go out in the world, and make your own judgments—see what is true for yourself, and then act accordingly to what you believe. "

She finally stood and stepped away from Maya, who remained in her huddled position on the ground. She could say nothing more.

Maya stood tentatively, and began to walk down the hill. She stopped, and turned to Kira again. She took a shuddering breath.

"Goodbye…"

The girl then walked away, following the crowd like a lost lamb. Kira watched her go, dearly hoping that one day they would meet again, when both of them were wiser. Maya could still learn, her mind was not completely blotted by the madness of the Scarlet Crusade. In time, Kira knew that she would be a great person, and she sent all her prayers after the girl.

She turned away, then, back towards the monastery. She looked at Kylia, nodded, and started towards the gate once more.

They were stopped by a sudden yipping growl, and suddenly Tsuwabuki was there, leaping from some bushes near the side of the wall. The silver fox ran up to Kira, sitting on her haunches and looking up at the girl.

Kira wished she could speak to the fox as Naruto could. Before she had been able to listen into her and Naruto's conversations, but since then the bond had grown between Tsuwabuki and Naruto, making it difficult now to tap in. But in this case, she realized that she didn't need to speak to the fox. She knew exactly what it wanted.

"Naruto's inside," she said, smiling. "We're going in to help him."

She started off again, only to have Tsuwabuki nip her suddenly, causing her to yelp and jump away.

"What was that for?" she cried, glaring at the fox.

Tsuwabuki ran away, towards the bushes she had emerged from, stopping just in front of them. She looked hopefully at Kira again, who now looked confused.

"You don't want to come with us…?"

The fox shook its head. She then jerked it in the direction of the gate, and flattened her ears, growling. She then jerked it in the other direction, down the wall, and nodded a few times.

Kira understood.

"Let's follow her," she said to Kylia, walking towards the fox. As she did, she cast a glance at the gate again. Something was happening that made Tsuwabuki not want to go in the most direct way. Kira hoped that she didn't find out what.

* * *

"**DIE!"**

Herod's gigantic cleaver slammed into the ground directly beneath Myrdraxxis, splitting the hard stone as if it were soft cheese. Herod landed like a meteor upon the training floor, causing the stone to crack beneath the force of his fall.

The Forsaken rogue, having deftly avoided the attack, landed beside the titanic Crusader, Tuska and Poena flying into his hands. He then shot forwards, jabbing Herod in the side with one of his daggers.

Instead of piercing Herod's bare flesh, however, the dagger bounced off his skin, as it had struck solid steal. With a roar of laughter, Herod swung his axe to the side, nearly chopping Myrdraxxis in two. The rogue, instead, leapt over the mighty weapon, and Herod himself, landing upon the ground behind him.

"**My skin is blessed with the Holy Light! It will take more than such puny little weapons to harm me, little freak!"** Herod thundered, his voice muffled beneath the huge helmet that he wore.

Myrdraxxis twirled the twin weapons as he faced the Scarlet Champion, his luminous yellow eyes small and beady. All around him, Scarlet trainees stood watching their master fight in silent vigilance. They were far from the young, boorish sort that Herod seemed to be. They did not even cheer him on.

But, Myrdraxxis could guess that they had such absolute confidence in his abilities that they already knew the outcome of the fight. It made him chuckle. They were still young then. Perhaps he could teach them a lesson that Herod had so far failed to.

It would be the last lesson they learned, too.

Herod rushed him again, his axe whistling through the air. He swung it three times, each strike quick and only a hair away from striking Myrdraxxis. The rogue avoided each of them, swiftly, but did not attack. He could still see the slight layer of chakra that surrounded Herod's flesh, protecting it. It did not appear, in Myrdraxxis' eyes, to be something that the Scarlet Champion was he himself doing. No, he guessed that one of the monks, or perhaps even Whitemane herself had preformed the jutsu that protected this man.

But then again, it did not matter much to him. He would die just the same; no flimsy Scarlet protection could help this brutish fool.

Herod continued his attack, and Myrdraxxis continued to back away, avoiding each strike by mere inches. He was waiting for a chance, and that very chance soon presented itself, as Herod lifted his weapon up over his head, clutching it with both hands. Slamming chakra into his feet, Myrdraxxis stopped instantly, and then shot forwards, passing through the giant's guard. Tuska shot forwards, aimed at Herod's throat, while Poena went for his groin. They were the most vulnerable points, and with a bit of chakra to enhance the power of the strike, they could easily pass through and strike the warrior's flesh. With his hands up, Herod could not defend.

But suddenly something happened. Instead of hitting thick, meaty flesh, Myrdraxxis struck air. Herod had pivoted to the side with unearthly speed; so fast that though Myrdraxxis knew Herod was now behind him, he could still see a fading outline of him in front.

'_What?'_

Herod brought the axe crashing down, but Myrdraxxis still managed to just get away. The axe split the ground again, and there was a sudden flare of light, causing the training floor to burst apart in a tremendous flash of light and burst of sound. Myrdraxxis was unsettled by the force of the attack, and therefore was unable to dodge Herod's hand. The massive muscled appendage palmed Myrdraxxis' face, and then slammed him face-first into the ground.

Fresh green ichor gushed from Myrdraxxis' mouth and the remainder of his nose. There was a terrible ringing in his ears, and for a moment he was as limp as a rag doll. Herod loomed over him, triumphant.

"**That was the second blessing of the Light! The Blessing of Zeal grants me great speed, and the Blessing of Might gives devastating power to my attacks! How does that feel, little man? Your power is nothing compared to mine!"**

'_What a fool,'_ the rogue thought, pushing himself to his feet. Herod let him stand up fully, watching him, his axe resting on one shoulder. Tuska and Poena remained in Myrdraxxis' grip, and he had already recovered. Twirling Poena in one hand, he suddenly tossed it into the air. It flew over Herod's head, driving itself into the ground behind him.

Herod seemed amused. "**Giving up? Hah! So you have finally realized, little freak, how foolish you are in even attempting to fight me! Your death will be swift, Forsaken!**"

Myrdraxxis was having a hard time not breaking his vow. He hated talking in battle. But this man was making him sorely wish he had reconsidered that unspoken oath. He wished Fen were here; the mage would have already responded to the man's inane jabbering with a clever word or two. Nevertheless, Myrdraxxis said nothing, his hands flying together into a seal.

In a flash of purple light, a bolt of pure electricity exploded through Herod's chest, arcing from Poena, still stuck in the ground behind Herod, to Tuska, still clutched in Myrdraxxis' hand. The Scarlet Champion roared in agony, stumbling forwards a few steps. Smoke rose from the patches of charred flesh on Herod's back and chest. With a mighty roar, he shot forwards, again, with the same unbelievable speed that he had demonstrated earlier in his fight.

But Myrdraxxis avoided Herod's strike, so easily it seemed almost shameful for the giant to have made such a clumsy attack. Whether it was the damage he had just taken, or the blind rage he was now in, it appeared that Herod had lost some speed and overall skill. He twisted again, swinging lightning fast attacks at Myrdraxxis, who nimbly avoided all of them.

The Scarlet trainees, seeing their master in such a state, stopped their silent meditation, and began to cheer him on. They were becoming worried. This Forsaken was doing far better than they had expected.

Herod let out an insane roar, now using his axe in every way it could be used. He swung it at the rogue, the flat of the blade forwards, as if to bat Myrdraxxis away; he twirled it around on its haft, striking with both blade and handle. He thrust forwards with his gauntleted arm, too, making to punch or grab the incredibly swift and nimble Forsaken. But nothing worked. Myrdraxxis was far too swift.

Myrdraxxis had maneuvered them back into the very same position they had started in. Poena was again behind Herod, and as soon as Myrdraxxis found a window, he thrust his hands together in the same seal as before.

Lightning again lit the room, searing through Herod and this time, knocking him to his knees. His whole body was quivering, and the slight sheen of chakra that once protected his body was now gone. His movements appeared sluggish, and it looked as if even lifting the axe caused him strain now.

"**You…! Coward…! Face…me like…a real warrior!" **Herod bellowed, gasping.

Myrdraxxis extended a hand out at the Scarlet Champion in response. "I am not, as you said, a warrior. It is shameful that you were ever elevated to such a position as Champion. You use enchantments given by others to make you into a competent warrior. Pathetic."

He made a gentle beckoning motion. Herod took this a gesture to continue to fight, and with a roar, he blundered forwards, lifting his axe. Two feet away from the lithe Forsaken rogue, he suddenly stopped, and there was sudden wet, splashing noise as Poena slammed into the small of Herod's back, driving itself all the way up to the hilt. It had responded to Myrdraxxis' call, via the small, nigh invisible chakra strings that had been attached to it.

The Scarlet Champion stumbled forwards again, now silent, perhaps in shock. He slumped to his knees again, right in front of Myrdraxxis. The rogue lifted Tuska, holding it directly in front of Herod's face. He then leaned forwards.

"Such scum is perfect for such a group as this. It is fitting that you die here, fool."

Myrdraxxis slammed his weapon into Herod's throat, and with a sudden, violent twist, he beheaded the Champion of the Scarlet Crusade.

Herod's head landed with a sickening wet sound, and rolled to the feet of a trainee standing nearby. The young man, still a teenager, stared dumbly at the still helmeted head, and then at the gushing, headless body that had just slumped forwards onto the ground at Myrdraxxis' feet, forming a pool beneath the rogue. The other trainees mimicked his shock.

Then, one of them recovered and let out a roar.

"WE SHALL AVENGE OUR MASTER'S DEATH! DIE, DEMON!"

The crowd surged forwards, lifting their puny training weapons, all preparing to attack Myrdraxxis en masse. The rogue stood in still for just a moment, before he suddenly vanished, as if the air had enveloped him in a protective shielding; his body simply blurred out, and was gone.

Something dropped to the ground in his place, however; a small purple vial, which shattered on contact with the floor.

Myrdraxxis did not even stay around to hear the screams of the trainees.

They soon died, however, and the inhuman calls of the mutant Crusaders, Sylvanas' failed plague changing them into beasts unlike any other that had been seen upon this earth, replaced them. The mutants surged from the room, in search of fresh blood.

It led them eventually to the courtyard, the smell of live human flesh drawing them like starving people to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

* * *

Mograine's war mace swept over Naruto's head, inches away from touching the flesh. The blonde, having just ducked under the fierce attack, shot up and kicked the Scarlet Commander in the chin. Mograine stumbled backwards, but remained standing. Before Naruto could press the attack, however, a group of Crusaders swarmed him, forcing him to leap high into the air, avoiding being cut to ribbons by their weapons.

This had continued for some time. In the first few moments of the battle, Naruto had been dodging kamikaze Crusaders every few seconds. They had no reservations about killing themselves, and even those they killed with them, their own men, did not affect their judgment in the slightest. Their possession of such frightening zeal and such a blatant disregard for life angered Naruto beyond belief.

But he was keeping that anger in check. He was not going to use the Kyuubi in this fight, no matter what. It had been a silent promise to himself, before he had even entered the monastery. The Kyuubi, as useful as it was, still terrified Naruto. He had not forgotten his experiences in his fight with Rend, and he did not at all want to duplicate that. Rexxar's advice, too, was still fresh in his mind. He would use his own abilities, now. As furious as he was in seeing so many of Kira's people lying dead upon the ground of the courtyard, he would save that anger. He knew very well whom he could direct it against, when the time came.

Soon, however, it became clear to the Crusaders that sacrificing their men in such a fashion wasn't aiding them. The courtyard, once a peaceful and beautiful place, was now littered with smoking craters and ruined architecture. The pool had been blown apart long ago, as had the fountain that gave birth to the water. The water itself was now murky with blood and debris. Mograine had ordered the Crusaders to fight Naruto on foot, with their own weapons. They were reserving their suicide-bombing tactics for when Naruto was unable to dodge.

It had been like that for a while now. Naruto was getting increasingly tired (a surprising feat, considering his stamina) and there were no chances for him to get even a moment's rest. Crusaders attacked from all sides, using all sorts of different techniques. The majority of them wielded weapons of some sort; and while those were easy enough to avoid, seeing as how the Crusaders possessed neither the speed nor the ability to keep after Naruto when he was leaping great distances, or using _Kazaashi _to speed away from them, there were still quite a few of the; and whenever they managed to engage Naruto in direct combat (either with him, or a clone) they put up enough of a fight to cause Naruto to more often than not abandon the fight. There were just too many.

And more continued to arrive. News was spreading like wildfire across the monastery, and monks, warriors, scholars, and healers were all coming to participate in the fight against a single child. Some of them broke off, eventually, heading towards where Kira and the refugees had fled. But for the most part, the ferocity and tenacity that the Crusaders were employing in trying to kill a single boy was remarkable.

Mograine, the Scarlet Commander, however, was easily the biggest threat in the area. Mograine was not only more relentless than a charging bull, but he had absolutely no regard for his fellow Crusaders. He swung his massive mace in every direction when he neared the blonde, bashing anyone foolish enough to get close enough to him.

Naruto, on several occasions, had engaged the Scarlet Commander directly. His superior speed and attacks should have been more than enough to take the giant down.

But Mograine didn't go down. Naruto's weapon attacks—kunai, shuriken, or even Magni's Pride, were all deflected by Mograine. It was as if his body was covered in some strange barrier, and that barrier was keeping Naruto from injuring him.

So he began to employ different tactics.

As Mograine neared him again, Naruto summoned a ring of clones around himself, pushing back any Crusaders who were attempting to interrupt the blonde. Flashing through a group of seals, Naruto sucked in his breath.

"**Hyouton: Hyoushi no jutsu (**Arrow of Ice technique)**!"** Though not by any means perfect, Naruto had worked on the technique he had learned in Ironforge for quite a while. Thrall had helped him a bit, considering the fact that some Ice jutsu were employed in the Water style of the Tetra-Elemental style.

Frozen air gushed from Naruto's mouth, freezing the ground and grass in front of him. The blast shot forwards, through a whole that Naruto's clones had made in their ring. The attack slammed into the charging Mograine, who was frozen briefly in his tracks.

But then something happened. Instead of covering him in ice crystals, forming a prison as Naruto had intended the attack to do, there was a sudden flare of yellow light, and a surge of warmth, and the attack was repulsed. Mograine hardly broke step, and with a mighty swing, cleared away a portion of the ring of clones around Naruto, and then attempting to clobber Naruto again.

With the other Crusaders still held back, Naruto was alone in his fight with Mograine for the moment. He avoided a downward strike, and then a few quick, successive attacks, which pushed the blonde slightly backwards. Holding out a hand, Naruto called forth his chakra, making it swirl and churn, and then gathering it into a tight ball.

Mograine did not acknowledge Naruto's new attack with anything more than a raised eyebrow. The giant Crusader thrust forwards with his war mace, the large barb on the top aimed for Naruto's side. The blonde sidestepped the attack, and then lunged forwards, the arm wielding the deadly Rasengan fully extended in front of him.

"**Rasengan!"**

The spiraling bullet of chakra smashed into Mograine's chest, halting the giant's rampage. It bored through the protective layer of chakra, smashing into Mograine's scarlet armor beneath. Another few seconds would have driven it through that, but Mograine, with his seemingly unshakable intent to win, locked onto the offending arm, and wrenched it violently to the side. The Rasengan was dragged with it, shattering the armor as it went. Mograine then pulled forwards, intending to knee Naruto in the chest, but the blonde, his arm still captured, leapt off the ground, twisting his body in such a way that he avoided the attack, but caused little discomfort to his arm. He locked his legs around Mograine's neck, squeezing with all his might, as well as wrenching them downwards. Mograine's head, and eventually his whole body, went with them, and he toppled to the earth with a crash, releasing his grip on Naruto's arm.

The blonde leapt free of the Scarlet Commander, landing in front of him, gasping. Mograine sprang to his feet a mere second later, unaffected by the attack. All of Naruto's efforts had been wasted: the only damage that was apparent on Mograine's body was the damage to his armor.

By now, the crowd had managed to dispel a healthy number of Naruto's clones, and was beginning to pour through, attempting to attack Naruto again. Cursing, the blonde's hands flew through another set of seals, and with a cry, Naruto plunged his palm into the ground.

"Doton: Tsuchidaigeki no jutsu!" 

The ground surged up in a massive wave around Naruto, traveling for a few feet before exploding in a colossal spray of dirt, grass, and rubble. Naruto's clones, as well as many Crusaders, were flung back, Mograine included.

His way cleared, Naruto jumped again, landing softly on one of the surrounding rooftops, nearer to the Cathedral. He was panting quite a bit, and glaring down at the small army of Crusaders, he wondered what he could possibly do.

Fighting them as he was now seemed pointless. He may have been stubborn, but he knew when a fight was hopeless. As slow and single-minded as the Crusaders were, they were apt hand-to-hand fighters, their healers were nothing short of superb, and they were led by a juggernaut that seemed to be resistant to all forms of attack, and far more skilled than the others.

Another thing that seemed pointless was running. If he did, he'd just lead them to Kira and Kylia, and he didn't need that. He had spent already so much time trying to get Kira's people to safety, and he had no intention of endangering them again.

So what could he do?

The Crusaders quickly reorganized themselves, and many began to weave seals, this time for attack jutsu, rather than just the support ones that had been using so far. With an exhausted sigh, which was more of a growl, Naruto settled back into an attack stance. A really powerful attack was what he needed, one to knock out a huge group of the Crusaders permanently. That way, he'd stand a much better chance.

But, aside from Tsuchidaigeki, he had no such attack. _Goukakyuu no jutsu_ could work, but many of the Crusaders could defend against it, and Mograine had already demonstrated that he was immune to such jutsu. _Naruto Fukuzei (Naruto Ambush)_ would be his best bet, but the Crusaders were too densely packed for him to get a group of clones behind them. All of this ran through his mind at several hundred miles an hour, he could usually come up with something, but at this point, all of his good ideas had been exhausted. Their tenaciousness was so goddamn annoying!

He almost felt a slight sympathy for those who had fought him in the past—he was rather tenacious himself.

The Crusaders prepared their attack again, Mograine spearheading the charge as usual.

Then something happened.

Near the back of the crowd, near the covered walkway that surrounded the area, a Crusader suddenly gave a cry, and was pulled violently into a dark room. Naruto blinked, having seen the whole thing.

'_What the…?'_

Directly below Naruto, he began to hear snarls. The attacking Crusaders stopped their charge, having heard them as well. Then, there was movement.

From the blackness of the doorway in which the Crusader had been dragged into, a horrible beast emerged. It was humanoid, hunched, its skin deformed and graying. It's face was a shapeless mass of blood and bone, with the only recognizable features being an eye, which glowed yellow, and a gaping mouth, filled with rows of blade-sharp teeth. A long, Orochimaruesque tongue hung from the mouth, whipping around like a tentacle. Its hands were bloody, and huge, bony claws had torn from what had once been flesh. Large, malformed, twisted spikes had sprouted from its back.

But the strangest thing about it was that it wore clothes. It wore the remnants of thick leather boots, torn pants, and it wore a red shirt, over which was a tabard. The tabard had the symbol of the Scarlet Crusade emblazoned upon it.

Naruto's eyes grew wide.

Fen's words suddenly came back to him. '_A plague…could that be…'_

Could that be the result of the plague that Sylvanas was intending to use against the world?

Then, more creatures came. They leapt from the shadows, from all sides of the courtyard—even beneath where Naruto was standing. They charged, their horrible mouths stretched as wide as they could go, their long tongues out, writhing and twisting and slavering. The Crusaders turned to meet them, but the monsters were far too quick—they leapt upon the Crusaders, their long claws tearing at flesh, their slobbering tongues wrapping around limbs and pulling their grotesque heads to meet and rip the flesh of their quarry.

Soon the courtyard was full of screams. Beasts began to emerge in larger groups, attacking with wild abandon at Crusaders who were trying to escape the sudden slaughter. Naruto watched, from where he stood, with wide, unblinking eyes. The smell of blood was so strong now that Naruto felt sick to his stomach. The accompanying imagery did not do much to help this feeling.

But not all Crusaders perished. Some fought back, their long weapons piercing the mottled grey skin of their former brethren, and their holy jutsu striking those who came too close. Mograine stood among these, his war mace flying, tearing every beast he encountered apart in a single stroke. The Scarlet Commander was moving, and not without purpose. He waded through the thicket of mutants and Crusaders, eventually reaching the massive doors of the Cathedral. Others followed, their slashing at attacking monsters as they went.

The doors opened in a thunderous creak, but only enough to let Mograine slide through. Then, they shut with another creak, just in time for the other Crusaders to reach the door. Their cries became desperate and pleading; they scratched at the door and wailed to the Light for mercy. Just moments before, Naruto had seen their unbelievable determination; they had been prepared to die for their cause, and now they were whining like children in the face of death.

Other Crusaders, perhaps truer and more dedicated to their cause, ended their own lives using their kamikaze jutsu. Huge patches of plagued Crusaders were blown apart as their prey unleashed their final, desperate attacks. Once again the courtyard was lit with constant flashes of light, and thunderous booms as Crusaders detonated their chakra sources from within.

Naruto didn't stick around to watch much longer, however. Having seen Mograine leave, he knew now that he had a chance of winning. The plagued monsters would take care of the army out here; now Naruto had the chance to fight Mograine one-on-one.

Naruto ran towards the Cathedral along the rooftop, his fingers weaving seals as he did. Leaping then, just before he reached the wall, he landed softly on a patch of still-green grass. He ran towards the door, which cast a large shadow in the moonlight. As he ran, black markings blossomed across his face and body, and as soon as he stepped atop the shadow, he began to sink within it.

'_Shadow-walk!'_

Naruto's last glimpse of the courtyard was a Crusader destroying himself, his face lit in a triumphant smile, dying gladly with the knowledge that he had slain a few monsters of the dark.

Naruto was glad that he suddenly could no longer see them; what was happening was not humans being slain, and slaying monsters— it was monsters killing other monsters.

* * *

The entire floor of the Cathedral was cast in darkness when Naruto reappeared. Though he had never been inside, it occurred to him that no matter what, there would be a multitude of shadows in this place. He could sense them to a degree, but in this case, it was more like common sense (even though he didn't claim to have much, that didn't mean he was completely devoid of it, especially in a battle situation).

He did not see Mograine. The massive room was deathly quiet. He saw smoking candles, and knew that Mograine had doused them. Had he expected Naruto to follow?

Naruto went warily forwards. His hand gripped his sword tightly, while his other twitched, ready to use a Rasengan at the slightest movement.

But he did not see Mograine, who moved in a blur, frighteningly fast and silent for his size, straight at Naruto's behind. It was only the blonde's nose that alerted him. Drawing his sword, Naruto whipped around faster than he had expected. Indeed, it felt less like he had moved, and more like he had been pulled. His weapon met Mograine's war mace mere inches before his face, causing sparks to fly, and the cathedral to ring with the clash of metal.

Naruto didn't give way this time. He reinforced himself using the _Kongou_, and to Mograine, it felt as if he was trying to move a brick wall. He had to admit: the blonde was impressive.

Mograine pulled away this time, and Naruto pressed the attack, slashing at the Scarlet Commander's head. Mograine ducked the blow, and rammed Naruto with his whole body. The blonde took it using the _Kongou_ again, but Mograine persisted, throwing all of his weight into a second body ram. This time, however, Naruto gave way, leaping backwards so that Mograine fell off balance. The blonde then aimed a kick at Mograine's head. It did nothing more than ruffle the giant's hair.

"My _Divine Shield_ protects me from damage from only the strongest of attacks, boy. By now, you should have figured that out," Mograine rumbled. He swung his mace at the blonde, but Naruto leapt back, avoiding the attack. It crashed against a column, obliterating it. "You have nothing but the Darkness on your side, boy. My holy might does not differentiate between those who worship it—whether it be child or old man, I shall destroy all who oppose the Light."

Naruto panted heavily, dodging another oncoming attack from Mograine's weapon. He was quicker than the giant, he knew, but Mograine was more skilled than he imagined. Even now, after all that fighting, Mograine seemed unshaken; not a hair appeared to be out of place. He showed no signs of weariness, which shocked Naruto. He was used to being the one who outlasted his opponents.

Naruto, still panting, grinned slyly at the Scarlet Commander in the dark. "Who says I'm opposing it, dirtbag? You guys are the ones who have been torturing people who you say have the plague." He stood up straighter. "What really gets me is that you guys, even after drenching yourselves in their blood, still believe that they have the plague. If they did, wouldn't you be infected too?"

Mograine moved silently, circling the blonde. Neither took their eyes off the other.

"The Light protects those that accept it. We cannot contract the Plague."

Naruto gave a bark of laughter. "You guys are just assholes who want to blame everything on people who aren't part of your little group. People like you really piss me off." He pointed at the man in the gloom, his blue eyes shimmering. "I'm gonna kick your ass so hard it's not even funny. You guys are going to pay for killing Kira's dad, and ruining her kingdom."

Mograine stood up straight too. His eyes, a darker blue than Naruto's own, hardened into bottomless fathoms of ice. He gave a rumbling laugh.

"If only you knew…."

He lifted his war mace high above him, and with a thunderous cry, brought it crashing down to the ground in front of him. The stone floor burst apart in a thunderous flash of light, sending waves of heat crashing over Naruto, making him stumble backwards from the intensity. Mograine was suddenly in front of him, his weapon careening downwards towards Naruto's body.

Naruto kicked off the ground, and vanished abruptly. Mograine stopped, but only for a second. He twisted suddenly, blocking a sword strike from Naruto.

"Predictable…" the giant thundered, thrusting Naruto off him. He made to grab Naruto's head, but the blonde blurred away again, and suddenly Mograine felt dozens of punches smashing into his face. They did little damage, but the sheer number and speed of them threw him off.

That had been what Naruto was counting on.

Two clones appeared by Mograine's legs, and propelling themselves forwards, they ripped the Scarlet Commander's legs out from under him, while two more clones leapt upon Mograine's chest. He crashed to the floor, and the clones grabbed onto his arms, pinning them to the ground with their full weights. But before he could do anything to right himself, the real Naruto, clutching a glittering blue Rasengan, shot down from above.

"Don't insult me! I'm the least predictable guy you'll ever meet! **Rasengan!"**

His arms pinned, Mograine couldn't redirect the attack this time. He struggled as hard as he could, but the clones struggled just as hard, even using _Kongou_ to harden themselves, making it nearly impossible to move their arms. His eyes widened briefly, showing the first sign of emotion Naruto had ever seen on his face, just as the Rasengan struck his chest.

The glowing sphere smashed through the _Divine_ _Shield_ technique that covered Mograine's body, and slammed directly into his mid-section. Mere seconds after it struck, however, something happened.

Mograine's body was suddenly surrounded by a bronze glow. It was spiky, erratic, and constantly in motion. It suddenly surrounded Naruto's hand, and suddenly it began to hurt. A lot. The pain lanced up his arm, and flooded into the rest of his body. Naruto began to scream. He retracted his hand, just as a huge barb of the bronze chakra shot up, spearing Naruto in the shoulder. He cried out in absolute agony, backing away, blood gushing from the newly created wound. His whole arm was bloody, covered in small puncture wounds. Still gasping, he didn't notice Mograine standing up, and approaching him.

"_The Thorns of Light pierce only the Darkness,"_ Mograine recited, his mind upon the passage in the Holy Scriptures that told of this power. The Aura of Thorns was his last defense, and easily his most effective. The blonde was finished.

He grabbed Naruto's head, and hurtled him across the room. The blonde crashed into a candlestick, and rolled along until he rested against one of the many columns. Coughing, he stood shakily to his feet.

Mograine pursued him. The giant Crusader lifted his war mace, eyes flashing, and brought it whistling down onto Naruto's head.

That should have ended it.

But, Naruto once again made due on his "most surprising" moniker.

The Naruto that Mograine had smashed vanished in a puff of smoke, replaced by a large chunk of stone from the floor that Mograine had ruined earlier. He had been able to form the seal for _Kawarimi no jutsu_ mid-way through his flight, using a single hand. He was becoming far more adept in his use of the basics.

Mograine swiftly turned, believing that Naruto would attack from behind. But instead of a boy, he got nothing. Naruto moved just as Mograine realized he had been tricked.

A new Rasengan swirled in Naruto's hand. As Mograine turned, Naruto put on a burst of speed, and smashed the glowing orb into Mograine's exposed chest. Mograine made to push his hand out of the way, just as it struck the flesh, but Naruto was ready once again.

His ruined hand flew up, making a single half-seal, and then Rasengan did something it had never done before.

It exploded.

The sphere burst in a bright flash of bluish light, releasing all of the swirling energies within. Fire came with them, bursting forth from Naruto's fingertips, as the reason for why it had exploded became clear.

The _Kaenhira._

"**Bakuhatsuteki Rasengan (Explosive Rasengan)!"**

The explosive surge of power thrust Mograine away from Naruto. He flew with such force across the Cathedral that he appeared to be nothing but a blur for a few scant seconds. He smashed into the wall opposite Naruto, causing it to crack and burst apart. Dust flew in every direction, partially obscuring the Scarlet Commander.

His hand still extended, Naruto gave a deep sigh of relief. His arm was a cacophony of pain, each movement making his body scream in the shrillest of voices. He dropped to his knees, breathing heavily, and watching Mograine for a while. He had long gotten used to the fact that people in this world didn't like dying. He was not going to be caught off guard if Mograine decided he wanted to live after this.

His whole body then relaxed, as he spotted Mograine. The Scarlet Commander couldn't have been deader. The explosive power of the Kaenhira, combined with the amount and form of the chakra of the Rasengan had turned his chest into something resembling an onion sliced to look like a flower. There was so much gore that Naruto almost gagged, if it were not for the sudden, rather vicious feeling of elation he got in seeing his opponent dead.

When he realized that he was reveling in the man's death, however, Naruto became nearly sick again. He could here the Kyuubi laughing softly behind its bars. Did it have something to do with that emotion?

Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

Naruto looked down the aisle, towards the altar of the Cathedral. Walking slowly towards him was an extremely beautiful woman. She had long, flowing pristine white hair, gorgeous green eyes, and was wearing one of the sexiest outfits Naruto had ever seen.

But Naruto only saw that temporarily, before his attention was drawn to the woman's smile. It was so hideous, so disgustingly mad, so filled with a sick, delighted amusement at the situation, that her whole body suddenly seemed as repulsive as the mutants outside.

"Well done, child. I have not met you before, who might you be?"

Naruto glared at the woman distrustfully. "Uzumaki Naruto. You're Whitemane, aren't you?"

The woman didn't seem a bit surprised. "I suppose that the princess Kira has told you much about me, yes? Have you been protecting her, all this time? You have my deepest thanks for keeping her safe. I would regret not personally seeing to it that the little brat dies in the most horrible of fashions. She has put me through quite a bit of grief, since I have known her."

Naruto grinned. "Good," he said viciously.

She chuckled, amused. "Is it?" She smiled wider, and her eyes were suddenly touched with madness. "Looking at you angers me. How can two children cause so much trouble for me, I wonder? The Lich King is getting craftier, employing children like you to be his assassins." Her eyes grew madder still. "I'll kill you, now, boy. I'll send you back to you master in pieces. I have had enough of looking into your disgusting, plague-ridden face."

Naruto stood, his hand grabbing onto his sword. He was weakened, but he could still fight.

She laughed then; it was laced with insanity, for her eyes were wide, and her insane smile stretched to the widest it could on her beautiful face.

"No, no, no, no! That won't do! It would be improper of me to fight you, in such a state as you are!" She then turned towards Mograine's dead body. She cocked her head to the side, and her smile grew to more of a smirk. "But, seeing as how he did once, I'm sure he could again."

Naruto blinked. What was she talking about?

Whitemane began to make seals with her hands, and they began to glow the brightest gold in existence. She extended her hand, and the golden light formed a long tendril, which snaked out towards Mograine's body.

"He was useful. I'm sure he'll be useful again."

As soon as the tendril touched Mograine's body, there was a bright flash. Naruto shut his eyes, nearly blinded by the light, for a moment it was all he could see. Then, the light faded, and Naruto opened his eyes to a very familiar nightmare.

Mograine stood, not a scratch upon his body, and looked at Whitemane.

"At your side, my lady."

* * *

God, it's two AM in the morning.

But enough about my problems.

How'd ya like it? Seems Sylvanas' plague isn't as effective as she might have thought! Farenell's in trouble, to be sure when Fen and Myr tell Sylvanas about the effects.

The mutants that the Crusaders become are rather blatantly based off of some of the horror shows in Resident Evil. Think of them as a cross between a zombie, a hunter, and a licker.

Sylvanas' Plague is way different from what she intended it to be, and it is also different from the Undead plague. You'll be hearing more about it soon, and I'll probably include a little section in the next author notes about the exact mechanics of the plague.

There won't be any spellbook, armory or bestiary sections this time—I'm too tired, and they'll all be in the next author section anyways (I had intended this and the following to be in one chapter, but alas, I can't seem to write a chapter that isn't over 20 pages now.)

I'm graduating on Monday…thank the gods.

Well, that's it. I'll try to get the chapter out soon enough, because I have some things to do this summer…but more on that later.

Seeya!

General Grievous

_Next week: Whitemane and the resurrected Mograine! HOT!_


	45. Mograine and Whitemane: The Past

**Disclaimer: I do ton won Out ran or World of Raw craft**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

They were lost.

Kira and Kylia, being led by the headstrong spirit fox of Naruto's, Tsuwabuki, were completely and utterly lost.

And it could not have been in a worse place, or at a worse time.

It had been only a few minutes or so ago, but already it felt like hours since she had sent her people off, away from the monastery and hopefully to safety in the folds of the Argent Dawn. They had met up with Tsuwabuki soon after, and the silvery fox had taken them, not into the monastery, as Kira had expected (and wanted), but along the towering walls that surrounded it. She had led them, eventually, to a small opening, once protected by a large grate, which Tsuwabuki had torn off. The small opening was just wide enough to let Kira, Kylia, and Tsuwabuki slip in. They spent the next few minutes, Kira and Kylia in a state of constant, and extreme, discomfort, as they crawled at a painfully slow rate through the disgusting, dirty, and extremely wet tunnel.

Finally, they had emerged in a larger tunnel, or rather, set of tunnels. They appeared to be sewers, which was slightly surprising to Kira. The Crusaders that had built this place had done quite a thorough job of it. The sewers had low ceilings, meaning even the two girls had to hunch over so that they did not crack their heads on the hard, slimy stone above them. Tsuwabuki, upon emerging from the small, cramped tunnel, led them right down another. They stayed on the sides, avoiding touching the putrid sewage water that flowed beside them in a shallow canal. At the end of that tunnel, Tsuwabuki turned again; then again, and soon, Kira began to question whether the fox knew where she was going or not.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Tsuwabuki, because from what Naruto said, she was quite sensible, and did nothing without reason. From what it looked like, Tsuwabuki was doing something purposeful, but Kira wondered whether the nigh toxic fumes of the sewers were not getting to her. Kira herself was beginning to feel slightly light-headed, and she had a mere human nose. She shuddered to think what it would smell like to Tsuwabuki.

But on they went, Kira right behind Tsuwabuki, and Kylia behind her. They went through more long tunnels; some were small and tight, with ceilings so low that they had to crawl. Some of these, even, had damp, even outright sodden floors, where the sewage water had overflowed. It made Kira shudder to think what she was crawling in, and made note that the instant she got out of this place, she'd take a bath. Even if it were in Sylvanas' odorless green sludge, anything would be better than being covered in Crusader filth.

She wished she could ask Tsuwabuki, somehow, how long it would be until they got to wherever she was leading them. She was getting anxious. How was Naruto fairing? Had he escaped, or stayed and fought the army of Crusaders that would no doubt attack him? Was he even still alive?

'_Of course he is,'_ she thought, shaking her head to clear those depressing thoughts from her mind. Naruto wouldn't let himself die like that. And besides, Tsuwabuki would have reacted by now if that were the case. She had Naruto were bound by the most primordial and powerful of bonds.

She watched as Tsuwabuki suddenly stopped, whipping her head about, looking to her left, and then to her right, down a tunnel that they had come to. It was by far the largest they had seen. There was enough room to stand up fully in, and its canal was wide enough to let both her and Kylia walk side by side in (not that they would, of course). Tsuwabuki gave a nod of satisfaction, and turning briefly to Kira, she jerked head to the right.

"Right?" Kira said.

Tsuwabuki nodded.

"That's where the exit is?"

Tsuwabuki nodded again.

Kira gave a sigh of relief. She hurried down the tunnel, Kylia fast on her heels, and but a moment later, they arrived at a massive circular pool with half a dozen other passages like her own branched off of. All of the tunnels were lit with a single torch, which did well to illuminate the gloomy room. The pool itself was dark green in color, and smelled worse than any of the passages that they had gone through before.

She looked around. Aside from the passages, there wasn't really anything noticeable that suggested an exit. She looked at Tsuwabuki; the fox was staring up, however, and seemed to be ignoring her. She looked up as well, and spotted what had caught the fox's attention.

There was a ladder, suspended at least fifteen feet above the pool. It led up to the ceiling, where there was a hatch, recognizable even in the gloom. So that was their exit.

Then she frowned. What on earth would a ladder be doing so far up? It looked as if it was merely for observing the room below, rather than getting down to it. But what on earth was there to observe, but a cesspool and a couple of dark passageways?

But, it didn't matter much. She looked at Kylia.

"Any ideas on how to get up?"

The girl shook her head, biting her lip. Kira looked around, trying to find a lever, or perhaps a panel of some sort that would make the ladder descend. It seemed that unless the Crusaders had somehow mastered their chakra in a way like Naruto, and were able to stick to walls, then the ladder itself was rather pointless.

Kylia looked around too. She was standing a little ways away from the edge, which was covered in damp sludge. As she began to poke around, tapping specific bricks on the ground and walls, she stepped upon one of these wet patches of sludge, and slipped. She gave a shout, stumbling backwards, her arms flailing. She grabbed onto the nearest thing: the torch, using it to steady herself.

But as soon as she put her weight on it, the torch handle and the section of the wall that it had been fastened came out, causing Kylia to squeak again in surprise and fall on her butt. There was a sudden, loud, clanking sound from all around them, from within the walls and ceiling. Kira grasped on to Kylia, pulling her to her feet. She looked back into the poolroom, her eyes widening.

From the cesspool, another ladder had begun to rise. It grew longer and longer, stretching out towards the ladder hanging above, moving a rung higher every second with a loud clinking sound. It was covered in sewage, and was quite rusted, but nevertheless, Kira rejoiced (for once) in Kylia's clumsiness. The ladder continued to rise, eventually touching the ladder hanging from the ceiling. As the final rungs emerged from the pool, so did a small, narrow stone path, connecting to Kira's tunnel.

After thanking a blushing Kylia, Kira tentatively stepped onto the path, and slowly made her way to the center of the pool. Kylia followed slowly, with Tsuwabuki bringing up the rear. The silver fox, not being able to use the ladder anyways, leapt onto the wall, fastening herself there with chakra. Kira resolved to get Naruto to teach her that technique.

Suddenly, Kylia gave a shout from behind Kira, startling the young princess. Turning as swiftly as she could without falling, she saw Kylia staring at the water, eyes wide, face white and sickly.

"M—K-Kira! There's something in there!"

Kira frowned, staring into the pool. She could see nothing. Hoping that what Kylia had seen was just a figment of her overactive imagination, Kira bent slowly down and peered even closer into the water.

She was greeted with a pair of milky, dead eyes, accompanying the engorged, rotten, green face of a dead man. Kira lurched upwards, giving a scream at the sight. As soon as she saw it, she saw more. Hundreds. They bobbed up from the green sludgy water, some mere skeletons, others as fresh and recently dead as poor Paul. Kira could not stop herself from vomiting at this point, and for a moment she sat there upon the walkway, retching until she couldn't anymore.

When she finally finished, she stood shakily to her feet. The dead bodies remained; all of them seemed to be staring at her.

They were her people.

So this was where they sent those that had confessed, after they were tortured to death. Kira couldn't believe it. How could people be this horrible? What madness could possess people to commit an atrocity such as this?

She was crying, she realized. Instead of being buried, surrounded by their loved ones, these people were rotting in a pool beneath a monastery full of insane monsters. She felt Kylia's arms on her shoulders, holding her carefully as she sobbed for those she had been unable to protect.

But the sobbing passed. Kira wiped her eyes, watching the dead bodies for a moment longer. She said a soft prayer, to send them on their ways. Such people deserved a proper burial, and she told them that one day she'd return, and give them one. But right now, she had something to do.

She had to find the one who had done this to them, and make her pay.

She turned and started up the ladder. She did not look back, for she did not need to. Their faces, each and every one of them, were affixed in her mind along with the others that she had seen taken by the Crusaders. She would carry their memory until she died.

When she reached the top, now covered in even more grime, Tsuwabuki was there, standing upside down, watching her calmly. She stood just in front of the hatch, which was bound a heavy looking iron lever.

Though it took a while, she finally managed to pull the lever, and pushed open the heavy hatch. She was greeted by more darkness. Tsuwabuki slid up the passage first, Kira and Kylia following soon after.

The room they entered was cramped, and extremely dark. No torches lit this one, so the only light they now had was from the room below. It smelt only a little better, and was quite a bit dustier. Wrinkling her nose at the musty stench, Kira stood up and looked around. She could see only black.

Then, she heard the slow shuffling of feet against stone. Her eyes widening, she backed away, as the darkness in front of her seemed to gain form and shape. It was a human shape, only a head taller than herself, and it was moving very slowly towards her. She stopped herself from screaming in surprise, but just barely. It still came out as a slight gasp, causing the figure to stop.

"Who's there?" it croaked. The voice sounded ancient, and was as dry and raspy as dead air of the chamber. The figure it belonged to remained still, waiting for an answer.

Kira didn't say anything. She held her breath, hoping whoever or whatever it was, it would not see or hear them.

"I can smell you, human," the voice said. "I can tell you are not the High Bitch, so I am confused as to what you are doing here…with an animal, no less. Speak up!"

Kira swallowed. The creature had called her human. Therefore, it wasn't. What could it be doing here?

She saw Kylia, in the darkness, moving. The girl was drawing out her knives, readying to let them fly, even in the darkness. Tsuwabuki was sniffing the air, but did not move from Kira's side. Finally, Kira decided to break the silence. With Kylia and Tsuwabuki here, as well as her own abilities, she decided that they'd be able to face whatever this creature was.

"I am here," she said, boldly. "But who are you? What are you doing in this place?"

There was a cackling laugh. "It is I who should be asking that question. From your voice, you sound quite young. What is a little bird like you doing in this unholy place?"

Kira paused. What could she tell this stranger? For a moment, she debated on whether to tell it the truth or not. Eventually, she decided that information could not be used against her, so she answered.

"I was here to save my people. I did so, and I now I have returned to make the one that harmed them pay."

There was silence for a moment. "You came from below…then you saw the bodies, eh? They have been dumping many for the past few months. I have heard of the many humans that came here, from Stormwind. Fools, the lot of them."

Kira felt anger rise within her, and she was quick to defend her people. "They were lost! They had only lies spoken to them, for a while, and they didn't know what they were doing!"

"But if a man steals a fruit, yet doesn't know that he is stealing, it is still stealing, yes?" the voice said, softly.

Kira deflated. Her anger still simmering, she spoke hotly.

"And who are you?"

"I was once the leader of this place…I am High Inquisitor Fairbanks, or at least I was in life."

Kira's eyes widened. She stepped back quickly, nearly tripping over Tsuwabuki, in order to back away from the High Inquisitor.

"Y-you're a Scarlet Crusader!" she cried.

The cackle came again. "I am undead, child. The Scarlet Crusade has no place for undead. I am merely a tool to be used by them, now."

Oddly, the words comforted Kira slightly, and she took a step back to her original position. She watched the hunched figure, who seemed as still as a statue in the darkness. "A tool?" she managed to say.

"Yes…" Fairbanks said. "I am an advisor to the High Bitch, that accursed fool Whitemane. I provide her with all the wisdom that she does not possess. I give her my counsel on every matter that has to do with the war against the Scourge. But my efforts are useless. Everything that is done only benefits our enemies. The Scarlet Crusade is nothing what it used to be…what it could be."

Kira's curiosity was slowly getting the better of her. Though desperate to help Naruto, and face Whitemane, this man seemed to know a lot about the Crusade. That, in the long run, could only help her in fighting them.

"What do you mean?"

Fairbanks laughed. "The corruption, girl! Surely you do not think that there is not a reason for why they destroy uninfected humans? They are not as incompetent as that…. They are insane. Ever since the death of the Highlord Mograine, they have been slowly spiraling towards complete madness. Whitemane is a victim of this corruption."

"Victim?" Kira said, incredulously. She could not for the life of her picture such a vile woman as a victim.

"Oh yes. She was raised with nothing but the beliefs of the Crusaders firmly etched into her mind. She has known nothing else, and it was their corrupted beliefs—destroy all those who have the potential to be infected—and do whatever possible to annihilate the Scourge and its minions. She is merely a puppet, a slave to their ideals. I would find it sad if I did not hate her so."

'_Just like Maya…'_ Kira thought, stunned. But despite her best efforts, Kira could not wrap her mind around the fact that Whitemane had done all she had based on those beliefs. Kira knew that Whitemane was a wicked woman, and no matter how she tried, she could not find a shred of pity for her. Whitemane would truly pay for killing her father, and no matter what state of mind she had been in, that did not change what she had done.

Meanwhile, Fairbanks had continued. His raspy laugh filled the room again.

"But the High Bitch is not the one you should be wary of."

Kira blinked. "What?"

Though he was still shrouded in darkness, Kira had a pretty good idea of what Fairbanks was doing as he spoke. His grin, though unseen by her, nonetheless showed through the gloom.

"The corruption begins with Highlord Mograine's death…by the hand of his own son, the fool Commander, the lesser Mograine. His greed and desire for the mighty weapon that made the Highlord so famous—the Ashbringer, is what led him down the path to corruption."

Kira's eyes widened. The Highlord, killed by his own son? It was that single act that bred the corruption that she knew today? Was it all because of one man that the Crusade was full of the zealots she had seen destroying themselves earlier? She didn't buy it, and let Fairbanks know as such.

The undead laughed in response. "No, it was merely the beginning. I have not been around for the past few years, but I know that something has changed, and that change began with the lesser Mograine slaying his father. It is I who witnessed this; and when I revealed it to the rest of the Crusade, I saw that the corruption had spread already. But some believed me. They fled the Crusade, and it was they who established the Argent Dawn—the group who fights the Scourge, uncorrupted and for the good of the world," Fairbanks continued.

"The lesser Mograine did not see his ambitions realized. The weapon he sought, Ashbringer, was lost. I do not remember how, or where it now lies, only that losing it drove the lesser Mograine insane. He remained Scarlet Commander, and when the High bitch arrived, he became her willing champion—nothing but a dog. And it is because I revealed this information, that I know lie in this place—undead, broken, and alone. They left me in this place, believing I was dead for many years. It was only when the High Bitch came, by accident, and discovered this place that my presence was known again. The lesser Mograine does not know of my presence here. Only the High Bitch, who uses me for advice."

Kira was breathing heavily by now. Her head was packed full of information. If what Fairbanks said was true, then the true corruption of the Crusade was Mograine's fault? She looked through the gloom, trying to see Fairbanks.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, softly.

"Why not?" he responded, cackling. "It is but a small revenge against those that did this to me. I held hate in my breast for a long time, but now I simply wish for freedom. You say you are going to avenge an injustice against the High Bitch and that slavering dog Mograine? Then do it for me, as well."

Kira swallowed. "But how do we get out?"

Fairbanks responded by extending a hand, and grasping something on the wall. Seconds later, the room was flooded with light. Kira got her first glimpse of the man that she had been speaking to all this time.

Fairbanks' eyes had long rotted away, as had much of his skin. White bone was visible over the majority of his body, and his lower jaw hung limply from his head. Several strands of whitish hair fell from his head from beneath the faded Inquisitor's chapeau. He wore red robes, also faded.

Fairbanks grinned crookedly at them. "Such a pretty one. I wish you luck, child. Take my words to heart—you are now the only living person who knows that information. Perhaps you can do some good with it."

Kira stared at the undead for a while, feeling a slight tendril of pity well up in her for him. He was one of the few, it seems, whose intentions had been pure. She respected that. Giving him a slight bow, she hurried through the door. Kylia followed, but Tsuwabuki stared at the former man a little longer.

Fairbanks grinned. "You'd best go and help, fox. The lesser Mograine is nothing to his father, but his corruption is second to one. It is only the Grand Crusader himself who equals that fool in his desires, and the only difference between them is power. The little girl, and her companions, may need you."

Tsuwabuki stared at him a little longer, before following the two girls out the door. It closed soon after, shrouding Fairbanks in darkness once more.

* * *

Naruto couldn't believe it.

Having just spent almost all his energy fighting and defeating Mograine, he just couldn't believe that in barely an instant the white-haired High Inquisitor had undone all he had worked for. Mograine was alive, unharmed, and seemed stronger than ever. He watched as the huge Crusader crossed the room and stood a few feet in front of Whitemane, who was smirking at Naruto, her green eyes glinting with madness.

"At your side, milady," he thundered, lifting the war mace.

Whitemane barely looked at him. Her attention was solely on Naruto, who was staring with wide eyes at the scene.

"I hope you don't mind; I am not much of a fighter," she said, her amusement barely contained.

"H-how?" Naruto gasped, trying to stand upright. His wounded arm burned with each movement, and despite the Kyuubi's healing factor, he knew that it would take at least a few more minutes for it to heal enough to be of use.

Whitemane's smile grew. "It is a power that only the strongest of priestesses can use. So strong is it, in fact, that only one in a million are said to possess the ability to wield it. It allows me to heal those who have died, and bring them back, to fight for me once more. They will be as they were before they died, perhaps even stronger. It consumes so much chakra that if a regular person were to even try it, they would perish instantly." She walked forwards, placing her hands on Mograine's chest. The Scarlet Commander didn't react to his mistress' probing, his body harder and more unmovable than iron. Leaning upon her champion, Whitemane continued.

"I can wield it, because I am one of the few who are born with enough chakra to use it. I have so much chakra that only a demon's, or a god's, could compare. It is known as the Holy Light—and it is the reason I was made High Inquisitor."

Staring at the woman now, Naruto wondered how he could have missed it. There had been something extremely off about her since she had arrived. He could feel her chakra, but not just from her—it was all around him, seeping into the air like leaking gas. What was this Holy Light?

'**I FIND IT STRANGE AS WELL. IT IS NO BLOODLINE; BUT SOMETHING FAR DIFFERENT.'**

Though startled to here the demon speak again, Naruto couldn't help but appeal to the creature. '_Could it be something like you?'_

The Kyuubi laughed. '**IT IS NOT DEMONIC. HOWEVER, IT IS SIMILAR; PERHAPS, BRAT, SHE IS LIKE YOU.'**

Naruto was stunned. This woman had something like a demon in her? Instead of the kinship that he had felt when he had learned of Gaara's demon, however, he felt nothing for this woman. It was clear that she had not been cursed with a demon, but blessed with something that everyone revered. She had not grown up alone, but probably worshipped for her power.

Therefore, he felt nothing but contempt for this woman. Though she was in a way like him, she had still committed too many atrocities to be forgiven.

Naruto looked at his arm. It was mostly healed, but it still wouldn't be fully functional for some time. He didn't believe Mograine or Whitemane would give him a chance to wait for that.

And he was right. Whitemane released her hold on Mograine, and stepped away from him. "It is time to end this, I think. Mograine, my champion! Kill this abomination! We cannot allow him to spread his disgusting Plague!"

Mograine roared, lifting his weapon into the air, he pushed off the ground and came at Naruto with the abandon of a berserker. His war mace came down, once, twice, thrice; the floor of the Cathedral exploded beneath each strike, flinging hard stone into the air in three bright flashes of light. Each one, Naruto dodged, managing to stay just out of range with his _Kazaashi_. His sword came free at the last moment, and as before, it seemed to drag his arm into position, blocking Mograine's fourth strike. The force of the hit numbed Naruto's arm, and would have sent him sprawling were it not for his clever use of the _Kongou_ to reinforce his footing.

Deflected, Mograine was forced to pull away, before preparing for another swing. His hands flying together, Naruto summoned five clones, which swooped into the Crusader's guard.

One clone kicked upwards at Mograine's face, striking his chin, knocking him upwards.

"**U!"**

Another kicked him in the gut, depriving him of air.

"**ZU!"**

Two more came at his sides, smashing their feet into his kidneys. Mograine, despite his huge body, was launched into the air.

"**MA!"**

"**KI!"**

Naruto himself leapt off one of his clone's backs, flying high above the now soaring Scarlet Commander. Twisting his body to face him, Naruto, as Mograine rushed to meet him in mid-air, launched the final part of his attack. He let fly dozens of punches, all faster than the eye could see. Each punch slammed into Mograine's unprotected chest, in the exact same spot as the last. Naruto then _air-grasped_ backwards, and with a cry of "**Naruto Ransoku Rendan (Rapid Storm Combo)!" **Naruto smashed his foot into Mograine's weakened stomach, sending him to the stone floor with the force of a small meteor.

The blonde landed a few feet away, breathing heavily. Mograine lay still, half-buried by ruined stone, his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Triumphant, Naruto turned to face Whitemane, whose amused face hadn't changed in the slightest.

"It isn't over yet, infidel," she said, softly.

At her words, Mograine moved, and slowly picked himself up. Hunched over, his eyes still rolled into his head, blood dripping from his mouth, he appeared less a champion of the light, and more a slavering monster. He let loose an inhuman cry, which Naruto could just barely recognize.

"**FAAAAATTTHHHHEEERRR!"**

Belching out a few small sprays of blood, Mograine stood straight up, and smashed his weapon into the floor. He loosed another scream, this one totally incoherent. But it appeared to be not without purpose, for his body was suddenly surrounded in a sheen of light. Glowing markings appeared on the ground around him, formed a seal of a sort. When the glow faded, Mograine, his body once again protected by the Divine Shield, attacked.

Naruto's clones leapt forwards, heading to meet Mograine before he could reach Naruto himself. With a single, brutish swing, the clones were dispelled, Mograine never breaking step. His weapon came down again, and the Cathedral shook from when it smashed into the floor, pulverizing everything within a dozen feet of it. Columns crumbled, statues turned to dust, and Naruto was flung away, landing roughly on the ground, coughing.

'**SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, BRAT? HE IS CLEARLY STRONGER THAN YOU—WITH ME, YOU CAN BECOME STRONGER THAN HIM, AND THE FEMALE.'**

Naruto stood shakily, ignoring the demon. He would not use the Kyuubi! He shouted this within him, deafeningly loud inside the demon's cage. The creature chuckled in response. He knew, that if this continued, the brat would have no choice but to use him. The boy would not let himself die, not before he could keep his promises. It would only be a matter of time.

Mograine continued his assault. His eyes were clouded with such insanity now that Naruto wondered if the man even knew where he was. Each strike was aimed at Naruto's body, but he held the weapon in such a way that it as if he clutched a sword, not a mace. And each time he neared Naruto, the blonde shinobi could hear him whispering something under his breath.

Naruto's own blade took every blow it could. Naruto's arm was dragged back and forth by the magnificent weapon, deflecting each strike that he could not avoid. He was pushed across the Cathedral; it was nothing compared to its former glory. It was a battleground, ruined and stained with blood. There was nothing holy about it anymore.

Blocking another attack, Naruto, as he pulled back, thrust his hands together in a seal. A line of clones appeared behind him, all ready to attack. Shouting an order to them, the last clone leapt up, and the one in front of it grabbed its ankles, hurtling it forwards. Then that one leapt up, and was thrown too. The thrown clones sped through the air, tucking into balls as they did. They hardened their bodies with the _Kongou_ as best they could. Mograine, seeing them coming, raised his weapon to deflect them. Naruto, seeing his chance, thrust forwards with his own blade with all his might. Though it struck the _Divine Shield_, Naruto managed to puncture it with the tip, just enough so the blade stuck. Mograine roared in surprise and pain, and mere seconds before Naruto's flying clone hit, Naruto himself jumped up and over Mograine, grabbing onto his weapon and pulling it back, using his entire weight.

Mograine, stunned from the strike, and thrown off by the added weight, was struck in rapid succession by the two clone balls. The first drove Naruto's blade up to the hilt within him, and the second knocked him off his feet. He landed on his back with a crash, his body going still once more.

Naruto landed, stumbling, on his feet a few yards away. At the sight of blood, dribbling out from the puncture wound on Mograine's chest, Naruto wondered if he was finally dead.

Whitemane's eyes, once full of amusement, were now full of an insane fury. She extended her hand and it began to glow.

"Stupid brat! As long as I live, my champion does too!"

Naruto turned, horrified, realizing what she was going to do. He rushed towards her, intent on stopping the technique from being performed.

But it did not need to be stopped.

Before he could reach the High Inquisitor, or even initiate a _Kazaashi_, Naruto found his feet swept out from under him. He landed flat on his face, hard enough to knock him a little senseless. Turning over, he saw Mograine looming over him. Naruto's sword remained in his chest; the blood had stopped flowing, for the protective energies of the _Divine Shield_ had somehow plugged the wound. The man's eyes were bloodshot and clouded. He looked far away, even though he was staring straight at the blonde.

He was not there. He was not in the Scarlet Cathedral, staring down at the blonde boy Uzumaki Naruto. He was standing in the burning ruins of Stratholme, staring down at his father, the Highlord Mograine. He was grinning triumphantly. In his hands was not a war mace, but his father's mighty sword: Ashbringer.

"You see, father?" he whispered, confusing Naruto even more than he already was. "You see how it obeys me? Ashbringer is mine…it always has been!"

Naruto blinked. '_Ashbringer?'_ The name was familiar. It took Naruto a few seconds, but he finally realized where he had heard it. Maya. The girl had told him about Mograine's father, the Highlord, who wielded a sword strong enough to destroy armies of undead.

But what the hell was he talking about? Mograine seemed to be lost in his own memories, and was reenacting them as they fought. But the way he spoke: with such contempt and avarice, led Naruto to believe that his father's death had not been merely a tragedy of war.

But Naruto didn't really care. He was still going to beat this bastard. No matter how crazy he was.

Then, a sudden noise distracted Naruto. At the far end of the cathedral, where the altar lay, three very recognizable figures appeared. Kira, Kylia, and Tsuwabuki, all emerged from a side door, entering the ruined cathedral breathlessly.

"Naruto!" Kira cried, upon seeing him. It took but a glance to see that Naruto was in trouble. She made to run over to him, until she noticed the other figure in the room.

Whitemane was staring at Kira was bright, grinning eyes. She was immensely pleased that the girl had shown up. It would allow her to set some things straight. She started towards the girl, who backed up upon seeing the High Inquisitor. Kylia stepped protectively in front of Kira, while Tsuwabuki debated whether to stay and fight with Kylia, of rush off and help her partner. It didn't take her long, and soon she was streaking down the cathedral aisle, towards Mograine and Naruto, whose fight had yet to resume.

"So you came back?" Whitemane said, smiling at her.

"Yes," Kira responded, suddenly gaining her courage back. The moment the words had oozed from Whitemane's mouth, Kira's hatred of her quickly conquered her sudden fear. She looked at Kylia. Part of her wanted the girl to leave this fight to her, and send her to help Naruto, but another, much more vocal part, wanted her to stay. Kylia was doing as she always had done. Kira decided then to let her stay, and turned to Whitemane. Boiling up once more, her anger caused her fists to clench, and her feet to move forwards. She now stood only a few feet away from Whitemane.

Kira didn't intend to say much. There was nothing she could say, really, that her eyes and her posture did not already reveal. She was going to fight Whitemane, and she was going to do everything in her ability to make the woman pay. But she spoke anyways; the words tumbled forth, as hot as coals. "I'm going to kill you. For killing my father and for bringing so much pain to my people…you will pay."

Whitemane, at first, didn't respond. Then, she began to slowly laugh, beautifully, at first, but that laugh soon descended into a maddened cackle, and her whole body began to shake with her madness.

"Are you still on about that, girl? There is nothing that I am guilty of. The people that came to me were going to be spared a gruesome existence as a member of the Scourge. You have simply doomed them. As for your father…it was not my doing."

Kira shook with rage. Her chakra formed a visible aura around her, leaping and dancing. It was not a surging flame like Naruto's, but like electricity, fast and erratic. "You still say that? I know you are the one to blame!"

Whitemane shook her head. "No; it was undoubtedly that woman…the Scarlet Oracle, who ordered his death. I had nothing to do with it—it did not fit into any of my plans."

'_Scarlet Oracle…?'_ thought Kira, momentarily put off. Who was that?

"But, this talk is at an end, isn't it? I now must do my duty, as Mograine is doing his. I must purge the Plague from this place; I must destroy you, who has brought the Plague here!"

Whitemane's hands made seals, then, so swiftly that she was already finished as Kira began hers. She swung her left arm in a wide arc, causing hundreds of golden glowing knives of all sizes to appear in mid-air, and with another sweep of her arm, they flew, as fast as arrows, across the room towards Kira.

"**Holy Strike!"**

As Kira backed away, Kylia moved forwards, flicking a series of small daggers at the High Inquisitor. They were but silver flashes in the air, but Whitemane moved behind a pillar before they struck, causing them to clink harmlessly off the stone.

Meanwhile, Kira stood shakily among a patch of glowing slivers of light, her _Power Word: Shield_ still glowing around her. Her hands moved together in more seals.

"**Hex of Darkness!" **she cried.

Whitemane hissed as the Cathedral suddenly became shrouded in darkness. She could not see a thing, which left her quite open to attack from Kylia. But Whitemane didn't intend to let that happen. As dark as it was, there was always something that could light her way. Raising her hands into the air, Whitemane let loose an awesome scream, flooding the room with her chakra. She became a miniature sun, burning so bright that even the seemingly unbreakable darkness gave way.

Kira was stunned. The sheer amount of chakra that seemed to be flowing from the woman seemed impossible. It was enormous, larger than any she had ever felt. It was bright, strong, and pure.

Kira's technique defeated, Whitemane grinned triumphantly at the two stunned girls. "The Holy Light is on my side, girl. Its power is greater than you could ever imagine."

Kira was once again thrown. If what the woman had said was true, then this was going to be so much harder than she had ever imagined. She remembered everything her master had ever told her of the Holy Light, then. Many believed it wasn't a physical or spiritual or even magical entity at all. In fact, nowadays, it was merely a set of ideals, a philosophy that the people who joined the Church of Stormwind followed. Many years ago, people had believed it to be a god; an entity that people, not just humans, worshipped and believed it granted them great abilities.

But aside from this, few knew that the Holy Light was something tangible, or rather, something that had a direct effect of the lives of the mortals of this world. Benedictus had told her that it was something that, once every millennium, or century, or perhaps at totally random points, a human being was born with so much power within them that it seemed beyond normal. This power manifested itself as a golden chakra, aptly named the Holy Light. It granted them so much chakra that Benedictus had said, "_not even death is unconquerable to them"_. It was always a gamble on how was gifted with the abilities. For they could be used for both good and bad—despite it being the Holy Light, it was merely a tool to the people it was granted to.

Whitemane had the Holy Light, or so she claimed. If that was true, then Kira knew she was out of her league. She shrunk back, as Whitemane seemed to loom over her, a towering giant of gold. This woman…how could she beat the Holy Light?

A sudden noise broke her from her fear however. Naruto and Mograine's fight had resumed. She saw Naruto's wounds, of which there were many, and the look on his face as he fought the Scarlet Commander with everything he had. Tsuwabuki had joined the fray, now, too.

Seeing Naruto fight emboldened her. The blonde didn't let anything stop him, and he would continue fighting until he was either dead, or he had defeated his opponent. He didn't things like odds get in his way. He just fought.

Whitemane was beginning her attack again. Her hands were glowing, and raising one she brought it down in a slashing motion. "**Purifying Hammer!"**

The High Inquisitor finished her shout, bringing a sphere of dense chakra down, directly on top of Kira. It destroyed the floor beneath her, sending tremors throughout the Cathedral once more. But Kira was not there. At the last moment she had leapt away, and so she only received minor damage from the slight earthquake caused by the force of the attack. She was on her feet a moment later breathing hard and fast.

It suddenly didn't matter to her whether or not Whitemane was stronger. She would still fight, and she would fight until the woman was defeated. That was how Naruto fought, and she realized that under the circumstances, it was the best way to. She didn't even bother readying a jutsu. She just rushed at Whitemane, as fast as her legs could carry her.

The woman laughed. She completed the seals for another of her holy jutsu, beginning to sweep her hand forwards, half forming the golden knives of light, before pain exploded in her back and side.

She had forgotten about Kylia.

Sticking from her back and side were six of the girl's daggers, all buried to the hilt in her body. She staggered, stunned. Turning, she swept her hand again, discharging the shards she had created at the handmaiden. Being so close, Kylia had little room to dodge, so several of the weapons grazed her, spilling her blood onto the ground. She screamed, and despite not being severely injured, stopped her assault anyways. It became clear only a second later, when Kira's fist crashed into Whitemane's jaw.

Whitemane went down, spitting blood across the floor. She was stunned. The brat had hit her! She stood, and struck back with a punch of her own. It knocked Kira back, but only for a moment. Using what knowledge of hand-to-hand fighting she had learned from watching Naruto train, she hauled off and punched again, and again, and again, until Whitemane's face was a mess of blood and bruises. The High Inquisitor screamed horribly, and thrust Kira off her. She kicked Kira hard in the stomach, and then clenched her hands together, making them glow intensely. She came forwards again, slashing a hand down at Kira's face. Kira scrambled away, the woman's hand just barely nicking her face. Where it grazed, a thin line in her flesh opened, spilling blood.

Her face now a mask of blood and fury, Whitemane attacked with all she had. She ignored the pain from Kylia's daggers, and focused everything on Kira. But there was nothing but blind rage in her attacks. The glow around her hands was expanding, making them even more wild and dangerous than ever before.

'_No control…!'_ thought Kira, doing her best to stay out of the woman's range. '_She has no control over her chakra!'_

It made sense; with so much of it, it would be fiercely hard to control. It was clear from the fact that she used so many of her _Holy Strikes_, and the power of the _Purifying Hammer_. The first attack required some control, but all it really took was will power and a direction to point them in. They hadn't been well controlled at all, either. A skilled priest could change the direction of their Holy Strikes, but Whitemane's had gone in a single direction their whole flight. Her _Purifying Hammer_, which was an attack that required power, not focus, seemed perfect for her. Whitemane, with her gift, was used to throwing around tons of chakra, and it seemed had learned very little control.

The other thing Kira realized was that Whitemane was not using any Shadow-type jutsu. They required the utmost control out of all of them, for they were far more dangerous than Holy-type jutsu. It was a chance, she knew, but she had to take it. If she was right, then the fight was over. She made two quick hand seals, and thrust out a tendril of her chakra. "**Mind Flay!"**

Kira only half-expected it to work. Being a priestess, and a powerful one too, Whitemane would have adequate protection on her mind. But to her surprise, her technique hit as hard as it would in any other circumstance.

Whitemane screamed, the glow on her hands fading as she clutched her head in agony from the attack. She stumbled back, tripping over a piece of rubble, and landing on her back. Her mind was tearing itself apart. Blood frothed from her mouth, and she convulsed a few times.

Then it stopped. The pain was gone, the technique dispelled. Whitemane sat up, and when she did, her forehead struck flesh. Her eyes wandered upwards, and she saw Kira, her hand outstretched, on Whitemane's brow. There was no pity or remorse in her eyes, and for a girl that age, it was quite a strange sight to see. Whitemane did not speak, or even show her surprise, as Kira spoke.

"**Shadow Word: Seal."**

Black markings suddenly appeared on Kira's forearm, all the way up to her elbow, twisting around her arm like vines. They began to move, then, spinning and unwrapping from Kira's arm, spreading across Whitemane's skin like ink on wet paper. They covered her face and chest completely, then spreading to her arms, and her legs, and finally forming a small circle around her. They were glowing blue, slightly, and when they finally stopped moving, there was a sudden flash, and Whitemane screamed. She fell back, writhing, as her chakra was sealed to a point where her body no longer recognized that she had it. It was as if her chakra was gone, and without chakra, a body cannot function, cannot live.

Whitemane and Kira knew this. As she felt her chakra, immense as it was, being bound and twisted and sealed away, Whitemane began to smile. But it was not an insane smile; it was a sad one. Tears pooled in her eyes.

"P-perhaps…w-wasn't lying…. D-did I l-love him? L-love…him…?"

Then, Whitemane's eyes went dead, and she slumped to the ground, her chakra totally spent.

Kira stared at the tears, still present in Whitemane's eyes. She found that there were tears in her own, too. She couldn't tell why. Joy, pity, and sadness, even anger—none of those touched her; for none seemed appropriate then.

* * *

Long before the death of Whitemane, when Kira had first entered the room, Naruto was glad to see her. It meant that she had succeeded in what she had set out to do, and had returned to help him. He grew even gladder when he spotted Tsuwabuki with her, dirty, wet, but unharmed.

Mograine drew his attention again, with his nearly silent whispers of times long past. He was staring at Naruto again, but he was still not there.

"You see?" he held his war mace out, grinning. "The Ashbringer obeys everything I do. Your time as Highlord is up, father. The blade and the title are both mine! It is I who will destroy the Scourge…me, yes, ME!"

Naruto stood shakily to his feet. His energy was returning, and his wounds healing, but not fast enough for him to be of much use yet. He figured the longer Mograine remained in his memories, the longer he had to recover. He then spotted Tsuwabuki, who was rushing towards him. The silver fox leapt up, attaching herself to Mograine's back. Her chakra-enforced claws, like iron, dug into his back, and her jaws tore at his neck. The _Divine Shield_ absorbed much of the damage, but the pain and shock was enough to bring Mograine back to the present. He saw Naruto at his feet; he could see the Plague beginning to take hold of him, see the blonde's face rot and his eyes deflate, and his hair grow stringy and greasy. He could see his lips disappear, and his face twist into the grin of a skull.

"Scourge! Be gone!" he thundered. He swung his weapon laterally at Naruto's head, attempting to take it off. At the same time he reached back, trying to grab Tsuwabuki.

Naruto spun away from the giant Crusader, while Tsuwabuki abandoned her failed attempts to injure Mograine's neck. She had succeeded in doing nothing more than creating bruises on his neck, and several small puncture wounds on his back. Evidently, the _Divine Shield_ protected softer flesh much better.

Tsuwabuki growled, appearing next to her spirit partner in a flash.

'**_What do we do?'_** she said.

Naruto said nothing. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, that Whitemane was distracted. If he were lucky, Kira would be able to beat the High Inquisitor despite her power. That would allow him to fight Mograine and beat him, hopefully for the last time.

He then glanced at Tsuwabuki, and said something over the bond. He had a plan.

Mograine suddenly gave a roar, and plunged forwards. He swept his war-mace, which in his mind was still a sword, down onto the stone floor, just missing Naruto. The blonde flashed away, faster than the wind, Tsuwabuki by his side. The Cathedral shook, but none of them noticed or cared. Mograine turned, searching for his quarry with his fanatical eyes.

He found Naruto behind him, waiting. The blonde wasn't moving; he seemed to be waiting. Mograine didn't make him weight long. He shot forwards, and brought the weapon smashing down on Naruto's head. The blonde's hands shot up, grabbing the weapon as he reinforced his whole body with the _Kongou_. The shock of hit numbed his arms for a moment, before sending fire through them. His knees buckled, nearly breaking from the strain of the hit, but Naruto held fast. He stared deeply into Mograine's bloodshot eyes.

Something in them made the man seize up. A look he had seen in his memories. Defiance, disgust, perhaps even a bit disappointment. The eyes of his father.

Therefore, he hardly noticed Tsuwabuki, rushing up from behind. The fox, her claws sharpened with enough chakra to slice steel, drove them into the backs of Mograine's kneecaps. Mograine, in his reapplication of the technique, had focused the majority of its intensity on his upper body. Her claws easily pierced the thin shield of chakra protecting his tendons, slicing them apart.

Mograine went down instantly. As he fell, Naruto leapt atop his chest, forming a quick seal and then grabbing onto the hilt of his sword, still buried in the Scarlet Commander's chest. As he grasped it, he thrust all of the burning chakra he had created, the _Kaenhira_.

"**Kasouken! (Immolation Blade)"**

The fiery chakra exploded from the tip of Naruto's sword, igniting everything within Mograine's body. His natural fats and oils were heated to a point where they ignited, and in flash, the fire spread to his entire body. From the outside, Mograine's eyes grew wide, and smoke began to rise from his wounds and mouth.

Naruto leapt away, ripping Magni's Pride along with him. Fire sprayed from the wound, instead of blood, and Mograine let out a thunderous scream, and bellowed the last words he could before his voice box spontaneously combusted.

"The sword!" he wailed, his eyes suddenly bursting, and his chest exploding in fire. "W-where is it…going…? I-it's leaving…why…?"

And then, Mograine's body was totally consumed by fire, and he joined his mistress in death, the Ashbringer still out of his reach. Gone, long gone.

* * *

That should be it. It's a bit shorter, but I included all I wanted to.

Chapter would have been up Saturday, but FFN wouldn't let me post the chapter.

The next chapter is going to be Naruto and the rest's journey back to Sylvanas, and the little talk that you've all been waiting for.

How did everybody like the personalities of Mograine and Whitemane? Whitemane is easy to hate; but think about it, she really is a victim of the ideology of the Crusade. Her madness is just from ignorance, much like all of the rest. Her possible love for Kira's father was also a tragic element I wanted to put in. She loved him, yet her belief system didn't allow her to truly realize that.

Mograine was fun. He was just genuinely crazy, having lost what he most desire long ago. At first, I was just going to make him insane, and super-obedient to Whitemane, but when the real history of the Ashbringer, and why Fairbanks (who is really a character in the game, by the way) was in the back of the Cathedral, was given to me by a very helpful reviewer named **Azrael Angel of Death** I found that I couldn't resist making him even more crazy by placing in his desire for his father's sword in there too. There will be a lot more with Ashbringer, in times to come, and the true history of the Scarlet Crusade has yet to be revealed.

The Holy Light was a possible explanation of Whitemane's resurrection abilities. I saw no other way that that could be accurately explained, without her being a necromancer or something. The connection to the Kyuubi will probably come later. It is not a demon, by the way, or a Titan. And it doesn't need to be sealed, but as you know, chooses who becomes its vessel.

And finally, thank Frankto once again for his awesome Japanese translations of all of Naruto's attacks. If I had tried, they would have ended up something like _Naruto Flying Kitten Flower Combo_ and _Tax Deduction Blade._

Well, that should be it.

I graduated, by the way, and oddly enough, I was hypnotized too, during the after party. It was sweet, and I encourage you guys to try it. It's a riot for those who you are performing for, at least.

But, like Fen said, it only works if you submit to it.

Anyways. Seeya! Chapter will be out much sooner, because I no longer have school!

General Grievous

_**Spellbook-**_

**Crusader's Sacrifice**- Using ones chakra, you gather it into a sphere within, and detonate it, destroying both yourself and anyone within twenty or so feet of you. Incredibly powerful, but suicidal as well.

**Divine Shield**- Used by Warriors of Light, the Divine Shield is an extremely useful technique. It protects a person's entire body from harm, making them a walking juggernaut, for as long as they have the will and the know-how, they can reinforce it whenever they wish. Otherwise, the technique, because it is spread out over the person's entire body, is easy to pierce with stronger techniques or weapons. Unless the person is skilled, and smart enough, to increase the power over the weak points, then they can easily be slain by a strong enough technique.

**Holy Light-** An entity that grants whoever it possesses immeasurable amounts of chakra (comparable to those of a demon's), and the ability to raise the dead. It is unknown how the entity chooses, or even if it does at all, but those who are gifted with this power can be some of the most helpful, or most terrible, people in history. It also makes the person who wields have little control over their chakra without extended training.

**Uzumaki Naruto Ransoku Rendan (Uzumaki Naruto Rapid Storm Combo)**- Much the same as a normal Naruto Rendan, but adds a lightning fast series of _Kazaashi_ punches before the final kick.

**Kasouken (Immolation Blade)-** Thrusting one's weapon deep into their opponent's body, and then using the Kaenhira to ignite the blade, can cause a spontaneous combustion within the person. Extremely dangerous and deadly. Only works with piercing or slashing weapons.


	46. Return to the Undercity

**Disclaimer: Harpooned Whale Speaks Out Against Japanese!**

"**They don't respect my culture"**

'**He big fish. We eat, yes?"**

**And, General Grievous doesn't own Naruto or World of Warcraft!**

"**It's true. I never really did own them in the first place. Mostly."**

**All this and more!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

The howls and snarls of the plagued Scarlet Crusaders echoed throughout the mountains long after Naruto and the others had left the monastery. They took the route that Tsuwabuki had found, and led Kira through. To her surprise, Fairbanks, the former High Inquisitor who had seen Mograine's betrayal and the corruption of the Scarlet Crusade, was not there. He had vanished completely, and even as they trekked through the cramped, dirty tunnels beneath the monastery they did not encounter him. Upon leaving the monastery, they made sure that the beasts that now inhabited it would never leave. They sealed the only gateway the wall had, and left without another look back.

Their journey down the mountains was silent and slow. Everyone was nursing their wounds, which they retained from their prospective battles, seeing as how Kira was unable to heal them for the moment. Having used the _Shadow Word: Seal_ technique, the chakra in one arm was sealed for the moment, making it impossible for her to make hand seals. The arm hung limply, occasionally bumping into her leg as she walked, making it wing to and fro. Though Naruto was by far the worst off, his wounds were already healing, and probably would be gone before the afternoon.

Each member of the group were lost in their own thoughts, whether replaying the events that took place only moments before, or focusing their mind on events to come.

Kira was wondering why she felt at all sorry for Whitemane. The woman had done things so horrible that forgiving her seemed to be a crime. And yet, Kira wanted to forgive her. Her final words had sounded so sincere; words that before, Kira had disregarded as nothing more than lies to get Kira to open up to the woman. But Kira now realized that such emotion couldn't be faked. Whitemane had had no training in the mental arts—she could not generate or inspire emotions like other priestesses could.

That meant her words had been the absolute truth.

And Kira didn't know how to react to that.

She wanted to just put the woman's face behind her. She was gone, and the world was better off without her. She wanted to believe that her father's spirit could now rest, for his killer was no longer among the living.

But she couldn't. Something was making her dwell on the woman whom she had for so long thought was responsible for her father's death. And it was not just the fact that she might have been wrong.

Whitemane's words came back to her. She believed that it was someone named the Scarlet Oracle who had been responsible for her father's death. But why would she think that? Who was this person? What grudge, if Whitemane's words had been true, could this Oracle have against her father and Stormwind?

But the thought of Stormwind brought other concerns to her mind. What was happening now to her people? Had they made it to the Argent Dawn's camp? Were they safe? She then thought of the bodies of the people that lay beneath, and now within the Scarlet Monastery. She wanted so much to go back, to do something for those unfortunate souls.

Her concern and worry for her people did not leave her, the entire trip out of the mountains. Her mind, so concerned for those that she had left behind, did not dwell on the most important issue at that moment. She did not think of what they were to do next. For once, she was not thinking of the future.

But Naruto was.

In fact, it was all he could think about. He saw, each time he so much as blinked, the courtyard of the monastery, littered with the dying and dead citizens of Stormwind. He thought of Fen's words, and the creatures that had appeared out of nowhere. He thought of Sylvanas' cold smile, and her white, emotionless eyes.

And he grew frighteningly angry. Now that Mograine was dead, and the battle was over, Naruto could barely contain the rage that had built up since Fen had alerted him of Sylvanas' intentions. He stomped down the path, his whole body rigid in silent anger. The Kyuubi, deep within him, was laughing softly.

He could not imagine how someone, especially a ruler of a nation, could have such a blatant disregard for life. What had been her purpose in sending the Plague at that moment? Hadn't Sylvanas said that she could rid herself of the Scarlet Crusade without a thought? So why had she sent Fenritt and Myrdraxxis to release the Plague at that point, when they had just arrived?

Because of that, they had had little time to find a way to get them out, as quickly as possible. They had been forced to fight the Scarlet Crusade, without any sort of plan, and because of that, many innocents had been killed. If it hadn't been for Fen, too, then were wouldn't have been any survivors. They would have all been victims of the plague, or the beasts that had been spawned by it.

Though there had been few casualties, in the long run, it didn't matter to Naruto. Her intentions had been to wipe them all out, and that was just as bad as the act itself. What she had done was put the lives of hundreds in jeopardy, willingly. Something like that, in Naruto's eyes, was unforgivable. And he intended to let her know that.

Kylia watched the other two worriedly. Kira seemed to be troubled, and Naruto quite furious. But she did nothing to assuage or cool them; she simply stayed by their side, ready to do anything. While she was quick to help Kira in everything, she had found a grudging respect for Naruto, after seeing his fight with the Scarlet Commander. She knew that Kira needed him, and so if the situation called for it, she would do as much as she could for Naruto as well.

Tsuwabuki simply padded alongside Naruto, saying nothing, but nonetheless doing her best to temper the blonde's hot wrath, and simply be with him.

Things continued this way the whole way down the sloping paths. They reached the bottom at dawn, though it was unlike any dawn they had ever seen. Instead of the burning orange of the sun, rising to bring the day, there was nothing but poisonous green smog, glowing with the light of the sun behind it. Above, it remained dark and smoky, and as the day passed, the rest of the sky would return to this darkness that they had become accustomed to.

But as they left, Tsuwabuki's ears suddenly pricked up. She gave a soft growl, alerting Naruto. The silver fox, with her sharp ears, had picked up the sound of footsteps long ago. Naruto heard them too, suddenly. He must have been so lost in his thoughts that not even his enhanced hearing had been able to pick them up.

There was no smell accompanying the sound, and Naruto, therefore, knew exactly who it was before they even became visible.

"You got them out?"

Fen emerged from the forest beside the path, looking tired. Though it was hard to tell, Naruto could see some semblance of relief on the Forsaken's face. Myrdraxxis moved silently behind him, stopping and leaning against a tree.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Thanks…but why did you…?"

Fen shrugged. "I'm Forsaken, yes, but that doesn't mean I enjoy killing innocent people. Believe me when I say that this is the first time this has ever happened—I didn't expect Sylvanas to go this far. Of course, you guys were lucky that I was such a nice guy, and that the plague didn't work."

Kira, now, was shaken from her thoughts. "It didn't work? Then what…?"

Fen sighed. "The Plague that Sylvanas was intending to create would kill one-hundred percent of the people and creatures that it infected. As you saw, or didn't," he added, noticing Kira's confused look. "This did nothing but transform them into horrible monsters. I'm sure she'll be both thrilled and furious that it didn't work out properly, but the plague that Faranell created wasn't at all perfect. It didn't appear to be contagious, at least, and that was the biggest element she was putting into it." He jerked his head over to Myrdraxxis, and Naruto suddenly noticed a large sack tied at his waste. "We got a sample, just to prove it. I can't wait for Faranell's chewing out."

Naruto grunted. The blonde was looking through the trees, in the direction of the Undercity. Fen watched him.

"I take it you aren't going to the Argent Dawn, then?"

Naruto looked at him, eyes a set and strong as steel. Kira was looking at Naruto in confusion. It then occurred to her that they really had no plan of what to do or where to go. She opened her mouth, ready to speak, but Naruto spoke first, and the words were slain where they stood.

"No. I'm going to the Undercity," Naruto said.

Fen chuckled. "Thought so. We saw you walking down. You looked pretty steamed. Might I inquire why you are returning?"

Naruto glared at him. "That super old hag did something that I just can't let slide. She nearly caused the deaths of hundreds of people. I can't forgive that. And I still haven't forgiven her for the first time we met." His glared became harder, more icy. "Someone's gotta prove her wrong, and someone's gotta show her that Kira-chan's dream isn't just a child's fantasy. And I have to show her the consequences of trying to kill so many people. I can't let her get away with any of it."

Fen looked at the blonde awhile, the wrinkled, rotten flesh that was his face hung loosely, making no emotion visible.

* * *

_What can I say?_

_The kid had a good heart, and a definite fighting spirit. It got him through a lot, or so I've heard, and in this case, I couldn't help but marvel at it. Was he stupid? No. That much was clear. The brat just had a very strong sense of justice, and morals up the wazoo. _

_But there was something about him, too._

_One had to admire that spirit of his. To possess such a strong one, in such a circumstance, is something that even I have to tip my hat to. The kid, even after nearly dying in a fight against the Scarlet Crusade's most brutal leaders, was willing to return to a place where not only was he not wanted, but would probably be killed on sight. _

_Why was he doing it?_

_Because he thought it was right, and unlike myself, he had the backbone to **do** what was right, not simply ponder it. And the brat had an air of knowledge to his words. It was as if he knew something that we all didn't, and that thing he knew was going to help him tip the scales in his favor._

_But, I still had to wonder. What could he teach someone who has lived for millennia? How much wiser could a young boy be than a two thousand year old Banshee Queen?_

_Well, I would find out, wouldn't I?_

_

* * *

_

Finally, Fen spoke.

"I like you, Naruto."

Naruto blinked at him. "Huh?"

The Forsaken grinned. "I bet, since you left the Undercity, you haven't thought a thing other than what you just said to me. You've got real spirit, so much that I doubt anyone could turn you from your path, once you have decided upon it. That's a trait I think more people should have. You don't let anything get in your way. You set out to help the little miss over there, and until you have finished helping, you aren't going to stop, are you?"

Naruto grinned, shaking his head.

Fen nodded, and then looked sideways at Kira. "And you. Do you still want Lady Sylvanas' alliance, even after all she has done?"

Kira was silent for a moment. She had been thinking far too much on the safety of her people, and not on the reason she had left them in the first place. But Sylvanas' words slowly came back to her, and the experiences between those words and Fen's question flooded the girl's mind.

Finally, she let out a shaky breath.

"I…I do. But after hearing her words, and knowing what she believes and thinks, I can not expect anything but a political alliance, if anything. I don't believe she will—"

"You can't think like that, Kira-chan."

Kira stopped, looking at Naruto.

The blonde continued. "You came here wanting to get her allegiance not just for politics or anything like that, but also for the people itself. If you try to do that, then it will fail as she said. The people are what's needed, right?"

Kira looked at Naruto now in a whole new light. The blonde's words were just as correct as Sylvanas' had been, but instead of feeling like she had been punched in the gut, she felt as if her whole body was covered in a blanket of the warmest and softest material. She suddenly felt safe; she felt secure and happy and warm. She smiled widely at him.

"Yes." They were the only words she could find.

Fen nodded approvingly. The blonde brat certainly knew a lot more about this sort of thing than he let on, didn't he? Maybe they stood a chance.

"Well that's great. The two of you probably have what it takes to convince Sylvie," he paused at Myrdraxxis' slight noise of irritation, but continued anyways. "But, you have a slight problem." He looked meaningfully at Naruto. "Not stopping for anything in your path is all well and good, but what happens when the obstacle that you must overcome is several thousand undead warriors, a few hundred Abominations, a Dreadlord, and a very powerful Banshee Queen?"

Naruto blinked, opening his mouth to find words to respond. He found none.

Fen continued, rolling his eyes (figuratively). "You should probably think about those sort of things, shouldn't you? They're not going to just let you in, you know. The Abominations have orders to exterminate humans on sight, and I imagine she gave them specific orders about a short, spiky haired boy with a fox, and two pretty girls. Now, tell me how you are going to get past that, in order to speak with her?"

Naruto once again opened his mouth, before closing it. He glowered at the Forsaken. "I'll find a way," he said, petulantly.

Fen grinned. "Why not let me help?"

The three humans now looked at him in confusion. So, he elaborated. "I know a way to get you guys in, without any hassle or threat, other than when you actually get inside. The best part about it is that you don't need to repay me. I want this as bad as you, I think."

Kira's eyes widened, and a great smile bloomed across her face. "You'd do that?"

Fen grinned. "Yep."

Naruto was grinning too, but he stopped suddenly, and looked back at Myrdraxxis. "And what about you? Are you going to let us go?"

Myrdraxxis' glowing yellow eyes fell on Naruto, and he gave an indifferent shrug. "What do I care if you wish to meet your death that much swifter? I have no reason to stop you, because I know there is nothing you can do to truly harm my lady."

Fen chortled at the Forsaken's response, winking at the blonde. "That's his way of saying, 'I support you in every way that I can.' Myr' and I had a long talk before you arrived. He may not say it, but he's just as annoyed by Sylvie's actions as me."

Myrdraxxis said nothing to confirm or deny his partner's words. He leaned back against the tree, and was silent once more. Fen smirked at the Forsaken again, and then returned his attention to Naruto.

"Let's get going, shall we?"

Naruto nodded. His cheer died, and once more, the burning determination that had before inspired so many people, returned.

Fen smiled, turning. '_What a kid.'_ He thought, as a true convert.

* * *

"_So, this is the result of all your hard work, Faranell?"_

Sylvanas Windrunner held the head (or what should have been the head) of one of the creatures birthed by her plague. She turned it around, observing every angle of it she could, and handled it like it was a toy of some sort. The blood had long clotted, and therefore she didn't seem concerned about infection. Master Apothecary Faranell had prostrated himself before her throne, and was shaking madly. He looked utterly terrified.

And Fen was enjoying every moment of it.

They had just returned from their sojourn to the Scarlet Monastery, and had immediately been sent to see Sylvanas. The Royal Quarter had been just as quiet as ever, when they arrived. Faranell was already there, rubbing his hands together anxiously; he hoped that the news they had was good for him. Fen had never enjoyed something more than revealing to Sylvanas the unquestionable failure of her Master Apothecary.

Faranell gulped at her words. "M-my lady, I-I w-was sure…I-I d-do n-not know w-what happened. P-please, I-if I-I had m-more time, t-then I m-might…!"

The Dark Lady waved his words off; they were like flies to her. "_Save it. As disappointed I am in your failure, it is not a total loss. This plague that you accidentally created might still be of use. I want it preserved, and studied. Can you manage that, Faranell, or do I have to find another Master Apothecary?"_

Faranell shook his head, his greasy hair flailing, making Fen take a step back, as if afraid the grease would fly off and cover him. "I c-can m-manage it, milady. I-I p-promise, v-very s-soon I w-will h-have for y-you a w-working P-plague, l-like you w-wanted."

Sylvanas gave him soft, cold smile. "_I would expect nothing less, Faranell. You are dismissed."_

She tossed him the head, so suddenly that he gave a squawk, just barely catching it. He scurried from the room as soon as he had, ignoring the tongue that Fen was sticking out at him.

Sylvanas then turned her attention to the Forsaken in front of her. Myrdraxxis was bowing his head, as normal, and Fen was too. But he seemed a little anxious, to her. He would constantly shift his weight, ever so slightly, and his head would quiver, as if he was going to turn it, but he never did.

She spoke.

"_Fenritt, what of the little humans? You did not mention them in your report."_

Fen looked up. "We didn't encounter them. I went to the Library, and Myrdraxxis went to the Armory. We didn't see any of them there."

Sylvanas nodded. "_And what do you suppose happened to them? How many Crusaders were turned?"_

Fen mulled it over a moment, frowning. "Quite a few. All of the trainees in the Armory, according to Myrdraxxis, and a large group of scholars in the Library. It's safe to say that there were plenty of the things to not only tear up an army of Scarlet Crusaders, but a couple of innocent humans, too."

Sylvanas nodded. "_I see. I wonder, then, how the majority of said innocent humans managed to escape."_

Fen blinked (again figuratively). "Pardon?"

She smiled coldly at him. "_I would have thought you smarter, Fenritt. I have spies all over this area. It is not hard to see several hundred live humans walking along the road towards the Plaguelands. It made me wonder, how they could have escaped with so many still alive. Unless they knew of the attack before it took place, then surely quite a few more would have perished, yes?"_

Fen gave a slight nod. If he could sweat, he'd be doing it. "I suppose so."

Sylvanas stood, not taking her snow-white eyes off of him. "_You are really a terrible liar, Fenritt. I should have guessed this would happen the moment I sent you on this mission. You were, no doubt, still bitter over my refusal to rejoin the Horde, yes? I'll admit, that was partly the reason I sent you two specifically on this mission. I wanted to see what you would do. It seems that you betrayed me. Is that right?"_

Fen gulped. "I wouldn't use the word betray."

"_What word would you use?"_

"Disobey, I suppose."

Sylvanas chuckled, softly. "_Is that right? Wouldn't that require me to have forbidden you from doing something before the mission? I don't recall doing such a thing."_

"Maybe it was implied, my lady."

"_Ah, maybe it was."_

They fell silent. Fen was shaking. Sylvanas didn't seem to be severely angry, and he knew quite well what that was like. Her passive anger was nothing at all compared to the fiery temper she had displayed in the battles against the Dreadlords for control of Lordaeron. Nonetheless, Fen wanted that anger more than he wanted the fury she was directing at him now. It was easier to predict. She'd either kill you, or severely maim you, and then it was over, and you wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. This anger was different. He had no idea what she was thinking. It made him want to cry, and he would have, if his tear ducts had rotted away long ago, along with his eyes.

Finally, Sylvanas spoke again. "_And what, I ask you, did you do with the blonde brat and the little princess? Did they go and join the other innocent humans at the Argent Dawn?_"

Fen shook his head. "I'll admit, my lady, that I did meet them once. I don't honestly know what happened to them after I told them the attack. I imagine, given the blonde kid's personality, he fought the leaders, and bought the time to allow the innocents to escape. After that, I really have no idea."

Sylvanas quirked an eyebrow. "_Really, lying again, are we? If you intend to lie, let Myrdraxxis speak it. At least then you might have a chance."_

Fen gulped. He really did want to tell her. But for some reason, under the spotlight that was her hard gaze, he couldn't find words coherent enough to tell her. So he just lied. He would have lied again, if Myrdraxxis had not come to his aid.

"My lady, we encountered them at the bottom of the trail leading to the monastery. They were wounded and tired, having just fought and defeated the High Inquisitor and her dog, The Scarlet Commander," he said, looking up, his glowing yellow eyes fixated intensely on Sylvanas.

Sylvanas smiled, nodding. "_And what did you do with them?"_

"We let them go."

"_Ah. Why?"_

"Because you gave us no orders on what to do if we encountered them. You simply told us to release the plague, gather data on its effects, and return, after leading them to the monastery. We did not feel they deserved to die, so we released them."

Fen almost sighed in relief. Myrdraxxis was the king of the using people's own words against them. Well, second only to Sylvanas, that is. Fen guessed that somewhere along the line, Sylvanas had taught him a thing or two about it, and he had just gone with it from there. Nevertheless, what had been said was quite true, and because Myrdraxxis had said it, quite truer. He then realized that no matter what, he'd be punished for what he had done. Why on earth was he feeling relieved?

Sylvanas nodded slowly. "_You are correct, I did not tell you what to do if I saw them there. But, then again, I never did tell you to tell them of the attack, did I? I wonder if you did really let them go. Fenritt, I must ask, did you say anything to them in that little meeting?"_

Fen opened his mouth. Then, he closed it. He looked puzzled for a moment, before he said. "If I said yes, would I be in more trouble if I said no?"

The Dark Lady gave him a much tighter smile. "_I'll let you use your own judgment on that, my dear Fenritt."_

"Ah," he said, nodding. "Well then yes."

She smiled. "_What did you say?"_

He opened his mouth again, words ready, but then faltered and closed up again. A moment passed, and after much deliberating, he said, "It was nice meeting you? No? Then, how about…"

"_I suppose you told them of the secret passages to enter the Undercity, known only to the Forsaken?"_

Fen held up a finger, a lie on his lips already. Then, remembering the tight-lipped smile from before, he just nodded.

"_And so,"_ said Sylvanas, clasping her hands in front of her. "_Given that you yourself drew up the plans to the many secret tunnels throughout this city, I'm guessing you showed them the one that led directly beneath this very room, yes? I suspect they are already here."_

Fen swallowed. That was what he had been afraid of. He knew he should have played dumb a bit longer, and let Myrdraxxis do the talking. He hung his head.

Meanwhile, the Royal Deathguards that had been stationed all around the room were moving into a large bunch behind Fen. Sylvanas gave a slight nod, and they hurried to the back of the gigantic room towards a large candelabrum behind Sylvanas' throne. Everyone knew that was where the tunnel was. Sylvanas did not like the thought of being snuck up on, so she made sure all of her Royal Deathguards knew of it.

As the Deathguards gathered, Fen calmly got down on his knees, and bowed. "I won't try to explain my actions, my lady. I disobeyed you, and therefore, I will take whatever punishment you decide for me."

Sylvanas watched him, silent. She ignored the Deathguards for a moment, simply staring at Fenritt.

"_I am disappointed in you. You are without a doubt one of my most loyal and strongest warriors. Killing you is what I should do. But I will not. You are lucky, for you have done nothing detrimental to our nation, and you merely disobeyed my orders on a simple test. You have been with me from almost the very beginning, and never once have you been disloyal. I will put this little incident up to simply your emotions getting the better of you. You are no rogue, after all. But," _she turned, looking at the Deathguards behind her. They were all ready to do as she asked. "_You will not lift a finger, or say a word of protest, as I administer the punishment to these—"_

"Oi! Super hag!"

Sylvanas turned her head in a swift, graceful arc, not towards the back, but towards the entrance. Fen did too, nearly tripping in surprise at the voice. '_It couldn't be…!'_ he thought.

Uzumaki Naruto, Tsuwabuki at his side and Kira and Kylia behind him, had walked into the room. Through the front entrance. Not the secret tunnel that both Sylvanas and Fen had expected him to. He was glaring hotly at Sylvanas, who showed only a little surprise in seeing him.

Fen was gaping. '_Did that idiot…actually go in through the front?_'

Sylvanas stood, crossing her arms.

"_Ah, we meet again."_

"Yeah," said Naruto, angrily. "We do."

Sylvanas briefly turned back to the Deathguards, who were staring at the blonde in wonder. "_You have quite a bit of…guts, is it? To come through the entrance. I wonder, did you hear our conversation, just now?"_

Naruto shook is head, his eyes never leaving her. "Nope. We got lost. So I just picked a place to come out, and we appeared just outside this place. Fen didn't do a good job telling us where to go."

Sylvanas looked at Fen briefly, who was glaring murderously at Naruto. She gave a soft chuckle.

"_Then how did you get past the other guards? They are quite a few of them between here and there."_

Naruto flashed her a devilish grin. "Heh, I used one of the strongest techniques I have. I was afraid it wouldn't work, but even undead guys can be perverts."

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow, while Fen and Myrdraxxis frowned, looking at each other. Kira and Kylia, on the other hand, looked like they were about to be sick.

"Naruto," muttered Kira, glaring at him. "I've lost a lot of respect for you, after seeing that. I'm going to have nightmares for the rest of my life."

Naruto frowned back at her. "It worked, didn't it?" He was just surprised that Kira hadn't struck him in any way yet. That's what Sakura would have done, at least.

Kylia, who had been warming up to the blonde's presence considerably since they had arrived, and had seen him do and say so much for Kira, had gone full-circle and was back to being extremely wary of him. As soon as all of this was over, she'd get Kira and run as far away from this strange boy with an even stranger mind as fast as they could.

Naruto then glared right back at Sylvanas, his blue eyes brittle and sharp. His anger seeped into the room, so palpable that it was impossible not to feel.

"I have something to say to you," he said.

"_Oh?"_ said Sylvanas, sliding back down into her throne. "_I suspected as much. It would have been rather foolish for you to have come back here for no reason at all. You may speak all you wish."_ She gave a soft nod, then, so subtle that only the one whom she was directing it at really noticed. "_However…."_

There was a movement behind Naruto, so quick and sudden that the blonde couldn't even manage a quarter-turn before a massive hand closed over his face, and he was hurled across the room. He struck the wall between two large candelabra, and the air was driven from his lungs, rendering him immobile. As he slid down the wall, he got a glimpse of what had attacked him.

Varimathras the Dreadlord, hulking and terrifying, his wings extended, now stood where Naruto had, his eyes glowing a demonic red.

Sylvanas watched the proceedings with a smile, finishing her sentence as Varimathras moved in great strides across the room, towards Naruto.

"_What makes you think I'll listen? I told you never to return. You did, and now you must suffer the consequences."_

Kira gasped. "Naruto!"

Fen, stunned momentarily by the Dreadlord's sudden appearance, suddenly started to move. He began to rush towards Varimathras, only to have Sylvanas' words stop him.

"_Fenritt, do you wish to get in more trouble? This will be part of your punishment. Sit and watch, but do not say a word, or move an inch."_ She then looked at Kira and the others. "_The same goes for you, children. Move an inch, and your childish dream with die here."_

Kira gulped, staring in slight horror at the woman. Her whole body was quivering, wanting to move, but rendered immobile by Sylvanas' words. She looked at Kylia and Tsuwabuki, who were as stiff as she was.

Naruto managed to get to his feet, breathing heavily, only to have Varimathras suddenly looming over him, his face twisted into a mask of pure devilish hate.

"**_Death comes swift to those who disobey my lady, boy._"**

Varimathras' hand swung down, smashing into Naruto's face and jettisoning him away. The force of the blow hit hard enough to cause spots of white and purple to explode in front of his eyes, and blood to gush from his nose. He landed in a heap yards away from the Dreadlord, who had already begun to advance once more.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto stood as the creature came upon him again. Varimathras readied another strike, but this time Naruto avoided it with a leap backwards. As soon as he landed, however, he shot forwards again, kicking Varimathras directly in the face before the gigantic demon could pull back.

But it felt like kicking solid iron. Varimathras barely felt the hit, and responded by grabbing Naruto's leg and lifting the blonde high above his head. He then swung Naruto face first into the stone floor, making it burst from the impact. Varimathras pulled back, satisfied that his quarry was finished, but found that he was clutching only a candelabrum, twisted greatly from the impact.

The Dreadlord growled, his eyes flitting to every shadow or potential hiding spot in the room. His eyes flicked by every candelabrum and the crevices they were set up in, seeing nothing out of place.

It was a second too late that he realized that slight mistake.

The candelabrum behind him suddenly burst in a cloud of smoke, which Naruto emerged from. The blonde shot forwards, and rammed his open palm into Varimathras' back, between his massive leathery wings. Explosive chakra seeped from Naruto's tenketsu, and exploded on contact with the demon's flesh. Varimathras stumbled forwards, emitting a grunt, but did not topple. Blood dribbled from the wound, but it hardly seemed to pain the giant. He swung around, spreading his wings, and slashed at Naruto with his claws. Naruto dodged back again, out of range.

Varimathras persisted, however, his claws flashing through the air. His movements were swift and powerful, and Naruto knew that the Dreadlord had to only make a few more hits like that for the battle to end. Already his body was exhausted, and ached with every movement he made.

But Naruto wouldn't give in, either. Naruto's hands suddenly clapped together, making a swift, momentary hand seal. Three clones popped into existence, and in a heartbeat, scattered. Naruto went with them, suddenly disappearing into the shadows, black markings rising up across his face and arms.

Varimathras growled, stopping his assault. The boy's underhanded tactics were annoying him greatly. His red eyes suddenly stopped being red, and became a strange, electric blue. He scanned the room again, now grinning. The brat could not use the same tactic as he had before, by transforming into objects. He could see all forms of life now; no matter what power they were using to hide themselves.

His eyes were using a technique that all Dreadlords and higher demonic beings could utilize. It was merely a different form of vision; he could see chakra now, no matter where it was. It made up for his lack of being able to sense it, like his mistress. A demon's eyes were their most important organs.

He spotted all four of his quarries, each of them in a prime spot to attack him when he least expected it. The brat was cleverer than he had thought. For a child, it was impressive indeed that he could stand up to a Dreadlord with little fear.

But, it would not be enough to beat him.

Thrusting out his hands, Varimathras suddenly let loose an awesome bellow. It was for a single moment, so loud and piercing that even Sylvanas flinched slightly. It was suddenly cut off, however, by a loud buzzing.

From the demon's mouth, a black cloud emerged, twisting unnaturally around his head and slowly gathering in mass in the air above him. The buzzing grew louder and louder, and it soon became clear what the cloud truly was.

A swarm of demonic insects.

Varimathras then thrust his hand out and a portion of the shot off, heading immediately for one of the clones. He repeated the gesture three more times, until the swarm had completely divided itself.

When the first swarm struck its target, Naruto realized that Varimathras knew exactly where he was. Disengaging the _Kagesui_, Naruto leapt from the sealing. His hands wove more seals, and he discharged a burst of flames from his mouth. They engulfed the swarm heading for him, destroying it instantly.

But his clones were not so fortunate. Two found themselves swamped by the demonic bugs, and toppled from their perches. The swarms engulfed them, obscuring their forms. The final clone leapt towards the ground, spinning around in mid-air and flinging a mass of shuriken at the approaching swarm of insects. The bladed weapons sliced through numerous bugs, but many more got through, and suddenly it was covered too.

Naruto landed lightly on the ground, grunting. He didn't know why, but after using the _Kagesui_ and the _Goukakyuu no jutsu_, he felt exhausted. It was not the sort of exhaustion from physical exertion, but rather, it felt like he had used far too much chakra. But he had used only little in this fight, so why, then…?

Varimathras grinned at his opponent. He gave a guttural chuckle, and said. "**_You're outnumbered, brat."_**

Naruto's brows knitted together at once in confusion. What the hell was he talking about? He wasn't outnumbered.

A quick look, however, told him otherwise.

His clones had formed a circle around him. Their eyes glowed an evil green, and the buzzing of insects could be heard all around them. Naruto growled, trying to dispel them. It didn't work.

"**_They're mine now,"_** said Varimathras. "**_My corruption swarm has made them into my servants. It will not be long before this battle ends."_**

"Bastard, don't think you've won yet. I may just surprise you!" Naruto called back, glancing around him.

"_Varimathras, do it, or you may destroy my Royal Quarter before you kill him," _Sylvanas called. The entire room was fixated on the fight. Sylvanas herself was watching it keenly, her lips twitched into a cold, familiar smile. Naruto gritted his teeth, his anger rising at the sight.

The clones converged on Naruto, their weapons drawn and ready. Naruto's sword came out, and miraculously, it moved, guiding Naruto's hand in blocking each of their strikes in quick successive movements, as he spun around. His foot followed as he began a second circle, kicking one away, dispelling it in a cloud of smoke and insects. He jabbed another in the stomach with an elbow, and then destroyed the final one with a sword slash. The buzzing stopped, the ground now littered with dead bugs, slain when their hosts had disappeared. He finished his second spin, coming around just in time to block a strike from Varimathras' claws.

The force of the hit knocked him slightly off balance, which allowed Varimathras to suddenly reach in and grab Naruto by the neck with his other hand. The Dreadlord swung, and slammed the blonde into the wall with everything he had. This time, Naruto had no time for _Kawarimi_. The attack struck so hard that Naruto nearly passed out from the pain and shock. He belched up a surprising amount of blood, staining Varimathras' hand with it.

The demon leaned in close. "**_Try to escape from this, brat. My Vampiric Aura has been draining you dry of your chakra and life force. You have no energy left to resist, do you?"_**

Naruto, the life being choked out of him, couldn't respond. His friends and partner watched in horror at the proceedings. Tsuwabuki began to move, suddenly uncaring of Sylvanas' threat.

Sylvanas herself was far too busy staring at the fight to notice the silver blur. Her and Naruto's eyes met. And Naruto saw something, then, that he couldn't believe.

He then heard the voice of the Kyuubi, deep in the back of his thoughts.

'**YOU HAVE PLENTY, BRAT. LET US SHOW THIS INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE ANT WHAT TRUE POWER IS.'**

Naruto hesitated, briefly. He thought of the chasm, the bottomless abyss that he had been so close to falling into, back when he last used the Kyuubi's chakra.

'**YOU WISH TO SPEAK WITH HER, DO YOU NOT? SHOW HER THEN, HOW POWERFUL YOU TRULY ARE.'**

That did it.

Naruto's eyes suddenly became red, the pupils animalistic slits. His canines lengthened, and his face became a mask of primal fury, that no human or humanoid could match. Boiling red chakra exploded from his body, and Varimathras let go, roaring in agony as the foreign chakra invaded his body so suddenly that he had no chance to stop it. He was thrown backwards from the force of Naruto's sudden release of chakra, but he stopped himself by extending his wings, catching the air in the leathery skin that bound them.

He looked up, just in time to see Naruto complete his transformation. Three long, fox-like tails swished behind the blonde, who was on all fours. The fox-shaped aura was darker than ever before, and it clung to Naruto's body like a second skin. It was growing slowly darker, too.

Sylvanas stared wide-eyed at the blonde. The power he was emanating was so terrifying awesome that she found herself wondering where it had all come from. How could such a tiny boy hold such a monstrous chakra?

Kira shook in fear. This wasn't good at all. Naruto had chosen the worst absolute time to unleash the power of the demon. They were in a city, and that meant there were thousands of potential casualties if Naruto couldn't stop himself. She gulped, hoping that Naruto hadn't totally lost it.

Growling, Varimathras stood and sucked in a deep breath, his chest inflating like a balloon. He gave a thunderous roar, and expelled a sphere of purplish chakra from his mouth, which zipped as fast a bullet towards the Naruto.

Naruto, roaring, lashed out and grabbed the ball in mid-air, stopping it where it was. He was moved back a few feet by the force, but was uninjured. He crushed the chakra between his red claws, and then sprang at Varimathras. The Dreadlord crossed his arms in defense, but Naruto' first hit broke the guard, and the second his ribs. The chakra claws shattered Varimathras' chest plate, ripping deep into his white flesh. Varimathras roared in agony, grabbing Naruto's hand, and attempting to crush it.

It only succeeded in boiling his own hands, inside and out. His vampiric aura had not stopped draining the blonde's chakra, and so his entire body had been flooded with corrosive, foreign chakra, so different from his own. Every portion of his body felt like it was on fire, now, and it only continued to worsen.

Naruto was getting stronger. The chakra on his legs and hands was now so dark it was almost black. It was spreading, slowly, towards his chest and head. It wouldn't be long before it covered his whole body.

Ripping his claws from Varimathras' chest, his long claws wrapped around the Dreadlord's head, and with a bestial roar, Naruto drove him into the floor. Varimathras lost consciousness instantly, his head hitting the ground so hard that the stone became dust.

Naruto then stood, eyes demonic red eyes searching for more. His eyes eventually found Sylvanas', and suddenly he stopped.

Within his mind, the demon was howling in joy. Just a bit longer. Just a bit…

Naruto was suddenly there, staring up at him through the bars of his cage.

"Oi, fox! Stop. It's over, and I have something I gotta do."

The Kyuubi's crimson gaze fell on Naruto, and it regarded him quietly for a moment. There was that unflinching spirit again, just like the stupid brat, the Fourth.

But he conceded. His fun was over. He would just have to wait for another chance.

Outside, the scarlet aura had died away, and the heavy, nearly black chakra began to recede. When it was completely gone, Naruto remained, standing, his posture slouched and exhausted. It did not take any sort of medical knowledge to know that he was in pain.

Every pain receptor in his body was screaming at him for even breathing. He could barely move, and so he just stood there, looking straight at Sylvanas. The only thing that remained strong in him was the fire in his eyes. They, even now, were not wavering from Sylvanas'.

And then, he spoke.

"You piss me off."

Sylvanas' brows knitted together. She frowned. "_What?"_

Naruto's breaths were still ragged and short, and it looked like the blonde was having trouble staying conscious. Still, he continued, never once looking away from Sylvanas. "What you did…trying to kill so many people, trying to make Kira-chan suffer, is something that can't be forgiven. And for the reason that you did it…that's even worse."

"_I care nothing for them,"_ she said, coldly. "_Their lives mean nothing to me."_

"And that's the god damn problem!" Naruto thundered. "You don't care about them, or anything! Just because you're jealous of them doesn't mean you have the right to kill them without a single thought!"

Naruto's words, long after he had finished speaking them, hung in the air. Fen gaped, but not so much at Naruto for what he said, but at Sylvanas, for the reaction his words were having.

Gone was the sardonic smile, the unflappable emotionless gaze, the mask that Sylvanas wore everywhere. Replacing it was a look of pure astonishment. On Sylvanas' face, astonishment looked as out of place as three humans and a fox did among thousands of undead.

"_What did you say?"_ the astonishment disappeared, and another emotion took its place. Fury. But again, it was a different sort of fury than ever before. It was mixed in with something Fen never thought he'd see on Sylvanas' beautiful face.

Pain.

"You heard me…" Naruto growled, panting ever faster. He was only a few scant decibels from yelling now. "You're jealous of their lives! You're jealous because they have what you don't! Life! That's why you don't care about them! You want to make them suffer just as you have!"

"_Shut up,"_ hissed Sylvanas.

"No," Naruto snarled right back. "I don't understand you at all! You're the queen of this entire city, which you brought up out of nothing! You turned these people from self-loathing whiners into ones that have identities, ones that have found their place in this world as Forsaken! They don't think of themselves as humans that are dead, anymore, they think of themselves as Forsaken! You're the only one in this room that doesn't believe that!"

Sylvanas was standing, her white eyes blazing against Naruto's blue. "_Stop it!"_

Naruto continued. "I can't respect a person like you. You say things that you don't believe; you're the worst kind of hypocrite. I used to think I could respect someone like you, who gave so much to these people, but I now know that you don't deserve that respect."

Sylvanas didn't respond. The look of hurt anger remained however, and seemed only to intensify the longer she stared at him.

Naruto took another long, ragged breath, and began again, even louder than before.

"It's no wonder you thought Kira-chan's dream was childish. You can't believe it's possible because you yourself aren't willing to accept what you are. If you can't, then how can everyone else? What you're doing is just being stupid! It's just being childish!"

Every word Naruto spoke was laden with his own feelings, his own experiences. Unless he had felt these things, then he wouldn't have had the right to speak them. In his youth, there wasn't a day that had gone by that he hadn't envied those who'd led normal lives. Those that had parents who loved them, had a warm home, and were acknowledged every day with a smile or a nod or a word of greeting, all laced with warmth and kindness. He had envied them because he had nothing. Nobody had acknowledged him, or loved him or cared for him. He had felt inhuman, treated with nothing but scorn and apathy.

But somewhere along the line, that had changed. Naruto had taken that disgusting jealously and turned it into a burning ambition; an ambition to make those whom he had once envied, and make them acknowledge and accept him for who and what he was. And it had worked.

Now, staring into Sylvanas' eyes, he couldn't stand to see such a powerful leader do something that a petulant child might. How could he respect someone like that? How could he even tolerate looking at someone who reminded him of what had himself had been like, many, many years ago?

But the last word he had used struck home. Sylvanas stared at the boy in numb shock, a look mirrored by nearly everyone conscious in the room. The words lanced straight through Sylvanas, through the layers and layers of barriers she had kept on her emotions and feelings. She felt things, and displayed them for the world to see on her face, that she hadn't wanted anyone to know. But this boy had read her very soul, and had seen her for who she truly was.

Naruto had finished speaking. He had said everything his heart and wanted him too, and it had done its work. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious, and lay very still. Kira gasped, and with hardly a second thought, rushed to him. Tsuwabuki was there when she arrived, and she dropped to her knees and called forth healing chakra to mend the blonde's wounds. She ignored Sylvanas' previous threat in lieu of attending to her friend. Kylia hurried up behind her, still staring wide-eyed at the boy.

Fen just stared at his prone body, looking between him and the stunned Sylvanas.

* * *

_Wow._

_That was probably the shocker of my un-lifetime._

_I couldn't believe it. Honestly, when the kid had first started spouting those words, I expected my Dark Lady to laugh at him. I expected her to just shake her head, and then probably kill him._

_But she didn't._

_She adopted an expression that I had never once seen on her face. The words had not only had an effect, but they he had intended them to have._

_And now that I think about it, they were right as proverbial rain. Somehow, the rather obnoxious, young, spiky-haired kid had learned something about dear ol' Sylvie that nobody else had. And to make matters worse, he had directed the very same words that Sylvanas had used to deliver the also proverbial whiplash to Kira on their first meeting. He had called her childish. _

_While I couldn't think of anyone being less childish than Sylvanas, being nearly six feet tall and having probably the best rack among our kind, I saw what he meant, and I knew that it was true. And I couldn't have been more shocked._

_But what had really affected me, and perhaps everyone else the most was the fact that Sylvanas hadn't truly believed, all this time, what she had told us from the very beginning. We were a race all our own; we were not undead humans or elves, we were Forsaken, and proud of it. She had given us back our spirit, and it was quite the shocker to suddenly realize that she had just been saying all of that._

_But it fit her character, I think. Sylvanas was always a rather political-minded person, and I suppose I should have realized that not everything she said she truly believed. Everything she did or said, I should have realized, had gone to the betterment of our nation and race. _

_And also, now that I think about it, when I looked at Myrdraxxis, I saw that his face was a schooled as ever. I couldn't decide whether it was simply his roguish instincts kicking in, and preventing him from showing his emotions, or whether he was unsurprised by the news. Perhaps, I think, he had always known about it. It would be just like him, to figure out something that shocking and then not tell anyone about it._

_At the time, I saw Sylvanas in a way I had never before. She was not the unattainable goddess, the Queen of the Banshee, our leader; she was an elf who had lost her life to a monster, and had never been able to come to terms with that. She had gone from being the highest of the high—a High Elf, one of the most beautiful and well-known races on Azeroth, to the lowest of the low—a banshee, a remnant of her former self. So she had lashed out at everything, with revenge as the only thing on her mind. She had locked everything else away inside of her._

_Until Naruto brought it back up._

_Makes me smile every time I think about it. That day changed everything, I think._

_It also, I know realize, explained why I had not seen a single mirror in any part of the Royal Quarter since I had arrived._

_

* * *

_

Sylvanas, too, watched the still form of the boy. He had awakened in her something that she didn't want to feel. He had made her face something she hadn't wanted to face.

She turned, very slowly, and looked over at the group of stunned Deathguards. "_Take them to the holding cells,"_ she said, wearily. Her voice sounded soft, and carried none of the force or power that it usually did. They obeyed nonetheless. They surrounded Kira and Kylia, and took hold of them, gently, leading them away, while another lifted up Naruto and carried him over his back. Tsuwabuki simply followed them, knowing that they wouldn't do much to harm the blonde after that. As deadly and skilled as they were, after a revelation such as that, nobody felt like fighting.

Another two lifted Varimathras' prone body from where it lay, and dragged him off as well.

Fen and Myrdraxxis stood still, waiting for their orders. Sylvanas barely looked at them. She said calmly. "_Leave."_

Fen looked unsure for a moment, but then nodded and turned to go. Myrdraxxis didn't. He stood still for a moment, and then gave a soft bow, and said to her.

"My lady, know that no matter what you decide to do, I shall support it with everything that I have."

Sylvanas looked briefly at him.

Fen nodded. "Same here."

The remaining Deathguards turned, and without a thought, saluted to their queen. Then, they departed, and for the first time in many years, Sylvanas found herself alone in her chamber. She sat upon her throne, her chin resting on her collarbone, her body limp She remained like that for a long time.

She did nothing but think.

Finally, she reached slowly into her robes, and withdrew a small, glittering object. It was circular, and only about four inches in diameter. The soft light of the dimming chandelier bounced off it, reflecting it back.

It was a mirror.

For the first time since she had died, Sylvanas gazed at the face she saw within it.

What she saw nobody would ever know.

* * *

Kira had no idea what time it was.

The small holding cell that they had been taken to was dirty, cramped, and smelled worse than anything she had ever smelt. The bars were old and caked with slime. It was obvious, both from the location of the cell (behind a series of laboratories), and from the state, that people did not likely stay there for long.

She had no idea how long it had been since she, Kylia, Naruto and Tsuwabuki had been brought there. It felt like days. Being several hundred feet under ground, there were no windows, and certainly no way of telling what time it was. Nobody had entered since they had arrived, though she could hear the sounds of movement behind the steel door at the opposite end of the room.

Kylia lay propped up against the bars next to Kira, and had nodded off a little while ago. Her head rested against Kira's shoulder. It had been ages since any of them had ever had any rest. But Kira couldn't sleep, and consequently, she was the only one out of the group that was had remained in the conscious world.

Naruto lay next to her, his head resting near enough to her leg that she could feel the slight touch of his spiky hair against it. He was fast asleep, and had not awoken since the deliverance of his speech. Tsuwabuki lay at his feet, also asleep.

Kira smiled, looking down at him fondly. She couldn't believe some of the things he had said, nor could she believe the effect they had had on Sylvanas. She, even with her empathic and telepathic abilities, had not been able to glean a single thing from the Banshee Queen.

And yet, without those, Naruto had been able to see Sylvanas' most guarded secret. It was as if his eyes could look into people's souls. He saw what people truly were, and Kira realized that was probably his greatest weapon. His eyes put the Ashbringer to shame.

Naruto rolled over, muttering something. In the process, his head came to rest on top of her thigh now, making her blush a little. She knew there was something indecent about this.

She didn't mind it that much, however.

"Mmm…" the blonde slurred in his sleep, a big, goofy smile stretching over his face. Her blush grew. What was he thinking about?

"Mmmmm…date? Sakura-chan, you really wanna go on a date with me?" the boy muttered, his grin widening.

Kira didn't know why, but the blush disappeared, and a slight vein popped onto her forehead instead. Furthermore, for some reason she couldn't fathom, her hand reached down and squeezed Naruto's nose shut, as well as blocking his mouth.

His eyes shot open at the very moment Kira released her grip. He sat up, blinking wildly.

"Huh?" he said, disoriented.

"You were talking in your sleep," Kira told him, with a smile that didn't look too appealing.

"I was…? About what…?" He knew that before he had been awoken, he had been having a nice dream, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what it was about.

Kira's fake smile grew. "…Embarrassing things."

Naruto blinked, and then blushed a little. He mumbled an apology, to which Kira just nodded. He then looked around at the dirty, cramped cell.

"Where are we?"

"Near the labs of the Royal Apothecary Society, I think. This is just a holding cell. I don't imagine people are intended to stay here very long, given what Fen has told us."

Naruto nodded, rubbing his eyes. Tsuwabuki had awoken from the movement and voices, and watched Naruto with a single amber eye.

'**_Would you like me to tell you what you were really talking about?'_**

Naruto blushed a little, shaking his head. Tsuwabuki just rolled her eyes, and laid her head back on the floor.

"Thanks."

Naruto looked over the wayward princess of Stormwind, blinking in surprise. "Huh?"

She looked at him, offering a much truer smile than before. "For what you did. If that didn't convince her, then nothing will."

Naruto nodded, slowly. Memories of the fight and following speech returned to him quite suddenly. He sat up straighter. If that didn't convince her, he thought, then he was dead meat.

Almost on cue with that thought, the door opened. In came a very greasy looking Forsaken with no lower jaw. He was dressed in faded black robes and was clutching a vial of smoking green liquid in his bony hand.

"Awake, I see!" he said, in perfectly understandable Orcish. Kira and Naruto blinked in wonder at the undead, pondering just how he could speak with no tongue or jaw. Kylia awoke at the sound of the voice, trying to look as alert and ready as possible.

Faranell seemed to smile. "Well, the Dark Lady didn't say I couldn't make use of you. I'm sure she won't mind if I take a limb or two, do you? I'll start with the scarred girl. You seem accustomed to losing body parts."

Kylia's hand went to her ruined ear, while Kira glared hotly at the Forsaken. Tsuwabuki growled, and Naruto made to stand up.

A voice, however, halted those actions.

"Oi! Greasy bones! Lay one hand on those kids' heads and you'll have a lot to explain to the Dark Lady!"

Fen's singsong voice reached the occupants of the room long before he was visible. Faranell made an irritated noise, and turned.

"What do you want, ingrate? Can't you go bother someone el—"

He was cut off as Fen pushed past him, looking happier than they had ever seen him. He was wearing the biggest smile his face could make, and he was even dressed in the most outlandish, cheery looking robes they had ever seen. They were bright pink and orange, and stuck out so much in the gloom that Naruto had to shield his eyes from the intense colors.

"Come on, everyone!" he said, happily. "Sylvie's requested a meeting with you! Best not keep her waiting, eh?"

Everyone traded glances of astonishment. They weren't able to do much else, for Fen had already unlocked the door, and was beckoning them to follow.

"Come on! Come on!" he reached into his pocket, and pulled something that looked like cookie crumbs. "I've got a treat for you! Come on! Let's go little ones!"

The four travelers glowered at him, making him chuckle. They slowly got up, and followed him out of the room. He marched straight past Faranell, who was glaring angrily at him. Fen stuck his tongue out at the Master Apothecary as he walked by.

The room they entered was a typical lab. There were three tables, all covered in various beakers and vials filled with all colors of liquids and powders, and all emitting even stranger fumes and smells. Tsuwabuki and Naruto wrinkled their noses in disgust as they walked by.

They left the lab though a large metal door at the far end of the room, and walked up a series of long, winding staircases. They reappeared on a street, which lay beside the flowing river of odorless slime, as shockingly green as they remembered. Fen led them down the road, nearly skipping.

He grinned at Naruto. "Whistle."

Naruto blinked at him. "Huh?"

"Whistle!" said Fen, happily. "I don't have lips, so I can't. I'd borrow yours, but that sounds vaguely sexual. So just whistle. I'm in a very good mood!"

The three humans sweat dropped. "We can see that."

Fen laughed again, and said nothing more until they reached their destination, again guarded by the crimson clad Royal Deathguards. Upon sighting Naruto, they turned their heads away, embarrassed, remembering the technique he had employed to get past them before. They hadn't been able to live it up, having been discovered by their companions a little later, unconscious, with streams of ichor flowing from their noses. Fen snickered a little at their expense.

Down the long passage they went, and soon they had reached the Royal Quarter once more. The room had been repaired spectacularly, and nothing was out of place. It was amazing.

"Best stonemasons who aren't dwarves," said Fen, noticing their looks. He skipped ahead of them, and stopped just beside Myrdraxxis, who was off to the side, glaring at him in annoyance.

Ahead of them, Sylvanas sat on her throne, with Varimathras, as massive as ever, by her side. The Dreadlord was perfectly unharmed, and though his face remained stony and passive, his eyes burned brightly at the sight of the blonde shinobi.

Sylvanas' face was perfectly blank. Her mask had returned, and it seemed that any emotion that they had seen on her face in their last meeting had been their imaginations. She clasped her hands in front of her, and merely stared at them, hard. They all stared straight back, in their own ways.

"_I accept."_

Kira blinked, the woman's words startling her. "What?"

Sylvanas leaned forwards a little, regarding her. "_I accept the terms of your alliance."_

Kira stared at her. The words were so simply spoken, so direct, that she was having a difficult time accepting whether they were true or not. Besides, after hearing Sylvanas shoot down her previous offer with cold logic, hearing her accept it without a single complaint or explanation was startling to say the least.

"You do?" she said dumbly.

"_Yes,"_ said the Dark Lady. "_And I will not confirm it again."_

The smile that ripped across Kira's face was as blinding as Fen's new vestments. And after a great deal of this uncontrollable grinning, Kira found her voice again.

"But why…?"

Sylvanas answered simply. "_Do you have to ask?"_

No, Kira realized, she didn't. She looked back at Naruto, who was grinning brightly as well.

It seemed so simple. There was no long speech; no explanations of how Sylvanas had come to her decision, or even any warnings on the functionality of the alliance. Nothing needed to be said, for at one point or another, it had all been discussed. The simple truth was that Naruto's words had done their work, and because of them, Sylvanas had changed her mind. Kira knew, somehow, that it hadn't been so simple, and nor were Sylvanas' reasons so cut and dry. She knew that Sylvanas had other plans for this alliance, and would be extremely reserved about what she said and did.

But hearing her say those two words had once again brought back the hope that she had held in heart from the very beginning. Her dream was quickly becoming a reality.

Sylvanas then looked at Naruto, standing. Her emotionless features softened a little, and what she said bore none of the neutrality that her previous words had. They were words spoken from Sylvanas' very heart.

"_Boy."_

Naruto squared his shoulders a little. "Yeah?"

"_You do know," _she said softly. "_That they will never accept us, don't you?"_

Naruto flashed her the mischievous, vulpine, completely Naruto grin that he was so famous for.

"If I believed that, I wouldn't be here today."

Sylvanas did not retort; and before her mask shifted back into place, she held a look in her eyes that satisfied the blonde. It was of respect.

She reached into her robes, drawing something out, and then tossed it into the air. It landed with a dull thump at Naruto's feet. The blonde blinked, looking down at a small, leather-bound, black book. It was the size of a journal or diary, and was quite thin. It had some strange words embroidered in white on the front, in a language Naruto had never seen before. He looked up at Sylvanas, confused.

"_Open it,"_ she ordered.

He bent down, and picked it up. He opened it to the first page, and discovered, to his surprise, Sylvanas Windrunner's name, written in what was obviously blood, next to a handprint. He stared at it a moment, before realizing what it was.

"This is…!"

"_A summoning contract."_

Naruto stared up at her, stunned. She gave him one of her typical sardonic smiles. "_It is a reward, for slaying the Scarlet Commander. As easily as it could have been done, I feel it is necessary to thank you nonetheless._"

Naruto flipped the pages. There were only a few signatures after her. "What does it summon?" he asked.

"_The undead, of course. I am the Banshee Queen, and thus it would do no good if it summoned creatures that weren't of my own kind. I had it created, after I freed a Frost wyrm from control of the Lich King. Even in death, the Blue Dragons possess remarkable technique with their chakra. He made for me this book, and using his power, sealed into the world of summons hundreds of beasts, including himself, for me to summon. Whoever signs the contract will be able to call forth all sorts of undead: from plagued swarms of insects and blighthounds to undead horses and birds, to mighty Abominations, cunning banshees and even Forsaken who offered their lives to become useful to me for eternity. He controls them all, as their master. Perhaps you will make good use of this."_

Naruto stared at the book in wonder, again. This, he realized, would be dead useful. He grinned in thanks at the Banshee Queen, who offered nothing in return.

"_You will stay here, I suspect, until you can call Matthias back. If this alliance is to work, then I imagine you will have to gain an idea of what life is like for us."_ She said this to Kira in particular, who nodded and stood straighter at the attention.

"And, I will get to resume my duties as ambassador, right?" Fen suddenly broke in, unable to control his elation any longer.

Sylvanas glanced at him. "_Indeed. After you've served your punishment for betraying me."_

Fen's mood suddenly plummeted. He gulped.

Sylvanas gave him a very passive, but nonetheless vicious, smile.

"_I'm sure Faranell will be pleased to have an assistant, wouldn't you say?"_

Fen didn't stop screaming for quite some time, after that.

* * *

_You would too, if you knew Faranell like I did! Don't you dare laugh! Bastards!_

_

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_

Done.

Now, the bad news, first.

On Saturday, July 1st, I will be leaving for a three-week trip to Ethiopia, which means that I will certainly have no access to a computer. I am going to work at an orphanage that a family in my town has established, and hence will be occupied. Therefore, regrettably, there will be no updates until I get back on the 23rd of July.

Sorry.

I made this chapter as cliffhangerless as possible, because I knew that if I ended on something else, you guys would've murdered me, or worse, stopped reading. Hopefully, this will satiate you guys for at least the time that I am gone.

There will be at least one more chapter in the Forsaken arc, but the action is pretty much over. There are two more arcs left in this part of the story. Then the real fun begins.

A few things—

I hope you guys enjoyed my portrayal of Sylvanas. I hope it was not only convincing, but it didn't seem forced or fake to you. I think Naruto would have said exactly those things in that situation. It is never easy, I think, to come to terms with ones defects. Sylvanas, especially, would have quite a bit of difficulty in doing that. But it seems to me that she did all she had done both for revenge, and because of an intense amount of self-loathing. When you feel bad, or when something bad happens to you, do you not want something bad to happen to all those around you?

The summoning contract—I have been waiting to implement this. It came to me quite a while back, when I was doing the Blood arc. I mean, how cool would that be, to summon undead creatures to do your bidding? I can't wait for Naruto to start using this ability. It's going to be awesome.

I hope that's it. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter, and when I get back, expect a new chapter every few days! I'll have loads of time on my hands!

General Grievous

Spellbook- 

**Vampiric Aura- **An aura that surrounds all Dreadlords. It drains the chakra and life force of those near it, feeding and making the Dreadlord stronger. If you don't know it exists, it is an incredibly dangerous thing to face.

**Swarm of Corruption- **Demonic bugs that inhabit every Dreadlord's body, are used to take control of their opponents. The bugs establish a symbiotic relationship with their host, and if it dies, so do they. Extremely effective in large battles, against many opponents.


	47. Stories, Suspicion, and Sayonaras

**Disclaimer: What? You don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft? I demand a refund!**

**No World of Warcraft, or Naruto, but we do have cheese.**

**Ooooo….cheese….?**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

It was twilight. The warm and breezy air kicked up a few leaves resting on the ground beside Sakura as she walked. The setting sun was to her back, nearly gone now. Despite the length of the day, she felt that she wasn't tired much at all. So she did not head back home, as she usually would. Instead, she found herself heading to a place that she had not been to in quite a while.

The bridge.

The very bridge where she, Naruto, and Sasuke had met their teacher, Kakashi, every morning; usually after a two or three hour wait. The bridge where she had cursed Naruto out every morning for trying to hit on her; gushed her feelings (which were now not nearly as simple) to Sasuke, only to be ignored completely; and railed (along with Naruto) at their perverted teacher for being late, as he always was, and stomaching his usually humorous, but totally unbelievable, excuse.

It was a bridge with so many memories attached to it. Memories of what seemed like a life that she had never lived. It felt like ages had gone by, since she had seen her teammates standing alongside her on the bridge, watching the rising sun, and simply reveling in the unsaid friendship that they had possessed. She knew that before the end, before Sasuke had met his brother again, that all of them had enjoyed it. They had all gotten so used to the feeling of being with each other that they hadn't been able to help being friends, even if none of them had ever said the word to each other.

But then…

No.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She had been down that road several times before since Sasuke's defection, and it always brought nothing but depression, and longing. Since, she had learned to stop thinking about those things, as best she could.

When she finally spotted the bridge, she felt a sudden surge of energy. She had always felt it, when seeing the bridge. At first it had been simply because Sasuke usually made it there before her, and so she would pick up her speed to get to enjoy a scant few minutes with him alone (which usually involved her trying to think of a coherent, cool, and enticing greeting, but that had always failed.) before Naruto came gallivanting in, yelling his loud, boisterous greetings to his two teammates, with their intended suffixes ("Sakura-chan!" and "Sasuke-teme!") and in varying degrees of heat.

But that was in the beginning. Soon after the _Chuunin Exams_, she had started getting the surge just because it would allow her to get to her teammates faster. At points, during those times, she would see just Sasuke, or even just Naruto, standing there. Even if it was just Naruto, she'd run to meet him.

She began to run. It was so ingrained into her that she didn't even stop to think until she had reached the bridge. The water beneath it seemed on fire as she stopped, in the middle, and suddenly realized what she had done. She heaved a sigh, and walked to the railing. Her eyes drifted up the river, until it met the horizon, where a blood-red ball of fire had crashed to the ground, and was slowly sinking into it, lighting the entire world on fire. It was beautiful, she saw, and it helped to distract her from her sudden feeling of melancholy.

But so enraptured was she that she forgot her ninja training, and when a voice beside her broke the silence, she jumped.

"Beautiful, hmmm?"

Sakura clutched her chest, gasping a little, and turned to look at her former teacher, Hatake Kakashi. His exposed eye, one that was coal-black, was fixated on the scene that her green ones had been on earlier.

"Kakashi-sensei!" she snapped, more than a little surprised to see her teacher, as well as slightly irritated for him to show up in the way he had. "You're back from your mission?"

He stared at the scene a little longer, not answering. Then, he turned and said, "Yep. Just got back. Did I scare you?"

She reddened a bit, knowing that there was an admonishment somewhere in the question for forgetting to be alert. "No."

His eye curved into a happy crescent, and he smiled beneath the mask. "Good."

They both turned back to the sunset, lapsing into silence. Sakura didn't feel like talking much, and she guessed that it had been some time since Kakashi had enjoyed a moment of peace like this. So she stayed silent for a while, and they basked in the final glowing moments that the sun remained in the above world. Finally, just as the fiery orb vanished, Sakura spoke.

"Naruto sent another message while you were gone."

Kakashi turned, blinking, to her. "Is that so? I was a little worried; he hadn't sent anything for some time, and it was leading me to believe something might have happened."

She smiled a little, remembering Gamakichi's words. "Well, something did, but he's still alive."

"Tell me," he said.

So she did. She told him everything that Naruto had done since his last message, as best as she could tell it. Kakashi was a good listener, and said nothing as she narrated. By the time she was finished, the sky was totally dark, and the last rays of the sun had faded into the blackness of the night. The moon was peaking over the horizon directly behind them, a bluish-white, in total opposite to the fiery colors of the sun.

When she finished, Kakashi chuckled a little. "He certainly did do a lot. I'm impressed. But somehow, I can't find the will to be surprised by any of it. I guess when dealing with Naruto, that's a good attitude to have."

Sakura chuckled. "You're right."

"How did the others take it?"

She recalled. "Pretty much the same as always. His deeds "stoked the fires of youth" according to Guy-sensei, and everyone has been training as hard as they can all day. The jounin, Tsunade-shishou, and Jiraiya-sama were all as surprised as ever, even if they didn't show it."

Kakashi nodded. "I'd figured. Even if he isn't the one speaking the words, his spirit seems to leak through them nonetheless. Even worlds apart, he's still has that ability to make everyone put their all into whatever they do."

Sakura just smiled, a nod or any word of agreement unnecessary. There was a short silence as Kakashi stared at the rising moon.

"Two summons, huh?" he said.

She peered at him. "Yes. Is that surprising?"

"A bit," he said. "because it's Naruto, it's less surprising; it's just uncommon."

She knew what he was talking about. After all, she was considered to be the smartest kunoichi of her year. "You mean that it's usually unnecessary, right?"

Kakashi nodded, turning and smiling at her through his mask. "Yes. Summon creatures have varying sizes and skills, just like normal shinobi. Usually, when you sign a summon contract, there is no need to sign another, because the creatures that you first learned to summon can be used in almost any situation. Whether surveillance, message delivering, cooking, or full-scale battle, a summon contract has a summon for nearly every situation."

Sakura nodded. All of it made sense. Her own teacher had told her, when she had begun learning the slug summons (much to her _delight_), that despite their look (and feel, she had thought, shuddering) slugs could do just about anything a ninja could ever have need of them. They could even heal.

"But," she said, catching on something Kakashi had said before. "You said that it's uncommon, but it has been done. What reason would there be to have two or more summons?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You can't tell me that?"

Sakura reddened a bit. "The scroll didn't say much beyond that it was unnecessary. You know how scrolls are."

Kakashi nodded. "Too true." Back when he had ever read scrolls, at least. The only thing on his reading list nowadays was a certain orange book that he absolutely refused to mention in front of his now super-strong former student.

"Well," he began. "The main reason why people would get more summons is simply because of variety of attack. Each summon contract has its own specializations in battle."

She caught on. "You mean like the slugs have their medical skills and attacks, right?"

He nodded. "Right. Toads have weapons specialties and water based attacks, as well as a few fire techniques invented by Jiraiya-sama. Snakes, the ones that Orochimaru use…"

The way he said it made it clear to her that soon Orochimaru wouldn't be the only one.

"…Specialize in evasion and powerful physical strikes, as well as a handful of poison type techniques. My own summons, dogs, specialize in tracking and ground based attacks. Each summon, despite being jacks-of-all-trades, still have their own specialties. That would be, in my mind, the only reason one would make more than one contract."

Sakura thought about his words for a moment. "Knowing Naruto, however, he probably did it because more is better in his mind, right?" She giggled a little at this.

He chuckled too. "Probably. That and if he refused this Sylvanas character might have done something unpleasant to him. But it isn't that hard to imagine hearing Naruto boasting to Sasuke about how cool he is for having two summons."

Sakura smiled, but only for a few seconds. She then turned and leaned backwards against the railing. The problem was, she could imagine them doing that. It reminded her so much of the past that the earlier feelings of depression came back. It must have hit Kakashi too, because he didn't speak for a while.

The moon was bright. It was nearly full, and glowed so bright and beautiful against the darkness of the sky that once again, Sakura temporarily forgot her thoughts and simply stared at the moon. It was so nice.

Then Kakashi spoke.

"How has your training been?"

Sakura looked over at him. "Good," she said, shortly.

He raised an eyebrow. "That's all? Good? Might my most eloquent former student elaborate a bit?"

She sighed. "As much as I hate to say it, working with Ino has been somewhat fun. Chouji is also a very good teammate, and has been weathering the little spats Ino and I have pretty well, considering. Asuma-sensei doesn't do much other than just coach us in teamwork, and take us out to lunch."

Kakashi nodded. "I heard you were working with Lee-kun. That true?"

Sakura nodded, smiling a little. "He's been helping me build my stamina and natural strength. Tsunade-sama's training requires that I have loads of stamina to spare, or else a lot of her most powerful techniques and skills are rather useless, like her monstrous strength. She's given me some medicine that helps speed up the process of building and storing stamina, but has in a sense just left me to Lee and Guy-sensei."

"You'll learn quite a bit from them, I assure you. If you start hearing their voices in your sleep, I suggest stopping, however."

Sakura giggled, only to find that Kakashi's face was absolutely serious. She guessed that he'd had some experience with that, then.

"The _Chuunin Exams_ are coming up soon, are they not?"

She nodded. "Yes, Tsunade-shishou wants me to compete in them, that's why I joined Asuma-sensei's team."

He nodded. "I think you'll probably pass, this time. There won't be any threat of invasion, and you have grown quite a bit under Tsunade-sama's teachings."

She smiled. When he said it with that simple, matter-of-fact voice that only Kakashi could pull off, she had no doubt in her mind that she would just that. When Kakashi put his faith in something, it usually came out pretty well, or at least that is what she believed.

Sasuke didn't count.

"And your new technique?"

She shook her head a bit. "Still coming along." She looked a little crestfallen at the thought.

He shrugged. "It took me quite a while to develop Chidori, Sakura, so don't worry about it. You'll finish when you finish."

Sakura gave her former teacher a smile, but didn't respond for a moment. Once again there was silence.

This time, however, Sakura broke it.

"Naruto is…getting so strong."

Kakashi looked at her.

She continued. "Every time he sends us a new message, he's done something so amazing, and grown so much stronger than before. Every time he does it, no matter how hard I've worked, he seems leagues away from me, just like he and Sasuke always were. So I try harder and harder, but nothing ever seems to bridge the gap between us. I need to be strong, Kakashi-sensei…I need to be able to help when Naruto gets back. It was a promise."

Kakashi gave Sakura a warm smile from beneath his mask, his best attempt at looking reassuring with only thirty percent or so of his face exposed.

"You're being unfair to yourself, Sakura," he said, leaning forwards into Sakura's face. The girl took a step back, blinking.

"What?"

Kakashi scratched his chin, and stood up straight. "You can't compare your own training to what Naruto is doing. There is a big, extremely fundamental difference between the two methods you are him are taking to training. This difference is what is allowing Naruto to grow so fast."

"What difference is it?" she said, frowning.

He chuckled. "Well Miss Smartypants, it just so happens to be practical experience."

Sakura stared at him blankly for a second, not understanding. While that in itself was frustrating, the maddeningly smug look on Kakashi's face made it even more so. If she didn't really want to know, she'd have clobbered him by now. Especially for the Smartypants gibe, which she had heard quite often in her younger years.

Kakashi suddenly stopped smiling, and looked back towards the moon. "Naruto is getting tons of practical experience. That is to say, he is fighting life and death battles far more often than you are. He is being, in a sense, forced to learn everything faster. If he didn't, he'd die. Naruto flourishes under those situations. Notice that until he became a ninja, he was the dunce of the class. He was in all likelihood weaker than you. But once that added factor of danger, that risk that very few types of training can duplicate was added, Naruto began to soar. He made it to be equal with Sasuke in only a few months, when Sasuke had taken years of training in order to get that strong. Truthfully, even though he is risking his life so much, it is probably the best way for Naruto to learn.

"You learn differently. Given time and effort, you can solve any equation, and learn any technique. You learn with your mind, not your body. If you have the information, and the mechanics, you can learn a technique just as fast as Naruto. Of course, a little practical experience never hurt, so I suggest you do some missions to help that along. You are extremely smart, and that is your strength, Sakura. In that area, among others, you have already surpassed Naruto."

Sakura looked at him in slight surprise. It was probably the first praise that she had heard from Kakashi.

Kakashi continued. "The two of you learn quite differently, and excel in many different manners. The same was true of Sasuke. Imagine how hard it was for me to develop coherent training exercises for you. But like I said, you have already surpassed Naruto in one key element, something that he has only just begun to learn."

Sakura stared at him. "What is it?"

"Patience. Control. Fighting with a level head. As shinobi, we aren't brawlers, or samurai, who throw themselves headlong into battle. We strike at the opportune time, and work constantly to shape the battle before we actually fight it. I'm not saying that Naruto isn't an accomplished shinobi, because that would be an extremely foolish statement, all things considered. He has mastered many aspects, but unlike you, he has yet to learn some of the more basic ones. Patience, for example, doesn't seem to be in Naruto's vocabulary. He fights when he wants, not when he should. Like I said, he usually comes out okay in the end, but an important aspect of battle is knowing when to fight and when not to."

Sakura looked at Kakashi a while, silent. His words were all true, of course.

"But, as I said, he seems to be learning."

"He does?" she said, blinking.

Kakashi nodded. "In a way, yes. He is learning to rely on his own strength. From what you said, he only mentioned using the Kyuubi's chakra as a last resort. It seems that he is being forced to learn to think in battle, or else his emotions will consume him, and the creature's power will come, and overwhelm him."

Sakura shuddered. Though Naruto had indeed decreased his use of the Kyuubi's chakra, every time he did worried her to no end. He had only mentioned it in passing, but it made her wonder what the details of the fight were. It made her wonder what he had been feeling, as the demon's chakra took control.

"You're worried about him, I see." Kakashi was looking at her with his one black eye, which was uncharacteristically soft as it gazed at her.

Sakura nodded. "Ever since I learned what was causing him so much pain, I've been researching whatever I could about the Kyuubi. It's the most powerful of the _bijuu_, and has never before had a container. It makes me worry that Naruto won't be able to deal with it if something happens. What if the seal breaks? Would the people of that world be ready, or even able to help?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps, perhaps not. All I can say is that you have to trust Naruto. He'd find some way, I think, to deal with it if that ever happens. But, like I said, he's growing. Perhaps he won't allow it to happen. It seems to me like he's realized what may happen. I don't think he'd do anything to jeopardize himself; he has a promise to keep, after all."

Sakura nodded, smiling. The two lapsed into silence again. The moon seemed to shine even brighter, now. It was a fair distance into the sky, meaning it had been some time since they had started their talk. But neither seemed to mind. Kakashi and Sakura watched the moon, their eyes gleaming in its light. Sakura felt better. Kakashi had been able to sympathize, and help her get over her fears and troubles.

Then Kakashi spoke again. "Hmmm, this scene makes me think of a story I once heard."

"A story?" Sakura said, looking at him inquisitively.

He nodded. "It's called, ' The Battle of the Sun and Moon'. The story goes that long ago, the sun and the moon fought in a great battle. No one knows why, or where, only that they fought, and when they clashed, the moon, after a long and painful battle, emerged victorious. He glided across the sky, weak from his wounds, but still reveling in his triumph. But, to his surprise, he saw the sun rise again, and begin to pursue him. He did not look back, and instead continued forwards, with the sun following him all the way. No one knows why he did not stay and fight again. Perhaps the moon was jealous. Jealous that the light from the sun was brighter than his. Perhaps it was because the sun's light was the light that lit him, and he did not want to face the sun again. And that's how they would remain for quite a while.

"But, someday, the sun will catch up. Someday, the sun and the moon will meet in battle again. When they do, who knows who will emerge victorious?"

He lapsed into silence, letting the story sink in. It was only a second later that Sakura responded, humor and emotion evident in her voice.

"You're forgetting an important part, Kakashi-sensei."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Am I?"

"Yes. You forgot about the cherry tree and the scarecrow."

He blinked at her. "Ah, so I did. Why don't you tell me about them?"

So Sakura did. "Below them, as the sun chased the moon, a cherry blossom tree, full in bloom, and a scarecrow, watched them. The cherry tree had witnessed the fight between the sun and the moon, but had not been able to do anything. Now she could all but watch as the two raced across the sky in an unending chase. The scarecrow, too, could do nothing but watch, but, then again, that's all he could ever hope to do.

" ' I wish I could stop them,' the cherry tree said. ' I wish I could grow tall and strong, and when I got tall enough, and strong enough, I could catch them in my branches, and make them stop their meaningless battle.'

" ' I can do nothing but watch. It is their story, and their fight. I wish I could offer my help, perhaps my wisdom from watching the goings on in the world, and stay until the end,' said the scarecrow.

"And so the cherry blossom tree grew and grew and grew, and so tall did she grow that when the sun and moon met once more, she was there, to catch them in her branches, no matter who the victor was. And the scarecrow watched all of this, in the time before they met, he offered all the wisdom he could to them, for that was all he could do." She smiled as she finished, and looked back at Kakashi.

The man was silent for a moment, smiling a hidden smile beneath the mask.

"Interesting, isn't it?"

She blinked at him. "What?"

He winked at her. "That the sun is what causes trees to grow big and strong, hmm?"

She opened her mouth, got the meaning, and blushed a little. "Kakashi-sensei!" He laughed, while she glared at him hotly for a moment.

"Well," he said, standing up straight. "It's getting late, we should both get a bit of rest, hmm?"

Sakura nodded absently, taking a final, almost wistful look at the moon.

"You should be a storyteller, Kakashi-sensei," she said, grinning impishly at him.

He raised an eyebrow. "That so?"

She turned and walked way, throwing over her shoulder a broad grin. "Yeah, if waiting three hours is a part of the story, and a lame excuse is the climax!"

Kakashi opened his mouth to deliver what he believed was a stale, witty retort, but Sakura was already gone. The night seemed to swallow her, and suddenly Kakashi was alone in the darkness. Alone with the moon. He looked up at it, his eye lingering a moment on the glowing bright sphere.

"Hmmm… I hope you're ready…because somehow, when you meet him again, I have complete faith in the fact that it won't turn out as it did last time."

Then, he too was gone.

And the moon was alone.

* * *

Something was up.

That much, Benedictus knew.

It wasn't really anything new. Ever since the king's death, Benedictus had known that something was up, but for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what. He had placed this feeling on the back burner of his ancient mind, due to the more immediate and pressing matters that he faced in taking the position of regent. But it lingered, and whenever the chance arose, returned to the forefront of his mind.

Thankfully, especially now, he had little time to consider it. For everyday, fighting was breaking out in the streets of the city.

They were usually brief scuffles, started by members of the younger generation who had less informed and more passionate stances on the issues that faced the city and its people. It would usually be outside bars or taverns, and one or more of the instigators would be drunk.

But the fights escalated quite quickly, and by the time the city guard made it to the scene, they had the beginnings of riots. If the Stormwind guards were not some of the best trained and skilled warriors in the city, then the fights would have continued to grow. Thankfully, they had enough ability and discipline to break them up before they went too far.

But it got worse every day.

The people were angry. They were divided, too. There was such a stark division between the people now that Benedictus entertained the thought of naming the two sides.

There were those who supported the kingdom, and his regency. They were the older generations, and the members of the wealthier families that had been loyal to the kings of Stormwind since the city had been built and rebuilt. More than three-quarters of the Council, thankfully, fell into this category.

Of course, that didn't mean they agreed with everything he said, but it was far better, in his mind, than the alternatives.

The other faction was solely comprised of the younger generations, and even some of the mercantile class. They were those who opposed the kingdom, and had since Anduin's foolish venture against the Black Dragonflight. They were the ones who had originally supported the Scarlet Crusade, and hence followed a lot of the Crusade's supposed ideals on kindness and generosity. They believed in equality for all. They believed that the time of kings was dead, and that the time had come for the people to control the city.

He was not entirely sure what their aim was. They sought more rights and freedoms for the people, as well as a different system of trade that they were calling "free trade", in which the government could put no taxes on items flowing to and from the city (this was suggested by the merchants of the faction, clearly). They claimed they were sick of the kings, and felt that it should be they who chose the ruler of the city. They were the people, after all. They had the power.

The people were sheep, he thought glumly as he sat near the large wooden altar in the small chapel in the castle. Sheep who were trying to tell the shepherd that it was they who had the right to decide who herded them, and kept them together as a flock.

It wasn't that they didn't have a good idea, but as Benedictus had continually believed, he didn't believe they knew who could be good enough for them. What they proposed opened up so many chances for corruption and greed to take root that he couldn't even consider their words. He had been alive too long. What they were saying would not better the situation. It would worsen it.

Benedictus sighed a little, before standing and stretching his limbs. The chapel was empty save for him, as it usually was. In fact, the only ones who really had ever used the chapel were himself and Kira; but she was gone, and so he was alone with naught but his thoughts and memories. The place was soothing, but at the same time a little distracting. For several times he would find himself noticing things or places that brought up a specific memory from his time with the only surviving Wrynn. Not a day went by that he did not wonder where she was, or even if she was still alive. Adding the stress from managing a kingdom on top of that, and Benedictus didn't know if he could last much longer.

Kira's departure, along with her spirit and goodwill, had left something of a hole in Benedictus' heart. When she had been with him, in this place, listening to her as she described the details of her dream, Benedictus had felt like he was more than a mentor to the girl. He had felt like family. Her words, just like her mothers, and touched him in many ways, and had made him; a cynical, old, cranky fool, believe that the seemingly impossible dream that she had concocted was possible. She had had the power to do that.

Now, as he sat, listening to nothing but the sound of his own breath, and the distant pitter-patter of feet all around the castle, and dwelling on the dark state of the city that he had loved all his life, he felt the full weight of the nigh-impossibility of her dream.

Could people, people who couldn't even agree with each other, welcome an alliance with people and races that over the years, they had come to hate and fear as monsters?

Somehow, Benedictus didn't think so.

He gave a melancholy sigh. It would not do for him to continue this constant sulking. He decided to go for a walk. The exercise would do him good.

He left the chapel and meandered through the upper halls of the castle, giving nods and single words of greeting to all those he passed. Some were guards, who offered him salutes and tight-lipped smiles. Some were servants, who gave him kind smiles and slight bows. Thankfully, though, he encountered no nobles or anyone seeking his attention. That meant, given the fact that it was already several hours past noon, meant that today might be a day with no fighting.

He stopped inside the kitchens and sampled some of the food for that night's dinner. He was on great terms with the head chef, and so was able to pilfer a few things to snack on during his walk.

The chef gave him a salute and a sad smile as he left. Benedictus had always possessed an energy far beyond men his age were supposed to. But each day, he saw that Benedictus was slowly beginning to act more and more his proper age. It made him sad to think of what this conflict was doing to the old man.

Benedictus entered the great hall, just as he finished his pastries. Upon entering the hall, where all the Council meetings happened, he was suddenly (and sadly) reminded of a need to organize another meeting. There hadn't been one since Lady Prestor's absence, and he was eager to know her opinion on some of the matters that were befalling the city. He didn't believe they mattered (after all, she was a woman), but he wished to know them nonetheless. His suspicion of her was greater than what he had for most women.

He turned, intending to leave and locate her, and the rest of the council members, when the door opened and in came Captain Reinhardt Schaun.

"Ah, captain," Benedictus said, giving a slight nod to the bushy-bearded man. "It has been some time. How have you been?"

The man gave him a tired smile, and an equally tired salute. "As best as can be, Lord regent. I am thankful for the lull that this day has brought."

Benedictus nodded. "As am I." He suddenly had no desire to see Lady Prestor. He was as tired as he said he was, and so with a wave he said, "Sit with me, I am in need of conversation, no matter what kind."

The captain nodded. "That would be nice." He sat in a wooden chair near the door. Benedictus pulled another one over and sat in it, next to the red-haired soldier. He relaxed into the soft leather backing of the chair, and closed his eyes in silent contentment for a few seconds. Schaun mirrored this, and for a while, neither of them spoke a word.

"I am tired, captain," sighed Benedictus, suddenly.

Schaun nodded. "We all are. This conflict is taking much out of us; it is tearing the city in half, one could say."

"It is, isn't it?" said Benedictus. "And try as I a might, there is nothing I can do to stop it, or even alleviate it. You are doing the most work out of all of us, captain, you and your guardsmen. I commend you for all that you have done."

Schaun gave a hollow laugh. "I thank you for the praise, but what we are doing is not helping. We are doing naught but stopping people from fighting. That will not change their intent."

"Indeed, but you are preventing them from committing acts that they would not otherwise commit. It is far better than what I have done. Perhaps you should be regent, captain; you might be able to knock some sense into this senseless buffoonery."

Schaun looked sideways at the old man, and sweat dropped. "I am afraid I would do even less than you have, Lord regent. I am no good at politics as it is."

Benedictus chuckled. "Then we are alike in more ways that one, captain."

They both laughed a bit at that, before lapsing into a more comfortable silence.

"What do you think will be the outcome of this, captain?" Benedictus said, finally.

Schaun peered over at him again, and sighed. "My honest belief, Lord regent?"

Benedictus nodded. "Yes, as opposed to your dishonest one."

Schaun chuckled for a second then his face became stern and set; it was the face of a warrior, almost as if he were preparing for battle.

"I cannot foresee an end in sight."

Benedictus raised an eyebrow, so Schaun elaborated, stroking his deep red beard, his dark eyes shadowed. "This conflict cannot be easily resolved. I knew from the moment that it began, with the His Grace, King Anduin's death, that this would not be something that could be resolved with soldiers or time. The true problem runs very deep, and the wounds that were created over these past few years have already reopened. This, I think, has been a long time coming. It was the death of the king, as well as the Scarlet Crusade's influence that began it, but it had been brewing for much longer. This conflict is not so young. Perhaps it was even inevitable. And it is so deep that I don't think it can be resolved so quickly. And from what it appears, neither of us, perhaps no one in the entire council, has the ability to do that."

Benedictus regarded the man with the same impassive stare that had greeted Kira's tears. They were interesting words, and he found that they bore quite a bit of truth to them. He too was sure that this had been brewing for some time. It was escalating far too quickly, and the people were far too ready and involved for it to be a spur of the moment thing, caused by the death of one man. He knew only too well that it likely that same man who had given birth to it, or perhaps nurtured it in its infancy, even without knowing.

He gave another weary sigh, leaning back in his chair. "Your assessment matches mine to the 't', captain. This conflict can only be resolved by someone with a love deeper than ours for this city, and these people. One who is willing to give up everything for them. A king, or perhaps, a queen."

The other man stared forwards, his eyes solemn and dark. His face was as unreadable as Benedictus' had been just moments before.

"Perhaps, Lord regent, the time for kings and queens is past."

Benedictus stared at him a while, his face hardening into a mask. Schaun met his stare for a while, before shrugging.

"Who knows? The future isn't that cut and dry, as you yourself know. A lot of things can happen, especially to this city."

Benedictus once again didn't answer. He stroked his short beard, staring forwards with his raptor-like golden eyes.

"I have a question for you, captain."

Schaun turned to him, blinking in slight interest. "Oh?"

Benedictus snapped his golden gaze to the captain of the Stormwind Guard. "I wonder if the need arose, would you be able to fight alongside an orc?"

Schaun blinked in surprise, the question was so radically different from what they had been talking about that it made him pause for a second.

Benedictus continued. "Or perhaps a troll? A tauren? Even a Forsaken? If the lives of your country were at stake, would you be able to put aside all of your preconceived notions about them, all of your prejudices, or past experiences with them, and fight alongside them as a brother in arms? Tell me."

Schaun sat for a moment, and from the look of unease on his face, he seemed troubled by the question.

Benedictus instantly knew why. "Don't worry, this is no test of loyalty. It is simply an honest question, one that I have been deliberating myself for some time."

Schaun sighed a little in relief. Then he looked thoughtful for a second, before he answered.

"I would."

"Why?"

Schaun blinked at the rapid-fire response. He shook himself, and answered as best he could.

"If the need arose, and there was such an overwhelming enemy that there would be nothing else we could do, then I would. Lord regent, I have fought in many battles in the past. I have fought against orcs, and trolls, and tauren and Forsaken. I have seen that they can be brutal, monstrous, even downright horrifying. But at the same time, I have seen humans be the same. That leads me to believe that in some ways, we are not different.

"I have never been to an Orcish village, Lord regent, so I don't know exactly what they do there, but I can't honestly expect it to be much different from what goes on here. I heard that the orcs' leader, Thrall, even allied with Jaina Proudmoore, at times. If that lady, whom I never met, but have heard many good things about, would join with the leader of those people, than can I honestly say that they are truly evil? I think a lot of our hate is born from that unknown. Perhaps if we saw the other aspects of their lives, not just the battle, attitudes would be different.

"So, yes, Lord regent, I would fight alongside an orc, a troll, a tauren and even a Forsaken, if the need arose."

Benedictus looked at him a moment, and didn't say a word. His golden eyes seemed fixed on Schaun, almost as if he couldn't pull them away, and the old man was so still and silent that he appeared a statue.

Then he chuckled.

"Thank you, captain."

Perhaps her dream wasn't so impossible after all, the Archbishop mused. If men of power, men who had seen the terrors that the Horde had wrought like Schaun could view the world with such an open mind, then perhaps the people of this city could learn as well. The burden of uncertainty suddenly seemed not nearly so heavy, and Benedictus found himself feeling spry and young again.

He stood.

"I'd best be going, captain. There is a need to organize another meeting. I believe it is time that that serpentine hag, Lady Prestor, delivered some of her sage advice."

Something happened in the split second after Benedictus had finished his sentence. Something changed so abruptly in Schaun's eyes that Benedictus mentally frowned. There had been a flicker of something, deep within those dark depths. And, unless he had imagined it, the man's face had given the briefest of twitches. And unless he had really imagined it, the man's lip had curled slightly, exactly as he had finished saying Lady Prestor's name.

'_Odd,'_ he thought.

"Good luck, Lord regent," the captain said, giving him a nod.

Benedictus returned it, and left.

Yes, he decided, as he headed towards the main entrance to tell the guards to send messages to the Council members, something was definitely up.

When he reached the entrance hall, he found it already occupied by a regal looking man clutching a scroll.

"Lord regent?" the man said, coming forwards.

Benedictus nodded. "Yes, what is it?"

"A message sir, delivered just now."

"From whom?" he asked, wondering what it could be. Perhaps it was a message from a Council member, or perhaps a missive from the chapel?

"The Argent Dawn, milord. The courier told me that the news might please you."

* * *

The last three days had been interesting.

They had been, in Naruto's opinion, neither bad, nor completely good. But they had kept him busy, as well as entertained. He had quickly come to learn that the Undercity was not much of a place for live humans.

For their part, Fen had explained that it was really never intended to house humans. Nobody, not even Sylvanas, had ever been able to predict that one day they'd be playing host to live humans somewhere other than the holding cells in the Apothecarium (one of the many "sectors" of the underground city, specializing in selling potions, herbs, elixirs and other such things). Still, the three humans that had lived in there for the past three days could all agree that they certainly needed to be able to adapt to certain situations.

For example, on the first day, Naruto got himself spectacularly lost. How he had gotten so deep into the miles of sewers that surrounded and made up the city still escaped Kira and Fen, who had spent the better part of the day looking for him. Tsuwabuki had been no help at all, refusing to enter the foul-smelling sewers, even if it was to search for her spirit partner. They had finally given up, and two hours later, Naruto had slouched in, reeking so much of the sewers that even the most hideous looking Forsaken would turn green when he passed. Fen had promptly pushed him into the green, gooey river ("It's perfectly safe, completely non-toxic, and washes right out, promise!" he had assured them).

As troublesome the first day had been, the second day proved to be much better. Naruto had managed to finally send off another message to his friends in Konoha, about everything that had happened since his last. This time Gamakichi had brought a pen and a pad of paper to right everything down, do to its length. He heard a little about what was going on there, too. Sakura was doing well with her training, according to Tsunade, and every time Naruto sent a message, she and the others would throw themselves headlong into training, twice as hard as before. It made Naruto grin, and eagerly anticipate how strong his friends were becoming.

And it also made him think of Sasuke.

And his promise.

He wondered, what at that moment, Sasuke was doing. He wondered what the person he considered his brother was going through in his training with Orochimaru, and how strong he was becoming. And how he was changing. It made him nervous. Would he be strong enough to defeat Sasuke the next time they met?

Yes.

He would not let Sasuke go again. He wouldn't let Orochimaru take Sasuke's body for his own, not when he possessed the power and the time to stop him. He would keep his promise to Sakura, no matter what.

So he trained a little that day, spending time mostly perfecting his new summoning technique. It, as he had told Kira a little later, had not gone as planned.

"It doesn't work?" Kira had said, blinking.

He shook his head, looking moody. "It works fine. Everything that comes out just tries to eat me. Or bludgeon me to death. Or poison me. Or freeze me. Or possess me. Or some combination of those. It's not fun."

"Talk to Sylvanas, maybe she could help," Kira offered.

Naruto scrunched up his face in a frown, but nodded anyways. He had never cared about asking for help from Jiraiya, so why not ask for help from the crazy old hag?

It turned out that not only did his asking not make the situation better, but also it seemed to amuse Sylvanas to no end.

"_They're just not used to having a human master. Give it time," _she had said, smirking at the young shinobi.

She had also taken the time to explain a little bit more about it. It was helpful, but not in the immediate sense.

"_The true power of the Undead summon is not raw power, but rather in the sheer numbers you can summon with little cost to your chakra reserves. Alone, a single undead is night useless in direct combat. However, if you summon a horde, than they can easily become your most powerful asset. That is all I will say."_

She had then questioned him a little about the Kyuubi. Naruto was slightly uncomfortable at the mention of the demon, because he had not spoken or heard from it since his fight with Varimathras. He told the Banshee Queen all he knew about it, which turned out to not be very much, before she dismissed him.

So Naruto had returned from the Royal Quarter, grumbling about annoying old hags who didn't tell him what he wanted, to find Kira, Kylia, Fen and Myrdraxxis waiting for him.

"We're going to lunch," said Fen, with a Forsaken grin. "Me and Myrdraxxis' favorite spot."

Fen had led them through the twisting tunnels, sometimes packed with Forsaken, other times completely deserted. He led them into the very heart of the city, where the massive column was, surrounded by many shops, twisting high up towards the surface. He led them up to the second level, where there appeared to be nothing but restaurants and bars. They walked along the road, near the ledge, dodging and weaving through throngs of Forsaken. The bars were all packed ("Not that it'll do much good," remarked Fen. "They'd have to be richer than a king to buy enough drinks to get one Forsaken inebriated.") And Kira remarked that they were indeed the best acting bar dwellers she had ever seen.

They finally reached a small dingy restaurant that Fen announced as the _Rotting Mushroom, Home of the best tallarines in all of Lordaeron_.

As they sat down, Naruto looked at Fen. "What's tallarines?"

Fen grinned at him. "My favorite food. Noodles, meat and spices."

At the word "noodles", Naruto perked up. That sounded an awful lot like…

"Ramen!" Naruto cheered happily as the server dropped several bowls of steaming hot noodles, which smelt heavenly, in front of him and his friends.

Fen immediately lifted his fork and began to shovel the noodles into his mouth, remarking, "What's ramen?"

Naruto was too busy eating to acknowledge the Forsaken's question. "This is great!" he said, lifting out a large chunk of what looked like beef. "What's the meat?"

"Human," said Myrdraxxis, popping a large chunk into his own mouth.

Naruto, Kira, and Kylia froze at the words. Kira had some of the meat along with the noodles dangling from her fork, which was mere inches from her mouth. Still shocked, she let the noodles slide back into the broth, her eyes as large as dinner plates. Kylia dropped hers in surprise, and Naruto spat his out, choking.

Then they noticed that Fen was laughing. So hard, in fact, that broth was dribbling from the hole where his nose used to be.

"Hahahahaha! You guys are so gullible! It's just a bit of beef with some artificial flavorings conjured up by the Royal Apothecary Society. Good one, Myr!"

The three humans relaxed, throwing annoyed glares at the normally silent rogue. Myrdraxxis, however, had no trace of emotion on his face.

"You think I'm kidding, Fen? I've had a craving for the past few days." He picked up a piece and bit into it quite theatrically. "Tender. It must be a little girl, yes?"

The Forsaken that had served them nodded as he passed buy, tipping his hat and shooting a wicked grin at the three humans, who had all gone white as ghosts. Fen, too, had dropped his fork, looking in abject astonishment at the bowl, and then at Myrdraxxis.

The server carried back one empty bowl, and four filled, with a little more than he had served.

It was only later that they discovered that Myrdraxxis had been kidding. Nobody, of course, laughed.

The third day was far better in comparison to the other two. During that day, Naruto did not get lost, or tricked into eating things that he did not believe he should eat. He spent the majority of the day training in the War Quarter in everything he could, especially his new summoning contract. He became quite the attraction, as whenever he summoned something, no matter how large or small, it would always try and attack him before he could say anything to it. He didn't dare try to summon anything bigger than a rat. He did not dwell on his use of the demon's chakra, and avoided using whatever techniques that would require him to dip into the demon's attacks. He worked a little on his _Kaenhira_ and _Shunsuigai_ techniques, too, the ones that needed the most perfecting. He had still not been able to use the _Shunsuigai_ properly, and it was a little annoying to have the knowledge of something so powerful, yet be unable to use it.

He also spent a large amount of the time arguing with Tsuwabuki about what they should call the final attack they used on Mograine. Naruto had already named it halfway, _Kasouken_, but Tsuwabuki felt it should include her attack as well, as it wouldn't have been possible without her.

Naruto was in favor of the _Naruto and Tsuwabuki Takedown with Kasouken_, as it sounded exactly like it was. Tsuwabuki thought that sounded stupid, as no one in their right mind would name a technique after themselves. Naruto argued that he did, and Tsuwabuki simply responded that that proved it. She wanted to call it _Fox Claw Slash and Burn_.

Naruto eventually conceded that she was right, and that that did sound way cooler.

The entire War Quarter, who had born witness to this one-sided argument, had face-faulted at the admission.

Naruto had also passed Varimathras as he left the War Quarter. He hadn't seen the Dreadlord since he had been given the summoning contract. Varimathras didn't say a word as he passed, simply giving him a distrustful, spiteful glare. He had obviously not gotten over losing.

Meanwhile, Kira spent the day browsing the Apothecarium with Kylia. She was amazed by all the different potions and remedies that the Royal Apothecary Society had developed. Some of them did things that no jutsu she had ever been taught could do, and even did things that she didn't think were possible. There were cures for all sorts of afflictions that healers and priests in Stormwind had not yet discovered. It was amazing. The shopkeepers and brewers seemed rather wary of the girl, who asked them all sorts of questions on the compositions of certain potions or the brewing techniques for a certain type of antidote. She didn't buy anything though, so when she finally left for dinner at the end of the day, they all sighed in relief.

Kira resolved that she would return in due time, and buy as much as she could. It so happened that she no longer had any money to spare.

Due to the fact that she herself had spent so much time, and Kylia had stood with her, out of duty rather than interest, she led them through the Rogue's Quarter so that Kylia could look at some poisons and throwing knives. The sheer number of poisons they possessed astonished Kylia, and she was almost as eager as Kira to see what they were composed of and how they affected people. Kira had had to drag her away so that they didn't spend all night there.

That night they ate at the _Rotting Mushroom_, and listened to many of Fen's stories from when he was an ambassador. The Forsaken was quite upbeat, despite having spent his entire day in the gloomy, dark laboratories with the greasy alchemist Faranell.

He was just so happy that he had his job back.

The fourth day dawned (unbeknownst to most of the Undercity, them being underground and all), and a courier brought a message to the inn that the three humans were staying at, saying that Sylvanas wished to see them. After packing up, they headed down into the deeper parts of the city, using a route that they now knew by heart. When they entered the Royal Quarter, after bidding good morning to the guards, they discovered that Myrdraxxis and Fen were there as well. Faranell, the Master Apothecary, stood in the back, trying to look unnoticeable. His presence, however, was almost completely disregarded by the entering humans and fox.

Sylvanas sat in her throne, staring down at them pensively.

"_Matthias is outside, waiting for you,"_ she said, calmly. Noting their surprised reactions, she said, "_I told you that you would simply wait until he returned, did I not? And I am told that you still have one more race to convince."_

"Yes," Kira said, softly. "The Night Elves."

Sylvanas gave them a cold smile. "_And they might prove to be the most difficult, or the easiest. There problems are far older and more deeper ingrained than mine. It will take far more of those gilded words you used on me, boy, to convince them. The older you are, it is said, the more stubborn you become. They do not enjoy change, and you are the very essence of it, brat. Be warned."_

Naruto flashed her a grin. "Thanks, but I'm definitely gonna do it anyways."

She smirked at him. "_Use my gift well, boy."_

Fen and Myrdraxxis then approached. Fen clutched a small box, while Myrdraxxis a wrapped cloth. Fen stepped up to Kira and handed her the box, grinning.

"I heard you were admiring the things in the Apothecarium for quite a while yesterday. Take some of these, they'll definitely help you out."

Kira undid the clasp of the box, and opened it to find a series of small vials, filled with different color liquids and powders. She gasped, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Thank you!" she gushed, having seen just about everything she had intended to buy.

Fen flashed her a Forsaken grin. "Anything for a friend, you know?"

Myrdraxxis handed the wrapped cloth to Kylia. "You follow my path more closely than the others. Take this, it will help."

Kylia took the cloth, blinking, and slowly unwrapped it. She gasped as she revealed the contents, a glittering silver dagger with a heavily ornate hilt. He looked up to say her thanks, but Myrdraxxis had already turned and walked away.

He then stopped, and said over his shoulder, "The hilt contains a poison and an antidote. Use them well."

Kylia smiled widely and said her thanks anyways, even as he continued walking away.

"_Perhaps you could escort them out, Fenritt, Myrdraxxis?"_ said Sylvanas, staring at the two Forsaken with her ivory eyes.

Fen and Myrdraxxis nodded, and without another word, left the Quarter, beckoning the four to follow them. They did, slowly, or at least three of them did.

Naruto stared straight back at Sylvanas for a while, not speaking, his eyes staring intensely into hers. It was as if he was trying to see her once again, to see if she truly meant what she had said. Earlier he had been forced to look through years of built up walls to see who she truly was. He had been forced to pierce the clouds that obscured her emotions, which made her the Banshee Queen, and not Sylvanas Windrunner.

Now, he saw that he did not need to see through anything. He saw Sylvanas Windrunner, sitting upon a throne, staring down at him with her true eyes.

He grinned, and then departed without a word.

Sylvanas sat in silence a moment, staring after the blonde boy, her expression as unreadable as ever. The silence was broken by Faranell.

"My lady…? Does this mean…I should stop work on the plague?"

Sylvanas continued to stare, but a smile had spread across her beautiful face.

"_No. Continue work on it. After all, we shall need something to hold over the heads, when the time comes, won't we?"_

_

* * *

_

_As you suspected, this was only the beginning of the tale. Well, mostly. The beginning of my tale, at least. Now, dear readers, I shall leave you, for now at least. The author isn't letting me do scenes that I'm not in. Sadly._

_It was fun, wasn't it?_

_But rest assured, the tale is far from over. You will see._

_

* * *

_

BOOM!

The doors to the Scarlet Cathedral burst open, an in walked a large group of men, all dressed in crimson armor, and bearing the tabard of the Crusade. Their faces were sullied with discolored blood, as were their unsheathed weapons. None of them, however, appeared wounded, simply out of breath.

They took note of the state of the Cathedral. Some cursed, staring in distaste at the signs of battle, disgusted at the sacrilege. Others simply noted in interest the spiral marks carved into the wall, and the huge patch of charred stone in the middle of the main aisle. Some went over and lit the candles to light the area, annoyed at the darkness. And still others remained ready and wary; for fear that more of the beasts they had encountered outside would appear.

Behind them, two figures walked in, and the entire group bowed to them. The first was a man, who stood at least a head taller than any of the others. He was dressed in plate armor of the deepest scarlet, and it was engraved with all sorts of runes and designs that made it appear of much better quality than the others. Sheathed across his back was a massive sword, which appeared almost as tall as he. A large helmet, also red, obscured his face with wing-like protrusions coming from the side.

The second was a woman.

Beautiful would not even begin to describe her. With hair so gold that the substance itself must have been named for it, and a figure so perfect that no sculptor could have duplicated, the woman was clearly the leader of the group. She wore a tight leather outfit, blood red, with a chain-mail skirt and a white and red tabard, bearing the Scarlet insignia.

The woman's eyes, so uniquely purple that no painter could do it justice, scanned the room. Her eyes fell on something near the back.

She strode across the room, causing the group to part, and stopped a little ways in front of the fallen form of High Inquisitor Whitemane. The former leader of the Scarlet Monastery lay crumpled on the ground, black marks from Kira's Shadow word winding around her still form. Her hair was splayed out on the ground like a soft, silk sheet, and seemed to shine like the moon. The woman in red stared down at all of this, her eyes taking in the scene.

She saw a sudden twitch, and then another movement.

Whitemane was alive.

The High Inquisitor opened her emerald eyes, her body twitching and moving spasmodically. She looked straight up at the woman, and seemed to freeze.

"Y-y-y-you…"

The woman said nothing in response; she simply lowered herself to the ground, reaching out a hand to caress Whitemane's face. Whitemane reached out and grasped the woman's hand, shaking madly, and tried to push it away.

"Y-y-y-y-you…t-t-t-t-took…"

The woman retracted her hand, letting Whitemane's fall limp. The High Inquisitor was struggling to get up, her green eyes clouded with weakness and near-death. The woman stared at her with a face of unimaginable beauty, frozen in a look of absolute serenity.

"Y-y-y-you…t-t-t-took…e-ever-everything…f-f-from…m-me…"

Whitemane's body was shaking uncontrollably now, almost as if she were having a seizure. The woman once again reached out, and touched her face. Whitemane stopped shaking for a moment, and her body seemed to relax.

The woman peered into Whitemane's eyes.

"What…a waste," she said, softly.

Whitemane's body seemed to jerk suddenly, and she lunged out with a hand, grasping the woman's shoulder. She began to shake madly again, and tears began to flow from her eyes.

"Don't worry," said the goddess among women. "The Holy Light will find a new vessel. You no longer matter."

She reached out, and touched Whitemane's forehead. There was a sudden spark of chakra, and the woman's hand glowed black for a second.

Whitemane stopped shaking, and went completely limp. She was dead.

The woman stood, and looked over her shoulder. "Slave!"

The giant of a man hurried over, falling to one knee as he stopped in front of her. "Mistress?" he rumbled, his voice deepened by the helmet he wore.

"Take your men and scour the enter monastery. Find any of those creatures we found outside and destroy them. Then search the surrounding area. We cannot let any escape. When you have finished, burn this place to the ground."

The man nodded. "Your word is law, mistress."

The woman didn't respond. She snapped her fingers instead.

Behind her, a figure appeared, dressed completely in red. "_Milady, what dost thou need?"_

"Return to Stratholme. The Grand Crusader needs to know of this."

"_Thither shall I go, Your Holiness. May the Light be with thee,"_ The Scarlet Ghost whispered, before vanishing as swiftly as he had arrived.

Without another word, Lady Demetria, the Scarlet Oracle, turned and left the Cathedral, without a look back at the fallen form of High Inquisitor Whitemane, whose tears were still wet, their meaning still a mystery to all.

* * *

I'm back! And the chapter is done! Yay!

It's a bit later than I would have wanted it out, but I needed some time to get back into the swing of things. I had no time to write in Ethiopia, even if it was long hand.

It was a blast.

If you ever get a chance to help out somewhere in that country, do it. It is the most beautiful, and friendliest country I have ever been to. It was a life-changing experience, to say the least. I plan on going back next year. I loved the kids at the orphanage too, and miss them already. I didn't get sick once, either, so I was able to completely enjoy it! I even watched the World Cup with ten thousand other Ethiopians. God, I loved it!

But that's enough gushing about my vacation. I hope to get back to writing much faster, and have the chapter out some time this week. It's the beginning of the Elf Arc.

I hope you guys enjoyed the Forsaken Arc, by the way. I certainly did.

As for this chapter, the little story that Kakashi and Sakura made up was something that I just thought up out of the blue. Does it sound like a folktale of a sorts? I just wanted to include it.

Well, that's it. Seeya all and it's good to be back and able to drink from the tap!

PS- Notice that I spelled Guy-sensei like an American. I heard somewhere that that was how it is really spelled, according to the data book or something. If it's wrong, please feel free to correct me by giving me a credible source.

General Grievous


	48. Teldrassil

**Disclaimer: IT'S TOO FUCKING HOT! I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR WOW! MOSTLY!  
**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_

* * *

_

Naruto shivered.

It wasn't a result of fear, or unease. It was due to the fact that they were flying above the height that made snow fall on mountaintops, and above a raging tempest, too. They hovered above a sea of dark grey clouds, and could see and hear the flashes of lightning and crashes of thunder. It was the first time Naruto had looked down on a thunderstorm, and he was enjoying every moment of it.

So much so that he hadn't stopped staring over the railing since the storm had started, and despite the pain in his neck from bending it so much, as well as the churning winds and biting cold, he continued to stare, eyes wide like those of a little kid who just found out that instead of eating eggs for breakfast, he'd be eating candy and cake, and was going to be served by a clown wielding a large sword, which would be bequeathed to him as soon as he had watched enough cartoons to make his eyes burst.

Several times Kira had gone out and yelled at Naruto to come in, but he just grinned at her and said that he didn't want to miss anything. Not knowing what he could miss staring at a thunderstorm, she had simply sighed and stomped back inside, to the warmth and hot cocoa and the loud, blatantly made up stories of Matthias Hindenborough.

She never did understand Naruto's fascination with flying.

Naruto didn't quite understand it himself, but he never dwelled on it much anyways. Back home in Konoha, he'd only been on a flying machine once, and that was when he had been trying to save a pompous, rude snow-princess from the clutches of some mad uncle of hers. Suffice to say, he hadn't been able to enjoy it much.

His real first experience had been with Orsson's gryphons, and then later with the zeppelins and wind riders. Flying was just so much different from anything he had ever done, and it just seemed like a dream to be able to finally do it. He dearly hoped that his new summoning contract had a few flying animals in it. Sylvanas had said something about bats, and a dragon of some sort, but he hadn't been able to experiment much with the creatures. He had yet to gain their trust.

But his earliest interest in flying in the clouds had stemmed from his childhood. Back then, when he'd had nobody to talk to, and hadn't been old enough for the ninja academy, he'd just daydream. His daydreams had been exactly like those of a normal kid his age.

What would it be like to do this? Or that? Or be this? Or be that? Naruto's mind had always been buzzing and full of questions and thoughts. He'd since grown out of it (and into daydreaming about becoming Hokage and being with Sakura-chan) but flying had been the one that had always stuck with him. Many of his most memorable dreams had involved flying, him being Hokage, and him being married to Sakura-chan, all at once.

And now he could do one of those things, and he wasn't going to let any of it go to waste.

Inside the cabin, Matthias' own private quarters, Kira, Kylia and Tsuwabuki sat in soft velvet chairs, yawning occasionally as Matthias recounted a particularly memorable (but clearly fake) story about him fighting off a group of air pirates and rescuing a troll princess from their clutches, earning him much prestige among them. It was rather entertaining to listen to the man' vastly exaggerated stories, but Kira would occasionally glance out towards where Naruto was standing at the rail, staring down at the thunderstorm.

"He still out there, then?" Matthias said, stopping his story to peer out the same window Kira was looking out of.

The errant princess of Stormwind nodded. "I don't really understand it. Why is he out there in the cold watching something he's seen before?"

Matthias chuckled. "I was a bit like him, ye know. I've always loved flying; I can tell that kid does too. Those who don't love flying like we do can't understand how we think, ye know?" He sipped a bit of his cocoa. "'Sides, this is one of those chances you get to see something as intense as a tempest without being affected by it much. When we pass over a cyclone, ye'll see what I mean."

Kira nodded, slumping back into her wonderfully soft chair.

Days had passed since they had left the Undercity, making their way steadily towards the massive tree-island of the elves: Teldrassil. After the destruction of Archimonde the Defiler, Kira remembered, at the base of Nordrassil, the World Tree that had granted the elves their immortality, the elves had left that land, known as Hyjal, and attempted to grow a new tree on a secluded island. That island, and the tree, had been named Teldrassil. Since then, nobody had heard from them, and they now rarely left the isle. Kira intended to find out why.

Matthias said that there were several reasons why they had chosen the island. According to him the storm that raged below him was not at all uncommon around the island. Storms brewed constantly, and it acted as a natural deterrent to all those who wished the night elves harm. You'd have to be a fool, or Matthias Hindenborough, to try and brave the stretch of see when a tempest was in full swing around the island.

He had been to the island a few times in the past. But in the brief landings, he had seen little of the reclusive night elves, only bits and pieces, and whispered words, or animal summons to meet them when they got off to make the deliveries. The night elves no longer met anyone who was not one of their own in person.

"It's a pain sometimes, since you can't haggle with summons, usually," Matthias had muttered when he had explained this to the very group who sought to meet the elves in person.

But Matthias had assured them that despite being so mysterious, the elves would not turn her away. Their leader, Tyrande Whisperwind, was a benign and caring woman, who listened to all those who sought an audience with her. Matthias had met her once himself, saying nothing of the dealings, only that she was probably the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on.

He'd gone to great lengths to describe this beauty, in several forms, too. First in prose, with very detailed and most likely made up measurements; then he had sung a song, so off-key that Naruto was sure that the windows had cracked. Then he had done a poem, with no rhyming meter, and finally a sonnet (which wasn't really a sonnet), and he would have gone for a haiku, but Naruto and Kira quickly put a stop to it.

Suffice to say they knew one thing: that Tyrande Whisperwind was beautiful, in both mind and body.

Kira remembered much about the elf's past, all from Benedictus' books and scrolls and stories. For once, she knew that Matthias wasn't exaggerating or stretching the truth, and therefore she was sure that if she could speak to Tyrande directly, the alliance would be a shoe in. It would only make sense for her to join.

But she did wonder what had made them leave in the first place.

She had told Naruto, and was almost completely sure that it had something to do with the disappearance of Malfurion Stormrage, Tyrande's mate, and Arch-Druid of the night elves. But the details of that disappearance were nothing but rumors among the humans, and therefore she had absolutely no clue what was true and what was not. Some had said he had been taken by the naga, others that he had become lost within the eternal and near endless realm called the Emerald Dream, where only the druids could walk. There were those that said he had simply abandoned his people for unclear reasons, or that he had been killed by an agent of the now shattered Burning Legion.

Whatever the case, she was sure that the elves' sudden departure from the Alliance had to do with that. But what wasn't clear to her was why they weren't contacting, or keeping in touch with the outside world. They had found friends and allies through the Alliance; so what was preventing them from continuing that relationship? They had even stopped trading with the other races.

She had constantly posed this question to Benedictus during her training, but the old man's answer had always been the same.

'_I don't know. I have my theories, but it would do nothing but pollute your mind if I were to say them. We shall wait for the truth.'_

Now she was going to meet that truth, head on. And she hoped that whatever it was, she could help.

She was sure that Naruto felt the same way.

* * *

"The storm's passed, then, so we should get a good look at the island in a moment." 

Matthias stood next to Naruto, but his words were directed at Kira, who was standing a little ways behind both of them, shivering a little. She hadn't brought much in the way of warm clothing, and was beginning to curse her own lack of foresight.

It had been a few hours since the storm had passed, and it was nearing sunset. The crew was up on the deck once more, preparing everything to land the zeppelin. Some of them, as they passed, shot grins at Naruto, who was still riveted to the railing, staring downwards at the still cloudy skies. They were reminded of their captain, sometimes, watching the blonde.

The ocean, as dark as the night sky, was visible beneath them though patches in the clouds, but so far, nobody had spotted Teldrassil. Matthias said that that would change quite a bit, soon. He seemed to have a look of anticipation on his face, and seemed to burst with a hidden excitement that only Naruto could match. The blonde was grinning as he stared out across the sea of clouds, as if watching for something.

"What are you looking for?" Kira asked, walking over, Kylia by her side.

Matthias grinned. "Ye'll see. I told the brat earlier, but I want you to be even more surprised. It'll be quite a sight, I promise yeh."

Kira frowned, but nodded.

He was once again, quite right.

It began in the distance, a huge, dark patch in the seemingly endless clouds. It was even more noticeable with the rays of the sun bathing the soft white of the clouds in fiery orange. As they neared it, she saw that it was a massive hole, expanding for leagues in every direction. They soon reached the edge, and they were able to gaze through it.

And there it was.

Teldrassil.

Bathed in the ardent light of the setting sun, the island of Teldrassil looked a paradise. The trees, their colors ranging from the deepest of greens to the richest of blues and darkest of purples, covered every inch. It was a rolling sea of color and life, frozen in time. It started at the very edge of the cloud clearing, and went all the way around, and across, until there was no more land left, and there the clouds returned. The clouds had parted just for Teldrassil, and no matter what storms raged around it, the island would remain untouched, all its delicate beauty preserved forever. The light of the sun, which set the clouds on fire and illuminated even the darkest of seas, seemed to be swallowed by the dark, leafy covering of the island. There were no orange highlights upon the trees, no bath from the bright light of the vanishing sun. The trees were pure and dark. And they would always remain so.

"Take a good, long look," said Matthias, pointing to the sun behind them. "'Cause it's the last time you're gonna see it for some time."

Naruto and Kira peered at him, blinking. "Whaddya mean?" asked Naruto.

"The sun doesn't touch the land of the night elves. Never has, never will. It's always night to them, no matter how high the sun rises, or how brightly it shines. They will always be shrouded in darkness."

The last few words struck Naruto as a little strange. He dismissed it, however, never one to really take such things into account.

The zeppelin began to descend, through the parting in the clouds and down towards the dark sea of trees. The crew worked furiously, releasing ballast, cutting the engine power slightly, and fiddling with all sorts of knobs and doodads in the rooms below them. The zeppelin made an easy and swift descent towards the very edge of the forest. Matthias explained that only on the beaches could they land, for there were too many trees everywhere else.

The zeppelin rocked back and forth as it fell, the winds kicking up as they glided down, making Kylia turn a little green and rush for the side. Matthias let out a cheerful whoop, echoed by Naruto a few seconds later. Kira had to smile as well. Now that they were not nearly so high, and it wasn't nearly so cold, she began to enjoy herself. She took a place beside Naruto near the railing, and watched as the ground came to meet them.

The zeppelin landed softly on the wet sand of the beach, making an equally soft sound as it touched and skidded lightly upon the ground before coming to a complete stop. Kira was amazed. The zeppelin that she had ridden on her initial trip to Orgrimmar had nearly crashed, and Matthias' had hardly made a sound.

'_Imagine that, a zeppelin team with all humans can land one better than a team of goblins,'_ she mused. Two ramps were let down on either side of the zeppelin, allowing the crew to get off to stretch and rest. Naruto, Kira and Kylia grabbed their things and then joined the rest of the crew on the solid ground. Kylia sighed in relief, feeling the slightly damp, yet perfectly solid ground beneath them. Naruto looked the exact opposite, staring mournfully back at the zeppelin.

Matthias waved them over. He was standing near the edge of the forest, gazing in. They could see little, for it was very dark within.

"Now, a coupla words o' advice, yeah?" said Matthias. He pointed into the forest.

"First thing you gotta remember is that the night elves are the rulers o' that place. Don't do anything you wouldn't do in a palace, cause they take all threats to their home very seriously. Second thing is that you might get lost. I don't think it'll be too long, though, before the night elves' summons and partners find you. Just tell them what you wanna say, and they'll probably bring you in for further questioning.

"Last thing is don't make many sudden movements. You'll likely be followed from the moment ye step in, and if yeh appear to be doing something they won't like, you'll be dead afore you could even think of it."

Kira glanced uneasily into the forest. "But we're humans. Surely they won't…?"

Matthias shrugged. "Nearly lost a few o' my more moronic mates last time we were here. Like I said, don't do anything that's outta place in a castle or before a king. Got it?" He looked sharply at Naruto in saying this.

Naruto nodded, frowning. "Got it."

Matthias nodded, breaking into a grin. "Just say everythin' you gotta say, love. I don't doubt that these guys will be the best listeners so far. 'Course, that's all based on what I've heard, seeing as how I've never met them afore. But you get the idea, eh?"

Kira shook her head a little, sweat dropping. Could they really rely on someone like this?

Matthias clapped Naruto on the shoulder, grinning. "Seeya later boy. Give us a call when you need to get back, yeah? I'll bet yeh yeh'll be back in week, tops."

Naruto blinked, before he grinned. "Heh, done. I don't lose bets."

Kira sweat dropped. He had just bet against them staying for only a short time. What was he thinking?

"You will this one," said Matthias, shaking Naruto's hand, and grinning widely. Naruto grinned widely too, and after a moment, it became clear that they would enter the same contest they had started before they had gotten off in Lordaeron. Kira yanked Naruto away, and after saying a quick goodbye to Matthias and the rest of the crew, plunged into the forest.

Matthias watched them go, trying to ignore a sudden feeling that he had just lost the bet.

* * *

The forest, as Matthias had said, was indeed quite dark. But it was not a normal darkness, like one would find in a forest. It was as if the whole forest was trapped in twilight, where there was just enough light to see, but it could still be considered dark. But there appeared to be no light source; it was omnipresent. Looking into the canopy above him, Naruto spotted occasional glitters from what appeared to be insects of some sort, sailing to and fro from behind leaves and within tree trunks. These insects seemed to glow, like fireflies, only unceasingly; like miniature light bulbs. 

The little creatures soon captured Kira's attention as well. She, however, knew their true identity.

"Wisps…" she whispered.

Naruto turned to her, frowning. "What?"

Kylia, who was gazing in slight awe at the little lights, answered for her mistress. "They are spirits of nature, who have always been allies of the night elves. They are probably the source of light here, too."

Kira nodded. "They, it is said, were responsible for the destruction of the demon lord, Archimonde, during the last war."

Naruto blinked, and then looked up again, having a little more respect for the seemingly innocent looking little lights. They walked further on; the wisps present every step of the way.

The forest around them had very little in the way of bushes and brush at first. There were plenty of mushrooms, strange little trees with twisting trunks, and large patches of the strangest purple moss with pretty little flowers blooming atop them. As they went deeper, however, small bushes with deep red leaves or needles appeared, along with a handful of other strange looking flora. It was easily the oddest forest Naruto had been in.

The smells were very unique, too. Even Elwynn and Silverpine forests did not possess the sheer primordial smell that this place did. It smelt old, delicate, and as beautiful as it looked. The musty scent of mushrooms and the delicate smell of all sorts of flowers were the most prominent, but the older smells of the trees, the ground, and probably the animals too, caught his attention.

Naruto noticed that the same animals seemed to be following them.

He only caught glimpses of them out of the corner of his eye; a flicker of movement, and when he turned to look, nothing; or a pair of shining yellow eyes for a single instant, before they vanished in another. He wondered if they were the summon animals that had met Matthias every time he had come before.

There was no discernible path as they walked, only trusting Matthias' faith that once enough time had passed, and they hadn't done anything, then the creatures would confront them. Kira just tried to look as interested as possible, hoping that by displaying a healthy interest in the world around her, she'd be able to show her watchers that she could do no harm. Naruto, on the other hand, looked exactly the opposite, hoping that if he looked bored, then they'd think he wasn't interested in doing anything to the forest.

Kylia remained silent and stoic, glancing around, especially into the trees, hoping that whatever was watching them would make itself known soon. She didn't like surprises very much. Tsuwabuki shared her opinion, plodding alongside Naruto; her sharp ears ready to pick up anything suspicious coming their way.

They didn't know how long they walked, but their legs were aching when something finally did happen.

From the brush, a tall form emerged, blending in almost completely into the darkness of the forest. It appeared so suddenly that Naruto gave a startled yelp and stepped back, nearly tripping over Tsuwabuki. Kira stopped instantly, meeting the big amber eyes of a massive stag. It had huge, gnarled horns that resembled the branches of trees, and its body was almost a solid black, with flecks of silver and highlights of brown near the back.

The stag turned its head to the side, watching them calmly. It didn't speak, or do anything but stare at them.

"Oi," said Naruto, stepping forwards. "Are you the one who's supposed to meet us?"

The stag didn't respond, instead peering closely and intensely at the blonde, and sniffed him.

"Hoo hoo hoo. Indeed he is, unfortunately, he is not gifted with the power of speech."

Naruto snapped his head up, catching sight of a great winged shape, which descended from the darkness of the trees to land atop the stag's great antlers. It was an owl, huge and white, with small black spots dotting its back.

"You can talk!" Kira said, staring in astonishment at the owl. Naruto was less surprised. After seeing one of Kakashi's dogs and a horde of toads talk, it wasn't as surprising as one would think.

The owl puffed up his feathers, looking important. "Indeed. All owl summons are gifted with speech, human girl. I am the representative sent to meet those who are deemed worthy enough to exist in the forest. It seems you have come with good intentions, but might I ask; what is your business here?" His speech was quite formal sounding, and possessed a trace of an accent than none of them could identify.

Kira took a deep breath. "We wish to meet with Tyrande Whisperwind, leader of the night elves. We wish to discuss a possible alliance, which we believe may be able to end the war that is brewing throughout the world. Is there any way we might speak to her?"

The owl cocked its head to the side, looking at the girl almost upside down.

"I don't see why not. You seem to have nothing but good intentions, and I am a very good judge of character. Of course, they are probably better…."

The owl suddenly gave a loud hoot, and they were surrounded. Figures cloaked in shadow and wielding large, shuriken-like weapons, slid from the ancient darkness of the forest. They were tall and slim, and their eyes all glowed a deep, vibrant yellow. They were not eerie orbs, like the Forsaken, but had eyes sharp and piercing, like those of Sylvanas.

Naruto very nearly drew his sword in preparation for battle. Kira, however, quickly motioned him to stop, knowing that any motion they made would be seen long before they prepared a coherent defense, and acted accordingly upon. She was in no mood to have Naruto, or any of them, get hurt.

One of the figures then stepped forwards. Its body became visible all at once, revealing a tall, sinewy, elegant and incredibly beautiful elvish woman. Her hair was a deep purple, while her skin was lighter, more lavender. Her ears were even longer than Sylvanas' had been, and three lines had been painted below her eyes in vibrant red. She was dressed in a form-fitting scale chest plate, and tight leather pants, both a deep blue with silver lining. A variety of weapons were strapped around her waist, and she brandished the large, three-pointed shuriken weapon in front of her. Her glowing eyes were narrowed on the four travelers.

"Come to see lady Tyrande, have you?" she said, stonily.

Kira nodded, straightening up and trying to look as official as possible. "Yes."

The night elf cocked her head to the side, questioningly. "Your name?"

"Kira Wrynn," said Kira, hardening her eyes and saying it with as much power and influence as she could muster. "And my friends: Kylia, Tsuwabuki and—"

"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto said, stepping forwards. The elf swiveled her head to look down at him, but her face remained unchanged. She gazed into Naruto's steely glare for a moment, and then nodded.

"Right then. You pass. Follow me!" Her expression then changed so swiftly and suddenly that it took Naruto a moment to realize she was grinning, and her entire posture had relaxed. She no longer looked imposing, but rather friendly and inviting, and even a little vivacious. She seemed totally at ease with their presence.

Kira looked at the elf, dumbfounded for a second. "Pass? Pass what?"

The elf peered at her. "The test, obviously." She then rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The gesture morphed the tall, heavily armed elf into a petulant looking teenager, and Naruto couldn't help but snort a little, despite not knowing what was going on.

"Of course…the test…" Kira said, blinking. Then, "What test?"

The elf sighed. "The test to prove that you aren't going to harm anything. It's a test we give to all humans and gnomes. Don't worry yourself with the details, the context of the test are secret to everyone but those administering it. You passed, so don't worry about it."

Kira paused. "And if we didn't pass?"

"You'd be dead."

Naruto was stuck on something else she had said. "You said you just give it to humans and gnomes. What about dwarves?"

The elf frowned at him. "You mean you're a dwarf? My mistake," she said, grinning. "We give it to everyone, but since I thought there were only a pair of humans and a gnome here…"

Naruto, realizing that he was being insulted, growled in fury. "Oi! Take that back you purple giraffe!"

The female elf glared furiously at him. "What did you say? You little…!"

"Neera."

The female elf caught herself, looking a little chastened. One of the other elves, also a woman, stepped forwards, the shadows melting away from her. She was even taller than her companion, with greenish hair and darker skin. She looked older, as well.

"Sorry, commander," Neera said, blushing a little. "You know how my temper gets."

The commander elf nodded, simply shooting her a disappointed glare before schooling her features and turning to look at Naruto and the others.

"Forgive Neera, she is young," she said. "You came to speak with Lady Tyrande, our Priestess of the Moon, yes?"

Kira nodded. "Is it possible?"

The commander stared at her a moment, as if judging her. "Yes," she finally said. "Follow Neera to our capital, Darnassus. Lady Tyrande might be available, and if not, then you are welcome to stay until she is ready." She stepped back, then, and vanished into the shadows, along with the rest of the elves. The stag cantered off, and the owl flew back into the trees. They were alone with the elf girl.

Naruto blinked, and looked around him, amazed at their ability. It reminded him slightly of the _Kagesui_, and a little of how ninjas in his own village could vanish.

Neera sighed, and then smiled at the group again. "Well, as she said, follow me, okay? It's a fair distance to the city, since you guys went in completely the wrong direction…."

"And whose fault is that?" Naruto said, raising an eyebrow at the elf, who huffed.

"It's not our fault that you guys have no sense of direction, now, is it?" said Neera, sticking her tongue out at the blonde, and smirking petulantly. Naruto twitched; opening his mouth to deliver what he believed was a witty and appropriate retort (which, in all likelihood, was neither). Kira however, had had enough of their bickering already, and sent a withering glare in the blonde's direction, causing him to stop. His "pissed-off-girl-sense" was tingling non-stop, and, with Sakura's, Ino's, and especially Tsunade's reactions in mind, he quickly shut up and began walking.

Neera was right; it turned out to be quite a distance through the dark forest to Darnassus. However, no matter how long they walked, in never got brighter, nor darker, making it impossible to judge really how long they had been walking.

Neera was a bright and cheerful presence along the way, seeming almost as chatty as Naruto. However, she seemed to have the personality of a small child, and whined almost as much as she chattered. She was easily amused and interested by the most mundane of things (for her, at least; there was nothing mundane for the humans in Teldrassil). This led to Naruto asking the question that was on all of their minds.

"How old are you?"

Neera, who was walking a little in front of the rest of them, turned back to look at the blonde, frowning.

"Twenty-two. Why?"

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "'Cause you act like you're seven."

Neera glared at him. "How rude! I do not!"

'_Yes you do…'_ Kira and Kylia echoed, sweat dropping.

"I'm young, so I'm allowed to act young. Besides," she thrust out her prominent chest, smirking. "Do I look seven?"

Naruto blushed a little, clamping his mouth shut so that he didn't say anything that he'd regret. They walked on in silence for a little while longer.

Neera finally said, "You're the first humans I've ever met…so sorry if I'm a little hyper. You're the first non-elves I've seen since I was really little."

Kira blinked. "Oh…that's right, you really are young, in terms of elf years, aren't you?"

Neera nodded. "I was only one or so when the war ended, so I can't really recall much from then. I'm part of the newer generation of elves…the one that has to learn as fast as possible, because we no longer have an eternity to live and train. I'm still a rookie Sentinel, but I'm getting better."

"What's a Sentinel?" Naruto asked, falling into step beside the elf girl and looking up at her, frowning.

Neera blinked at the boy, almost in disbelief, before she realized whom she was talking too. "A Sentinel is a specially trained female warrior elf. We follow both the path of the warrior, and the healer. The term always used to apply to the warriors with the best training and most experience among our kind. But that was when we had all the time in the world to train. Now Sentinels are selected at a very young age, and trained until they are ready to fight. I'm one of the few who has made in it, so far. Lady Tyrande and Lieutenant Shandris believe that I have talent, and wanted me to gain as much practical experience as possible." Then, she snorted, almost disgustedly. "But there isn't really much at all in the way of practical experience nowadays."

"Why's that?" asked Kira.

"Aside from the furbolgs, there aren't many threats to our society. I suppose that's lucky, but if a lot of time passes and nothing happens, then we'll be out of sufficiently trained and experienced Sentinels. I think that's what the older generations fear the most," said Neera, sighing.

"But you're saying that a human hasn't set foot here since you came?" Kira asked.

Neera shook her head. "That's not true. There have been a lot, I'm sure. But I never saw or met any of them, because I was in training all that time. Sentinel training becomes a way of life for those who choose that path, or so my commander keeps telling me. She's right, though, because the entire time in training, I never once saw my family." She smiled, a little sadly. "I never saw any of the dwarves or gnomes that came, either. So sorry for the crack earlier," she said, looking at Naruto apologetically. "I knew you were human, 'cause you all looked the same. I just wanted to make a good impression, I suppose."

Naruto grinned immediately at her. "Hehe, apology accepted."

Neera smiled back at the blonde, looking immensely relieved. She then turned to Kira.

"You said that the reason you were here was that you wanted to form an alliance again. But why are you here, and not the king or something?" she asked. "I mean, unless I'm mistaken, you guys are pretty young…."

"No," Kira assured her with a smile. "You're right. It is a little weird…but we are the only ones that can do it, and that is why we are here."

They continued to walk. Through an endless number of trees, trapped in almost permanent twilight. Wisps followed them, every way they went, hovering a few feet above their heads, at points dipping down and fluttering in front of their faces. Naruto smiled brightly up at them, grinning like a child at the strange little creatures.

Neera grinned at his reaction, and told them a little about the other wildlife that could be found in the miles and miles of forest on the island. She told them of panthers as black as night, that could devour a man whole. She told them of the caverns where massive spiders and wicked kobolds could be found. She told them of the flocks of birds, which hid high in the trees, only coming down to gather food. She told them of the lakes where the moss elementals crept along the shores, protecting the lakes from those impure and unworthy; where all manner of fish floated in the clear waters, their scales glittering with a veritable rainbow of colors; and thousands of different kinds of insects, from the size of a grain of sand to a mighty boulder, could be found.

Hearing Neera describe the land around them reminded the group of the forests that they were used to. Naruto remembered the forests of Konoha, and all the time he had spent in them. Of his training amidst the trees, kicking logs, throwing shuriken at trees, and leaping from tree to tree like a monkey might. He remembered the tree-climbing exercise that Kakashi had taught them in the Wave country, too. It brought a smile to his face, but a pang of longing in his heart.

Kira and Kylia had never really been in the forest around Stormwind, but had always gazed at it from afar, Kira wishing that she could see the wonders that it undoubtedly contained up close for herself, while Kylia was relieved that she and her mistress were safe inside her castle. King Anduin, and Benedictus, had always denied Kira entry, because of the gnolls, bears and other horrible creatures that lurked within. She smiled almost contentedly, for she was now trudging through a forest as she had always longed to. At the same time, Kylia stuck closely to her mistress, her eyes watchful for any sort of danger that might leap out at them, as she was told could happen in forests.

Tsuwabuki, like Naruto, was reminded of her own forests, back in Kalimdor. She had roamed all over, from the forests of Ashenvale, which resembled this greatly, to the peaceful ones in Mulgore. She even remembered the forests of Feralas, far to the south, where the mighty hippogryphs and gryphons roamed.

Oddly enough, even in this forest of endless night, every one of them felt content.

Finally, they arrived.

The distant sounds of activity, of mass movement that was present in all bustling cities, reached the group long before they saw the city. The smells too, even with Kira and Kylia's inferior senses, caught their attention; the smell of a cooking fire, and of many different sumptuous, but unidentifiable, foods roasting atop them; the smells of cloth and leather dyes, pungent, yet still enjoyable; the smell of sweat and grease, of fire and boiling metal, from forges and blacksmiths. It all came together, speaking to them of civilization.

Neera sped up a little. "Come on! Lady Tyrande may still be able to see you if you hurry!"

They hurried forwards, through the trees and towards the sounds and smells. Eventually they emerged from the forest into a massive clearing, where the entrance to the city of Darnassus loomed above them.

It appeared as a great stone arch, white as bone, with webs of vines climbing up the sides, and large, beautiful flowers blooming upon these vines. Instead of a door blocking entrance into the city, there was a gigantic tree, with purplish leaves and a pair of immense roots digging into the ground in front of it. Many other trees of much smaller sizes peppered the area around the arch, as well as beds of light blue flowers and a large stone pool. A stone walkway led away from the arch and the tree, towards where the group had emerged from the forest. It split into two separate roads, leading in opposite directions into more forest.

A wall of trees blocked any view of the city. Birds of all colors and sizes perched in the canopies of these trees, singing beautiful songs to all who might be willing to listen. Other wildlife peppered the grove, too. Small deer, grazing on the blue flower patches and delightfully green grass; little squirrels and chipmunks racing up and down trees, gathering their nuts and cones; a few rabbits, busily chewing away on little ferns and other such grasses; finally, a great, black stag stood near the pool, taking a long drink from the sparklingly clear waters. Wisps floated in every inch of the grove, simply hovering softly or bouncing around joyfully.

Though there were no trees blocking the sky, it was invisible nonetheless. A haze of purple obscured almost everything, darkening the area to the point where it was only just lighter than the darkness of the forest.

Matthias had been right when he had said that no sunlight ever touched this place.

Neera grinned at their awe, pleased that she could be the one to show them such a sight before anyone else. She had lived in Darnassus almost all her life, and therefore while she was not numb to its beauty, she knew it so well by heart that even when she wasn't there she could see it. It gave her immense pleasure to see a group of people who had never laid eyes on such beauty see her home, and know that she had been the one to introduce it to them.

She led them right up to the gigantic tree, her eyes focused somewhere around its middle. She then gave a long, deep bow.

And the tree moved.

Startled, Naruto and the others backed away. The massive roots at its foot of its trunk turned out not to be roots at all, but a pair of thick, mighty legs. Two spindly, branch-like arms separated from the trunk, each movement emitting a crack like a bone snapping. High up on the trunk, beneath two patches of greenish moss, the bark unfurled and two luminous yellow eyes opened, glowing the same shade as Neera's. A large knot of bark became the nose beneath it, and amidst a path of leafy vines just below that, a mouth opened, showing nothing but a cavernous darkness within.

Wide-eyed, Naruto, Kira, Kylia and Tsuwabuki stared up at the massive tree-giant, which stared down at all of them with its glowing eyes, its mouth closed into a thin line. Then, it began to speak.

The words that flowed from it were unlike any they had ever heard. Despite being said in a booming and yet raspy voice, they flowed forth like a steady stream, clear and beautiful. The felt lighter than air, yet still descended to meet them, filling their ears with its melodious quality. It sounded almost as if the creature was singing them, yet there was no tune.

When it finished, Neera spoke in the same, elegant, beautiful language. It sounded far more proper coming from her, in Naruto's opinion, and the singing quality was much more pronounced. The words fluttered from her tongue and flew like wisps through the air, lifting Naruto's heart. Despite her childish personality, when she spoke the words, she sounded as ancient and all knowing as he had expected the elves to be.

When she finished, the tree giant gave a solemn nod, and took two thunderous steps aside, allowing them access. Neera immediately walked through, Naruto and the others quickly following. When they had passed through the archway, the creature returned to its place.

"That was so cool!" Naruto gushed, immediately after they had gotten past.

Neera blushed a little. "Thanks. Was that the first time you've heard Darnassian?"

They all nodded. "It sounded like you sung them," said Kira, remembering the careful lilts and pauses in her speech, and her constant change in pitch and volume.

Neera nodded. "It's like that. They songs are even better," she added, grinning. "You'll have to hear one or two while you're here."

"What was that thing, though?" asked Naruto, looking at the giant tree's back.

"An Ancient Protector. They are spirits of the forest that have helped protect us since, well, just about forever," Neera answered. "They're incredibly powerful." She then turned, and looked around. The building they were in was long, made up of on a long terrace which ran in both directions away from them. Directly in front of them there was a ramp that led onto a small, square area where many elves were conversing and several shops had been set up. There were many more of these ramps down the colonnade, though a particularly wide one was to their right, which led down onto flat ground and towards the shores of a large, beautiful lake. Neera nodded again. "It's that way," she said, pointing towards the large ramp. "Lady Tyrande is usually within the Temple of the Moon. Follow me."

They did so, noticing that there were few elves walking along the terrace. The ones that were there were as beautiful and elegant looking as Neera. The males were even taller than the females—with large, muscular, perfectly proportioned bodies that made Naruto slightly jealous. Especially the tall part.

They paid a great deal more attention to the group than the people of the Horde had. They seemed immensely surprised that there were humans once again among them, and gave them slight nods as they walked by, their faces either twisted in confusion or brimming with wide smiles. It seemed that despite all their reclusiveness, they had not forgotten the Alliance they had once had. It made Kira grin widely, and happily return any look or gesture that the elves made towards them.

When they reached the lake, Neera directed them towards a large bridge, which led all the way to the center of the lake, where there was an island.

She pointed across the bridge, toward the island. "Those are the Temple Gardens. The bank resides there, along with a few other tradesmen and a beautiful park where many elves like to spend time in. It's the only way to reach the Temple of the Moon."

"What's the Temple of the Moon?" Naruto asked, as they began their trek across the bridge.

Neera stopped, looking at him as if he was insane. "You don't know what the—"

Kira broke in quickly. "Naruto isn't from around here…it's a bit hard to explain, but we intend to explain it all when we meet Lady Tyrande."

Neera looked at the girl, before nodding. "Right. The Temple of the Moon was originally the place where the Priestesses of the Moon resided, and made offerings to our great goddess, Elune. Nowadays, it serves as our palace, and is where Lady Tyrande and the rest of the Council help run the city."

"Council?" Kira asked, blinking. "What kind of Council?" She had been under the impression that it had been Tyrande alone who led the night elves. She had never heard anything about a Council.

"The Council of Teldrassil," said Neera, looking a little uneasy. "It is essentially a group of our most prominent and powerful citizens, who help govern the city and the rest of the island. It was modeled after the human kingdom's Council, I'm told, so you might know something about its functions. Lady Tyrande is a part of it."

A tendril of worry crept into Kira's mind. If they had a council to contend with, that might complicate things. She was familiar enough with her own father's council to know that something like what she was proposing would not sit well with everyone. She hoped that Tyrande, if she did indeed agree and listen to them, would be able to sway their opinions.

Even so, as they reached the Temple Gardens, she felt more than a little nervous.

Everything was blown away, however, when she spotted the Temple of the Moon.

In front of them lay a large, white stone pathway, which led gradually upwards towards a massive building, which seemed as ethereal and bright as the moon itself. The temple was circular, with a huge dome stretching into the dark purple sky; on its front was a large stone entryway, decorated with elaborate columns and vast statues of beautiful, yet imposing, elvish women. Strange writing topped the entryway and all the way down the columns, which loomed bigger and bigger as they approached.

As they got closer, she spotted long green vines stretching up the sides of the temple walls, and wrapping around the columns and statues. Rather than making it look like it was unkempt and old, the vines added to the incredible beauty of the structure. It was as if the builder and arranged them there (which was in all likelihood, quite so). The three humans (the fox didn't bother) had to crane their necks to their limits in order to take in the whole structure themselves. It was amazing.

Many night elves peppered the entryway, coming in and out. They, unlike what one expected those working in the capital to be like, moved serenely and calmly about, speaking in soft tones to each other, or waiting calmly for something or another to happen. There was no rush, no hurried movements or frantic shouting. Kira was awed by the fact that they had such rein on their emotions. The humans, she decided, could certainly learn.

When they started to approach the entryway, two Sentinels blocked their path, with a startling swiftness that only Naruto and Neera were able to pick up on.

"Sentinel Neera, you have brought the humans?" one of them asked, stepping forwards.

Neera nodded, while the others stared in astonishment at the Sentinel who had spoken. How had they known they were here?

"Yes," said Neera. "Is Lady Tyrande available, or is she too busy?"

"Lady Tyrande has specifically made time to meet with them, upon hearing of their arrival. She is in the Moonwell, waiting for you. You may lead them in, Sentinel Neera. May Elune bless you." She was gone a moment later, her companion along with her.

Naruto was dazed at their speed and ability to disappear. He definitely needed to learn that.

"How did they know we were coming?" asked Kira.

"The owl you met before came back here long before we did. He alerted everyone to your presence. He's rather snotty, in my opinion, but does his job well, I suppose. Let's go, shall we? I don't want to keep Lady Tyrande waiting."

Kira nodded, following alongside the female elf. Naruto, Tsuwabuki and Kylia quickly followed.

* * *

Upon entering the Temple, they were met with a long hallway, with two rows of columns on either side. It was heavily populated with night elves, all of which were female, and dressed in the whitest of robes. They bowed to Neera and her charges as they walked by, and Neera gave bashful nods to each of them. 

"These are the Sisters of Elune who have dedicated their lives to serving our goddess, but have not the power or skill to become Priestesses of the Moon. They are mostly healers, specializing in recovery jutsu. Some of them are selected, when they have grown strong enough, to train to become Priestesses of Elune."

"Could you become a Priestess? I remember reading that the Priestesses of Elune lead the Sentinels in battle, is that true?" asked Kira, looking up at the tall elf.

Neera nodded. "I could. It works both ways, you see. A Sentinel trains in both the war and the healing arts, just as the novices here do. The difference is specialization. I specialize in battle, they in healing. If they can excel in both, they become Priestesses."

Kira nodded, falling silent. It was no wonder that the elves were said to be among the greatest of warriors in the world. She couldn't have imagined what it would have felt like to fight against them.

"There are few Priestesses, nowadays, however," said Neera softly. Kira looked at her questioningly, but Neera said nothing more as they walked down the hallway, towards a darkened room.

The room they entered was unlike anything they had seen before. It was massive, circular, and bore resemblance to an indoor grove or garden. The floor was a deep green grass, and every so often a tree had sprouted into the air, with canopies of deep purple and green. Some stretched all the way to the second floor, while others remained low in youth. Bushes and patches of flowers decorated the ground as well, growing near trees or the stone walkway that ran through the entire room. In the center was a large stone pool, which glowed an intense electric blue. A statue of a night elf stood in the center of the pool, raising a stone basin into the air, which overflowed with the same blue glowing water. It stood directly in the deep purple light that shined through a hole in the top of the dome.

Standing near this pool was a female night elf, dressed in a white robe. She had her backed turned to them, and was staring into the pool. Neera, upon sighting the elf, bowed deeply, urging the others to do the same. Kira and Kylia bowed in the same fashion as Neera, by getting to their knees and prostrating themselves upon the ground. Naruto, however, just gave a respectful bow as he had seen others of his kind do in the presence of the Hokage. He figured that this was at least someone who deserved it.

"My lady," said Neera, sitting up. "I have brought the humans."

Tyrande Whisperwind turned to meet them, revealing a perfect face on a similarly perfect body. Her hair was a deep, ocean blue, and her skin light lavender. Her eyes, which were as pure white as Sylvanas', were nonetheless filled with a wisdom and age that everyone could feel. Even if Neera had not introduced them, it had been obvious since they had seen her that she was Tyrande Whisperwind, the leader of the night elves.

Tyrande smiled serenely at them, walking towards the group. "Thank you Neera. I trust that your first meeting with a human was a good one?"

Neera blushed a little. "Mostly, yeah. They're all right."

Tyrande chuckled. "I'm glad." Her eyes then swept to Kira, Kylia, and finally to Naruto and Tsuwabuki in the back. She said nothing to them at first, only appraised them. Finally, she gave a satisfied nod, and bent down, offering a hand to Kira.

"If you are who you say you are, child, then stand and face me as an equal. Your friend is already doing so."

Kira jerked upright, and turned towards Naruto, who, as Tyrande had said, was standing fully upright, his arms crossed, looking as important as he could. Kira twitched at his disrespect, before reasoning that it was useless to try and control Naruto. She took Tyrande's hand and stood. With Tyrande standing several heads taller than her, Kira wondered how they could be considered equals.

Tyrande offered Kylia a hand as well, and the handmaiden blushed, stammering a quick thanks before taking it.

When everyone was standing, Tyrande beckoned. "Let us find a place to sit and talk. I am interested in what you have to say."

The group nodded as one, and followed the beautiful elf towards the pool. Neera stayed behind at first, but Tyrande gave her a sharp look, and she quickly followed. Tyrande brushed off a place on the stone side of the pool, and took a seat, while the others found places on the ground around her. Kira did not sit, knowing that she was going to recount her story soon enough.

"You must have come far," said Tyrande, when everyone was settled. "Was it Matthias who brought you here? He is the only one I can think of who might be good enough, or perhaps…unbalanced enough, to fly here during the stormy season."

Kira nodded. "Yes, he and Naruto are friends." She pointed to Naruto for emphasis.

"So that is his name? And the fox is Tsuwabuki? And the one behind you is Kylia? And yours is Kira, is it not? I remember hearing of your birth, long ago. How is your father?"

Kira lowered her head a little. "He is dead, my lady."

Tyrande's eyes widened sharply. "How can that…? How?"

Kira took a deep breath. "It is part of the story that I plan to tell you, my lady. It would make more sense if it was in context, first."

Tyrande nodded. "Yes, it would. Tell me everything from the beginning then. Spare no detail—time is not a factor."

Kira nodded, exchanging a look with Naruto, and then began.

* * *

"The humans have arrived, sir." 

Fandral Staghelm, Arch-Druid of the Night Elves, stood among the towering trees of the Cenarion Enclave. It was the place where his kind, the druids, practiced their faith and trained. Surrounding him were hundreds of trees, all of which towered above him, their beautiful foliage shrouding the area in almost pitch darkness. But he enjoyed the darkness.

A younger night elf stood beside him, unsure of what to do now that the message had been delivered. Finally, Fandral gave him a pointed stare, and waved his hand. The night elf hurried away, glad to be out of the elf's imposing presence.

Fandral stood taller than most elves, though his body was perfectly proportioned nonetheless. His skin was dark lavender, and his hair as green and plentiful as the water of the sea. It nearly covered his pointed elvish ears. A bushy beard, with twigs and leaves stuck to it, and sap binding parts of it together, framed his heavy jaw. His eyes were a brighter yellow than most elves, and in the darkness, could easily be mistaken for a pair of wisps.

He wore no covering on his chest, which was peppered with battle scars, and wore a leather kilt upon his lower half. He wore no shoes, enjoying the feeling of the ground upon the soles of his feet. He leaned on a gnarled wooden staff, his constant companion, and did nothing for a while but stare into the trees.

He cursed in Darnassian.

He knew exactly what the humans wanted. There was no other reason for their coming, and that was further backed up when the spirits of the forest, the wisps, told him of their reasons for coming. He scowled. He had no doubt that Tyrande was listening to them as he stood there, and knew her answer too.

But he knew what to do.

Despite what many believed, Tyrande was not the leader of the elves. The Council was. He knew that no matter what words Tyrande used, or how she used them, would never get the Council to accept what they were doing.

He was going to make sure of that.

He turned, and left the Enclave, his destination a place that he had come to detest in recent years. The Temple of the Moon.

He would put a stop to Tyrande's foolish plans. He would make her see reason.

* * *

Tyrande's voice was filled with amazement. 

"I cannot…unbelievable! Your story is amazing! I will not ask if you have truly done all of this, because I can tell it from your eyes. I just…it just astounds me!"

Kira was smiling widely. It was the first positive response she had gotten since she had joined the quest. Staring at Tyrande's stunned face made Kira's hopes grew beyond their normal boundaries, and made her giddy with the prospect of Tyrande's answer. She knew that somehow, it wouldn't be so easy, but she could not stop herself from feeling the elation of victory. Her dream was so close to being completed; it all depended on this woman's answer.

"I cannot believe that you were able to convince Sylvanas," said Tyrande, her eyes raking to Naruto. "I met her all of once, when she still lived, and even then, she seemed to me a person who concealed all that she had. How did you see the things that she concealed?"

Naruto shrugged, grinning. "It's a gift, I guess. One of my friends once told me that, even when he has eyes that could see through walls and into people's bodies, mine were still better. I guess its true."

Tyrande nodded, her smile widening a little. "You have done quite a bit. All of you," she added, her eyes sweeping to the others. "You have done something that in all my years I would have never thought possible. You have somehow united the peoples of this world; in the past, this was a feat that one could only dream of. To do what you have done has impressed me beyond anything. It makes me shameful to know that I have been here, rather than helping you in your quest. I can see that it is so close to being completed. If you are able to make this work, then you will be the first in the history of this world to forge an Alliance of such power.

"And it all relies on my answer…yes?"

Kira gave a short nod, but added hastily, "You don't have to answer right away; if you wish to think it over, then…"

Tyrande held up a hand, smiling. "There is nothing to think about. I give you my full backing."

Kira could hardly believe it. Just like that, she had done it. Sure, Matthias had told her that it would be pretty easy, and she herself had been confident that she could do it, but when it was all said and done, it was astounding at how receptive they had been. After Sylvanas, and even Thrall, who had forced them to give their blood, sweat, and tears in order to be convinced, it just seemed so easy.

Her dream was accomplished.

Just like that.

So embroiled in her shock and elation was she that she almost missed Tyrande's next words, which were said with downcast eyes and a brittle smile.

"But it is not up to me."

Kira's thoughts came to an abrupt halt, and she froze.

"What?"

Tyrande's eyes met hers, and they were filled with remorse, disappointment, and even a little anger. The anger was not focused at Kira, just at the situation.

"The Council is now responsible for every decision that we make. Once it was formed, I was only but a voice among the crowd, and now I am only leader of our race in name. In order for us to make this alliance, then we must gather the Council, and convince them to accept it. You have no clue of the magnitude of that problem.

"But, rest assured, I will do everything in my power to make it happen." Her eyes suddenly became steely, and she seemed to glow with a power that since they had arrived, she had restrained. The kindness that had appeared at first was now gone.

This, Kira suddenly realized, was the Tyrande that Benedictus had told him about.

"Then be prepared for a long fight, Tyrande," a voice said behind them. "For I will do everything in my power to stop it."

Tyrande's eyes swept up to the entrance into the moonwell. Her eyes narrowed.

"Arch-Druid Staghelm. It is so rare that I see you in this place anymore."

Fandral's eyes, glowing as intensely as miniature stars, met Tyrande's, which shined as brightly as tiny moons.

And just like that, it became that much harder.

But Kira was so close.

She would not give up, not when she was so close. She steeled herself, and prepared for what might possibly become their hardest challenge yet.

Facing a Council of Elves.

* * *

Now, before you review and tell me that this chapter was boring, because I know it was, just let me tell you it was necessary. No battles, and little talking, but the background and the build up were important, in my opinion. The next chapter will be a lot better, and have much more action in it. 

See what I mean when I said it's going to be different?

Hope you guys enjoy it. As always, thanks to my little brother, Nozdormi, for beta reading. I always take his help for granted, so please give him a round of applause.

Now, I've got a little Omake for you, to make up for the somewhat seriousness of this chapter. I was given the idea in a review by **lokli2**. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

** OMAKE: COMPLICATIONS THAT ARISE IN A NEW WORLD**

Naruto stood, glaring intensely at the monstrous Scarlet Commander, Mograine. His sword was drawn; the flickering candles that lit the Cathedral reflected a dull golden light. He was ready to fight, and Mograine looked to be as well. The Scarlet Commander hefted his huge mace and glared, his eyes full of that disgusting Scarlet zeal that angered Naruto every time he saw it.

"I'm going to kick your ass right here, bastard, for what you've done," Naruto growled.

Mograine simply glared. "The Light is on my side, abomination. It is you who shall fall this day."

"Heh, then let's go!" Naruto roared, charging forwards, Magni's Pride up and ready. Mograine lifted his war mace, and took a step forwards, preparing to smash it down with all of his mighty strength.

Time seemed to slow as the neared, and it appeared to stop, mere seconds before the two weapons struck.

"…What?"

Well, time really had stopped.

"What the hell?" Naruto blurted, trying to move, but finding he couldn't.

Mograine simply sighed. "Again. This is the third time this week."

"What the hell is happening? Why can't we move?" Naruto cried, again struggling to make any part of his body twitch. Nothing worked. He seemed frozen. It could have been a lot worse. The position he was in, sword up, his legs bent and back arched, could have caused quite a bit of strain. But he felt nothing. No pain, no discomfort. Nothing.

"The servers lagging. If we're lucky, then everything will just speed up and things will continue. But _it_ might happen…"

"It? What's it? And whaddya mean the server's lagging? What the hell is a server? And what's lagging?" Naruto wailed, glaring intensely at the Crusader.

"Don't worry about it, brat. It will be over in a few minutes…most likely. Be prepared to move very fast. Or be prepared to face _it…_"

"WHAT THE HELL IS IT?"

And then there was nothing.

There was just nothing. It was as if the Cathedral they had just been in was a dream, and their lives had had no meaning. There was nothing.

"What the hell just happened?" snapped Naruto's voice, from the nothing.

"Server crashed. Should be back in a few minutes, or else Blizzard's ass is grass," mumbled the nonexistent voice of Scarlet Commander Mograine.

"What the hell is wrong with this place? I hate this world! Goddammit!"

"Get used to it, abomination."

Sadly, even after the server was brought back up, Naruto's party was nowhere to be found, and for the rest of the night, he couldn't find a group to enter the SM Cath. He cursed whatever god had sent him here.

* * *

Ahh, it's happened to all of us, I'm sure. 

Well, that's it. Hope you guys enjoyed it, and I promise the next one will be a lot better. Its only just begun, after all!

Seeya!

General Grievous


	49. A Battle of a Different Sort

**Disclaimer: I am not the one who is owning that thing called Naruto which is really cool HAHA or even that other cool thing which is called World of Warcraft that I enjoy so much and that is cool HAHA!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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"It is time to begin," Fandral Staghelm rumbled, letting his luminous eyes drift over everyone that had gathered in the spacious, dimly lit room. It was furnished simply, with a single, perfectly round wooden table and many chairs, all of which seemed to sprout from the moss-covered floor. Hanging above it was a single lantern, which lit the room a beautiful sparkling blue. Wisps flitted around, as if eager to observe the coming events.

A day had passed since Naruto and Kira had spoken to Tyrande Whisperwind. A day had passed since Fandral Staghelm, the Arch-Druid of the night elves, had announced that the matter would be put to the Council of Darnassus. His tone had made it absolutely clear that in doing so, their efforts would be for naught.

Naruto had disliked the elf from the moment they had met. With a stony, harsh face and eyes that seemed to reflect a cold heart, Fandral had shown to Naruto that not all night elves were as great as Tyrande and Neera. In fact, he seemed to be downright nasty. His face reminded Naruto of Hinata's father, Hiashi's face: a perfect, stony mask of someone who was wise and powerful, yet disgustingly arrogant and priggish. Naruto got the feeling that even if he could match the elf's height, his eyes would remain unchanged; he would still look down on him, no matter what.

From the way Tyrande had changed from the smiling, peaceful voice that she had used when speaking to them; to the clipped, almost venomous whisper she had used when facing Fandral, Naruto was sure that something had happened between them. Something bad.

Whatever the case, Naruto was almost glad for the Arch Druid's intervention. Fandral had aroused a powerful, burning spirit within Tyrande, something that told him she wouldn't give up until the alliance had truly come into being. He had seen this spirit earlier, when she had praised their accomplishments so far. Tyrande was easily someone he could get to like a lot. She was far easier to like than the crabby, old Sylvanas, or the harsh, stony Thrall.

After the initial meeting with Fandral, Tyrande had sent them with a note to one of the more luxurious inns in the city, telling the owner to give them whatever they wished. They were guests, had had to shown the utmost respect. She had then departed, saying that she needed to gather the members of the Council together, for the meeting would be on the following day. They would be admitted, and allowed to speak.

So they had retired to the inn (which was indeed quite luxurious, with immensely soft featherbeds, silk sheets, and an unlimited supply of food). The entire way back, Kira had worried herself almost sick about the situation with the Council. Seeing this, Kylia had whispered to Neera if there was anything around that would help ease her worry.

Neera had known the perfect thing.

"Hot springs?" Kira said, blinking.

Neera nodded. "It'll wash your worries away. You'll need to be in tip-top form if you want to be effective in the council tomorrow."

So they had gone to the hot springs, near the back of the city. It was there that Naruto, and consequently Kira and Kylia, had discovered that the baths were all mixed.

It appeared that the elves didn't hold modesty in such high regard as humans did, and were perfectly comfortable showing their perfect bodies off to all who looked (or so Neera said). When they arrived, however, it was nearly deserted. The hot springs were free to all those who wished to use them, so they had hopped right in.

Or rather, Neera, Kira and Kylia had hopped right in. They (more Kira and Kylia) had forced Naruto to wait outside, along with Tsuwabuki who hated taking baths anyways. Despite this, they had all had an enjoyable time (even Naruto, who had gotten an unintentional peek at Neera just before she had closed the screen in the changing room. He told no one, though they suspected something at the blush that lit his face all night). Neera had been right about the springs. When they had gotten out, Kira felt a lot better, and slept peacefully that night.

They awoke the next morning thanks to Neera, who had been sent to pick them up and take them back to the Temple of the Moon, by Tyrande's orders. On the way, she explained who would be there.

"My commanding officer who also leads the Sentinels, Shandris Feathermoon, will be there. She usually stays in a stronghold in Feralas, far to the south, in Kalimdor. It's where every Sentinel in training goes for the final year of their training, where she personally oversees it. She's a big supporter of Lady Tyrande, and will be of great aid to you, I think. Among others will be several of the Priestesses of Elune, all Tyrande's supporters as well. Unfortunately," she sighed, "a large contingent of the Council is made up of druids, led by Fandral. He meant what he said when he told us that he would do everything in his power to stop Tyrande. There's bad blood between them."

"Why?" asked Kira, walking alongside the night elf. "What happened between them?"

Neera shook her head. "I don't know. Lady Tyrande has never mentioned it, and nobody has thought to tell me. I think it might have something to do with the creation of Teldrassil, but I can't truly say."

Kira nodded, falling silent again. Despite her easy sleep, her worry was beginning to return. She tried to force it away. She was going to do everything she could to convince them.

She was just glad that there would be help this time.

Neera went on. "The others are simply elves among the most noble of families. They are those who have been with us for many, many years longer than the rest. They are called the Elders. They are druids, and Sisters, but have allegiance to neither Tyrande nor Fandral. They are the neutrals, so that every decision is not a perfect tie."

In the Temple, Tyrande had met them in the moonwell room, alongside a shorter elf with more greenish hair, and paler skin. Purple markings decorated her cheeks, and her eyes were lavender, and had the now familiar glowing sheen to them. She wore a set of silvery armor on her chest, and a pair of purple breeches with wispy designs embroidered all over them. She wore a thick belt, which hung low on her hips. It must have usually held many weapons.

"This is my dear friend, Shandris Feathermoon," said Tyrande, when they arrived.

The night elf bowed to them, a slight smile touching her lips. "My lady Tyrande has told me of your plan. If you had not done so much already, I wouldn't have believed it possible."

Kira smiled, "Thank you."

Shandris looked over Naruto, smiling a little. "I would very much like to see you in action, sometime. From what I hear, you an incredible warrior."

Naruto grinned. "Thanks."

"The same goes for you, little handmaiden," Shandris said, turning to Kylia. "You conceal your talents far better than any elf I have met. It would be interesting to see you fight."

Kylia blushed a little, stammering her thanks. She was not used to praise, especially from such incredibly famous people. Shandris finally settled her eyes on Tsuwabuki, and instead of speaking, just gave her a nod and a bow. Tsuwabuki did not return either, instead just flicking her tail, and raising her snout slightly. She wasn't impressed.

Shandris chuckled.

"How was your trip?" asked Neera, bowing graciously to her leader.

Shandris held up a hearthstone, smiling a little. "Short and to the point. I just arrived this morning. There was an ogre raid in Feralas, one that I had to disperse, or I would have arrived yesterday."

Neera nodded, smiling a little bashfully. Shandris was her hero, and hearing about her adventures was something she'd never get tired of. She would have to get the details later.

Tyrande then broke in. "It is time to begin. Follow me."

She then led them to the far end of the room, up a set of winding stairs to the second level, before entering the room which they now sat in; the council room. When they arrived, it was already almost completely full, the many members of the Council already in their seats, murmurs running between them of what they had been called together for. They had already attended the Council meeting that month. The appearance of the humans, however, sparked much of their interest, and as the group sat down, they were treated to many inquisitive stares and whispers.

Everything fell silent when Fandral stood, and spoke the words to begin the urgent meeting. After speaking them, his eyes went straight to Tyrande.

"Then speak, Tyrande Whisperwind. Tell us of the humans' plan. That is, after all, the reason for this sudden meeting."

Tyrande stood. All eyes snapped to her; though many did not agree with her beliefs, from the way that just by standing, she had garnered all of their attention, was testament to how much respect she commanded. It was amazing, especially to the two hopeful future leaders in the room.

"Their plan is, at this point, exceedingly simple to grasp. They are proposing an alliance. An alliance much like the last one we made with the humans, dwarves, and gnomes. However, this one differs in one aspect." Her eyes flitted across the room, as if surveying a final moment of peace. "They are proposing to ally not only with them, but with the members of the former Horde. The orcs, trolls, tauren and Forsaken."

The room exploded.

The Priestesses of Elune gasped in shock, staring with wide eyes at their leader, wondering what on earth she was talking about. The druids reacted in a variety of different ways. Some burst into guffaws of rude, booming laughter, obviously amazed that anyone could even think such a thing was possible. Others, ones less inclined to laughter, merely glared intensely at the woman, wondering what if she expected them to actually listen to such a preposterous idea.

Fandral stayed silent. His face did not change, though his eyes seemed to burn brighter, a hint of scorn displayed within them.

Tyrande suddenly slammed her hand on the table, and everything at once fell silent. Her eyes shined as brightly as the eternal moon, now, as she swept them over the Council.

"You would be wise to stay silent until I have finished. I daresay you will react differently." She turned to Kira, and gestured for her to stand. The princess of Stormwind did so, taking a deep breath as she did.

"This is Princess Kira Wrynn, son of Anduin Wrynn, and granddaughter of Varian Wrynn, both kings of Stormwind. She has come to tell you of her dream, and what she has done so far to accomplish it." She then smiled comfortingly at Kira. "Go on."

Kira nodded. She proceeded then to tell the story that she had told Tyrande yesterday, at the same, slow, methodical pace. She shortened it a great deal, leaving out more personal things that she hadn't left out in her version to Tyrande. Though she felt quite nervous, she never faltered or stuttered once. She couldn't afford to, in this position. She had to appear ever bit the confident princess that they needed to see. She did not intend for them to see a child, or a naïve little girl who could not accomplish anything. She did not intend for them to see her as weak.

By the end of her explanation, the elves had fallen completely silent, their glowing eyes staring in varying degrees of amazement at her, and Naruto too. When she finished, Tyrande scanned their faces again, and said softly into the dead silence, "Their proposition stands before us. It is now up to us, and us alone, to make this dream a reality. We await your opinions."

Nobody said anything, at first. They seemed to still be in a slight state of shock, and were trying to get their thoughts collected. What they had heard didn't seem possible, and yet Tyrande, one of their most influential and powerful leaders, fully believed in it. Some of them cast glances at Naruto, who had slumped back a little in his chair, and was looking around the room, and their reactions. Had that boy, who seemed so weak, done all of that?

Finally, Shandris stood, and spoke. She smiled at Tyrande and the humans. "I give my support. It is clear, that with all you have done, that this dream is definitely possible. I can see no better way for us to regain our connections to the outside world, and eliminate a dire threat to our existence. It seems to me to be the most logical situation."

A few members of the Council, mainly Priestesses of the Moon, nodded.

A druid, with purplish blue hair and a large moustache stood quickly. His name was Mathrengyl Bearwalker, one of the most prominent druids, and an Elder. He was as old as Fandral, and held no blind allegiance to the Arch Druid.

"I agree with Lady Shandris. With the current state of affairs, this alliance is nothing if not necessary. Perhaps, in this time of need, all races might be able to put aside their differences." He sat as swiftly as he had rose, and said no more.

Kira felt a little relief coursing through her. At least they were receptive to the idea. But of course, the real challenge, as she watched Fandral begin to move, had only just begun.

Fandral finally stood. His face was locked in a cold frown, his glowing eyes as hard as brass.

"I am curious," he said, staring deeply into not Tyrande's, but Kira's eyes. "What makes you think that we can trust these allies of yours?"

Kira stood up straight, and said slowly. "I have their words, and their honors. They share my beliefs in the need for peace. Is that not enough?"

"No," said Fandral calmly, but coldly. "It is not. Though you may trust their words, and have their honor, there is nothing to say that they might not be simply using you for their own advantage. Sylvanas particularly, is a worrisome force. She is a dangerous, and extremely cunning woman. To me it seems that this allows her to profit in many ways. The others, too, may have their own reasons."

"But you cannot prove that, Fandral," said Tyrande hotly. "And even so, no alliance is without ulterior motives. An alliance is done in the benefit of both ourselves, and everyone else. Otherwise, there would be little incentive to join, isn't that right, Fandral?"

Fandral gave Tyrande a piercing look. "That is so. But would you weight the cost of your own people's lives against the motives of others? Ones that we cannot trust, and have been enemies with in the past?"

"And allies, too!" Tyrande snapped back. "We have joined with Thrall and Vol'jin and Cairn before to destroy a common enemy! Why cannot we do it again? Hamuul Runetotem is a member of your Cenarion Circle! He and Malfurion are allies!"

"Malfurion is not here."

Tyrande stopped, almost recoiling from the intensity in the night elf's voice. Fandral had reined his anger, though his eyes still glowed like coals at the mention of Malfurion Stormrage.

He began again, his stony calm returning. "We have been allies in the past, yes, but in the present, we are not. The risks of getting involved in such an alliance are far too great. Have you forgotten our plight, Tyrande? If we were to be betrayed in such a time as this, we would be utterly destroyed."

"You won't be betrayed."

Fandral's eyes moved to Naruto's. The blonde was standing, and despite the fact that the table only came up to his chest, the force of his glare and the boldness of his words seemed to make him twice as tall.

"You won't be betrayed. You don't know those guys like I do. They were as skeptical as you are, but they are willing to give this a chance. They just want peace; a chance to make themselves safe, just like you. I give you my word that you won't be betrayed," he finished, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Your word means nothing to me," said Fandral, stonily. "Unless you can prove that they are as trustworthy as you say, then your words are meaningless."

Naruto's eyes lit with anger. If he had been in any other situation, he would have begun yelling at that point. But he knew that it wouldn't do any good, so he lowered his voice, and spoke his next words with a vehement intensity.

"The whole purpose of this thing is to put your trust in others. If you just stay here, alone, nothing will change. All of your problems, whatever they are, will just remain the same, and won't go away! Do you want that? If you just accepted help, then you could get rid of your problems a lot faster! You can't always do things by yourselves!"

Fandral scowled with everything he had. "We have done it for thousands of years, boy, and we can do it for thousands more. At every point that we have accepted outside help, it has simply made things worse off for us. Outsiders have brought us nothing but ruin and corruption. And more to the point, if we did accept the aid of this alliance, what would it bring us?"

"Medicines to heal the sick," said Tyrande. "Warriors to help train and bolster our own defenses; political allies, economic aid and things that we desperately need. He is right, Fandral. This alliance will help solve the problems that have plagued us. We need it, as much as they need us."

Fandral seemed to grow even taller than he already was. Rage heated his voice and made his eyes burn. "Need? You speak of need? Tyrande? You say that we need them? Those are the words of a weakling. Our people have survived for millennia. What need there be for us to accept the aid of those we cannot trust?

"You speak of medicine? Made by and for those who have green skin, fur, or even nothing at all! Warriors to bolster our defenses? From whom? What enemies still exist, Tyrande, that we have not crushed? Political allies, economic aid? What need have we of those? We are an independent state. We have no use for trade, or the politics of other races. You seem to forget, Tyrande, that though are problems are severe, they can be resolved in time by our—"

"We have no time!" roared Tyrande. "Whether we like it or not, change is upon us! We are no longer the eternal race, Fandral, and you must accept that! We age as they do! We get sick as they do! The only thing that separates us is appearance! What reason can you come up with not to accept their help?"

"What makes you think an alliance is even geographically feasible?" Another elf had spoken up. His hair was a deep red, and his eyes a bright orange. He was a druid. His voice was snide-sounding, almost superior. "Have you forgotten what keeps us from the mainland? Not only is this plan dangerous, but also it is nearly impossible. The storms will make it exceedingly hard for anyone to meet or trade with us, don't you think?"

Tyrande looked at him. "With an alliance, it would not be out of our reach to train better zeppelineers, as well as create many more hearthstones. Even portals would not be out of the question, given the gnome's experience."

Fandral spoke up, his voice full of fire. "We are, as of now, the most susceptible to attack. Our standing army is weak, and we are plagued by sicknesses form which we have no immunity or way of curing. Our people are disheartened, and many simply wish to remain as they are. They wish to remain in peace, away from the fighting in the rest of the world.

"We are at peace, Tyrande. Would you wish to take that away from your people? Would you wish for them to fight and die alongside those who were once their enemies; those whom they cannot trust?" His eyes then swept to Kira and Naruto.

"Do you not find it strange that they have all accepted the help of this boy? One that has little knowledge of the affairs of this world, and who should not even care about it? How can one boy have made all of this possible? And how can we trust his judgment? He is a stranger among us, and the affairs of this world are not his business. What's more, could he not simply be a reason for the other races to band together? He has already reformed the Horde, our eternal enemies. How can we trust him?"

Naruto was shaking with fury. It pissed him off that this guy was calling him the bad guy. This guy in general was pissing him off. He would have retorted, in a blind fury, but Tyrande spoke first.

"We are susceptible, yes," she said, softly. The heat was gone from her voice, but the passion was not. "But that is all the more reason. Our people are disheartened, and this is the way to bring their spirits back. This is not peace, Fandral. We are trapped. Eventually, if things do not change, an attack that we cannot stand against will come. What then? Would it not be better to have allies?

"I cannot vouch for his word," she said, pointing to Naruto. "But I trust him, for in my heart, his words are true, and his actions are pure. He is doing this because he does not want anyone else to die. I trust that what he has done in the past has been entirely for the peace and stability of this world. He, and the young princess, have traveled all this way, and risked their lives many times, in order to help bring a peace to this world that has never been seen. A peace that is within our grasp. We have much to lose, yes…but for an everlasting peace, for our children and grandchildren, and their children and so on, is it not worth the risk?"

Fandral was silent, for a time. His face lost much of its intensity, and he seemed to lapse into an almost contemplative mood. He returned to his seat, and leaned forwards, his hands clasped in front of his face. The room was silent. Fandral's druid followers watched their leader with inquisitive eyes, wondering how he was going to respond. The Sisters watched too, only it was their leader, Tyrande whom they looked upon. The four Elders, night elves who held allegiance to neither side, observed the proceedings passively. Wisps floated slowly through the air, making no noise. They seemed as captivated as everyone else, focused on Fandral and what his answer was to be. Tyrande watched the Arch Druid the whole time. Kira did too, and she prayed that Tyrande's words had been effective.

"It will never be worth the risk," he said, finally.

Tyrande's eyes lit up in fury. "How can you say that?"

The rest of the council watched the two argue. They made no attempts to interrupt either's tirade, and simply seemed intent on listening and watching. Kira wondered if it was because they had no opinion on it either way, or that they were choosing who had the better points. It was clear that rather than this being a full on Council it was more a meeting between two separate factions; the druids and the Sisters of Elune. It was less a meeting, and more a battle. As far as they were concerned, it was only Tyrande and Fandral in the room, facing off against one another in a seemingly life or death battle. There was no one else in the room.

That meant that it all depended on Tyrande.

Fandral's eyes held hers, and his face seemed to soften. "I will tell you this. As it stands, our people are beaten. We have fought more wars, and suffered more tragedies than any human kingdom in existence. We are at our weakest. I simply cannot take the risk of being betrayed. I love our people too much for that. We cannot rely on the help of others. It will bring us nothing but ruin, as it has before. We are strong in heart, and in time, we will recover and grow strong in body again. Risking everything, for people who once sought to destroy us, and against an enemy that has not shown itself for years, who might not even exist; it is too much."

At this, Kira stood, quickly. She did not look angry, but desperate. She spoke softly, her tone pleading.

"Arch-Druid Staghelm, I cannot ask you to risk the lives of your people. That is not what I intended to request. If you accept our help, we will do everything to make you grow stronger all the faster. I agree that the Lich King has not revealed himself, but the Scourge is still a threat, and with time, it will only grow to be more so. Please…this is for the benefit of everything. Help us."

Fandral stared at her a moment. Even against the need in her voice, he remained a monolith, cold and unmoving.

"You miss the point, child. It is not in our nature to accept help. We are our own, and nothing, nobody, can change that. We need to rely on only ourselves." He looked at Tyrande, then. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth became a thin line. He spoke calmly, without an edge or a hint of anger, but the words held bite nonetheless, for they struck a place in Tyrande's heart that was, and had been for some time, painfully weak and thin. A bandaged wound, which could still bleed.

"What would Malfurion think if he returned, and there were none of his people left to greet him?"

Tyrande froze. The words ripped into her heart, and she suddenly felt a loss that she had been trying to hide, trying to ignore, since Malfurion had left. The feeling bled into her body, making her shake a little. She no longer felt like she was in the council room. She was alone. The risk, however slight, suddenly seemed so horribly possible that her confidence vanished.

What if Malfurion returned, and the night elves no longer existed? What if she failed him?

She had fought alongside Thrall, Vol'jin, and Cairn in the past. Though she knew that they might not be the type to use such underhanded tactics, especially after such a long period of not warring, the possibility was still there. Thrall might have nursed a grudge against her kind, after years of war. Vol'jin, clever and cunning, might see profit in their destruction. Even Cairn, wise as he was, might see them and their selfishness as threats to the sanctity of the world and the purity of nature. Sylvanas, the shadowy and cold Banshee Queen, might cook up something; if not for just them, for the entire world. What if, even, the enemies they sought attacked them first, due to their weakness, and destroyed them before aid could even be sent?

She knew that she was jumping to conclusions. She knew that the words were having the exact effect that Fandral wanted them to have. But she couldn't help it. The thought of failing him was far too horrible to consider.

She remembered the last words he had ever spoken to her: on a night, many years ago, just before he had returned to walk the Emerald Dream again, as he was meant to.

'_Protect our people, Tyrande.'_ He had said. It was a task that had been daunting then, and seemed all the more so now.

What if she failed that request, because of this?

A great fear rose in her at that thought. She was at a loss for words, and began to shake a little. Though the chance seemed slight, she could not get rid of that horrible thought. The knowledge that she could be the reason for her people's destruction at their weakest moment seemed too horrible to bear. She considered sitting down, and ending it there.

But then, a flash of blonde caught her eye, and she looked over to see Naruto, staring at her.

The blonde's eyes were strange to her. It was not their impossibly blue sheen, or the way they seemed to burn with their own sources. It was not their size, or their shape. It was the look in them. It was a look so familiar that she almost gasped at the sight.

It was the very look Malfurion had given her, as he said those final words.

A look of complete and utter trust.

They were filled with a respect, and the knowledge that whatever she said next, would be the right thing. A look that told her that whatever she did, he would accept it.

The fear vanished.

So she sat down and said, her voice loud and passionate, "Then let us decide. For those who wish to deny this offer of an alliance, and to remain independent, as we have in times past, raise your hand now."

Eleven hands rose into the air.

Taking a deep breath, Tyrande spoke again. "And those who wish to accept the alliance, and to join our new allies in combat against the Scourge, raise now."

She did not watch. There could be no other outcome, as nine hands rose, including her own. She lowered her head, and sat down.

"Then it has been decided. There will be no alliance. The night elves will remain alone."

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Naruto stared glumly up at the ceiling in his room. He didn't know how long he had been there, but from the soreness in his back and lethargy in his movements, it had been long. He was used to it, by now, however. Because it never got darker or lighter in this place, he had lost almost all sense of time. He guessed that was how the elves were able to live so long. If nothing changed, then you really didn't know how time passed. A year to humans probably felt like a week for the elves.

It had been, in his eyes, presumably several hours since the ending of the Council. Their purpose fulfilled, the members had returned to their prior duties. Tyrande had smiled at all of them, thanking them for their time. Those who supported her gave her comforting smiles in return. Those who did not, simply nodded. Fandral had not even looked at her.

After that, nobody had felt much like doing anything. Kira had excused herself, and with Kylia tagging along, had returned to her room, likely to sleep. Even after such a decision, Naruto had been with Kira long enough to know that she wouldn't cry over such a thing. She hadn't cried at Sylvanas' harsh tirade. She wouldn't cry at this.

It was just a minor setback.

Naruto had retired to his own room, while Tsuwabuki had loped off to explore, enjoying the freedom of the city. Naruto had a feeling that the fox was probably doing less exploring, and more seeking out the free buffet of deer, rabbits, and squirrels that they had seen at the entrance to the city.

Finally, it got to the point where Naruto could no longer sit still. He needed to do something. He sat up, pulled on his boots, and left the room. He didn't stop as he passed Kira's door, and went down the stairs and out the inn, onto the dark street. The same bluish lights that had lit the council room lit the streets; courtesy of glowing glass lanterns hanging from posts every couple of yards.

After a quick decision, he turned left and walked down the street. As he walked, he didn't think about anything; he simply enjoyed the view. He had done too much thinking lately, and that wasn't his style.

He passed few people as he walked. He noticed that most night elves he passed were solitary ones. They never walked in groups, or even in pairs. They seemed to be a rather lonely people. And that loneliness seemed self-inflicted. They seemed to enjoy being alone.

They must, he realized, considering that they had refused to make the alliance.

But what bothered him the most, he realized, was that there was little he could do. They had no enemy to fight, so he couldn't win them over like he had the last races. What's more was that despite the situation they were in (which, though Naruto didn't know the details of, seemed pretty bad considering what Tyrande and Fandral had been talking about) they didn't seem to want help. They had become too accustomed to solving things themselves, and rather than letting pride get in the way, simply didn't believe it was necessary for them to help.

He grumbled. He'd feel a lot better, he realized, if he knew what was going on. All he knew was that they were no longer immortal, and that most of their problems seemed to stem from that.

He walked on. He had no particular destination in mind, so he just walked where he felt like walking. Eventually he found his way to the Temple Gardens. They appeared empty at first, but when he stepped off the bridge that connected it to the main land, he saw that he was quite wrong about that.

Dressed in familiar white, Tyrande Whisperwind stood near the water's edge, her head tilted skyward. He didn't know what she was looking at, really, because the sky was the same eerie purple that it was everywhere else. She turned at his approach, smiling softly.

"I did not expect to see you here. Could you not sleep?"

Naruto shrugged. "Didn't know I was supposed to. I just wanted to take a walk."

Tyrande nodded. "As did I. I do enjoy walking, as it helps me think. Would you like to join me?"

Naruto nodded. Why not?

They turned away from the water, and began walking towards the other bridge, which led to another island. At first, neither spoke. Neither of them knew what to talk about. So, as they crossed the bridge, they simply enjoyed the sounds of the forest.

Finally, Naruto spoke up. "Which one is Teldrassil?"

Tyrande blinked. "Pardon?"

Naruto pointed to the trees surrounding the lake. They were absolutely massive, stretching high into the sky and were as thick around as towers. "Which tree is Teldrassil? Matthias told me that this place had a tree called Teldrassil, and I haven't seen a particularly big one so far, so…."

Tyrande chuckled. They had reached the end of the bridge, and were walking on solid ground now. She bent down and patted the solid earth.

"This one."

Naruto shot her a baffled look. "What do you mean…? Which one… wait, you mean that…!"

She nodded. "The earth you stand on is Teldrassil. The whole island is the tree that Matthias mentioned. Amazing, is it not?"

Naruto gaped stupidly for a moment, before shaking his head and saying, "But that's impossible! It looked like an island from above! Where's the trunk, and the leaves and stuff?"

At this, she gave a slight sigh, staring downwards. Naruto thought at first that he had said something to upset her, but he realized that she was not hanging her head, but merely looking down. She bent down, touching the ground again.

"The only place that they could go…beneath the sea."

Naruto stared at her, eyes wide.

She chuckled at his reaction. "There is a tale in that. It was not like this, until around eight years ago. Before then, it rose high into the sky, and could be seen for many miles around. It was a sight for all to behold, truly." A look of longing came over her, for a moment, and they fell into silence once more. When she started speaking again, her voice had become harder, more like the one she had used with Fandral.

"But that changed, eight years ago, when the naga attacked."

Naruto frowned. He had suspected something like that. But as she began to speak again, he realized something.

"They attacked without warning, after years of silence, and—"

"What's a naga?" Naruto suddenly asked, cocking his head to the side, his expression inquisitive.

Tyrande actually stopped walking, turning to stare at with wide eyes. "How can you—oh, forgive me, I forgot that you do not come from around here." She smiled a little sheepishly, a look that seemed strange on her gorgeous face.

Naruto shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

"How many races does your world have, might I ask? You deal so well with the ones in this world, could you have a bit of experience?"

"Nope, only one," Naruto said, jabbing a finger at himself. "And a coupla' freaky individuals who look like they're a totally different race," he thought, thinking of the spider-guy that had been allied with Orochimaru, the shark-faced Kisame, and Orochimaru himself. "And I'm doing this 'cause I made a promise to Kira-chan, at first at least. Now I'm doing it 'cause I've made so many friends in this world, and I'd hate to see them continue fighting."

Tyrande smiled at him. He seemed so simple, at first glance, and yet when you dug deeper, he was more complex than she had ever imagined a boy his age could be. They walked I silence for a moment longer, before Tyrande remembered his original question.

"Yes...the naga. They were once night elves like myself, thousands upon thousands of years ago, when I was still young. Back when the world was still whole, and the corruption of the Burning Legion had not yet touched this tranquil place."

"When the world was still whole?" Naruto asked again, blinking in confusion.

"The world, back then, was only a single continent, Kalimdor. In the very center, where we once lived, there was a massive lake, filled with a strange, and unique power. It was called the Well of Eternity.

"The Well of Eternity was a force that this world has not truly seen since. Its waters had many special properties, including granting us immortality and immunity to sicknesses. It also gave us phenomenal control over our own chakra, to the point where we needed almost no hand seals to manipulate it. Many flocked to its waters, reveling in the power that it gave them. One of these was a female elf named Azshara. She was the queen of us all."

"Azshara…" Naruto said. The name sounded strange to him, and hard to pronounce, too.

She nodded. "Azshara was a cruel and vain elf, who desire nothing more than everlasting power and beauty. She commanded incredible power, thanks to the Well, and though all night elves loved her, she only rewarded those who were as strong as she. They became known as the Highborne. But her desire for power grew so great, that it led her to commit an act that would lead to the eventual destruction of Kalimdor; the splitting of the world: The Sundering.

"She allied herself with the Burning Legion, and helped bring it and the corruption that came with it, into this world. It is due to her foolish actions that the state of the world is as it is. To stop this, the night elves rose up against Azshara and the Highborne in an alliance of many creatures and races; including the Dragonflights and several Demigods. In the process, however, the Well was destroyed.

"It's chaotic destruction blew apart Kalimdor, and the great continent became two; Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms of Azeroth. In the middle, where the Well once was, only a maelstrom was left; a swirling vortex in the middle of the ocean, a hole in the world.

"Rather than perishing in the destruction of the Well, Azshara and her Highborne sunk into the oceans, and whether it was the remnants of the Well, or something else, they became what are now known as naga—serpentine beasts who dwell deep beneath the seas. They bear a hatred for our kind; and it became evident in their attack eight years ago."

Naruto nodded a little, taking it all in. The corruption of power, and its effects on others, was something he was all too familiar with.

"So they just attacked you?"

She nodded. "I imagine they had planned it for many years, and at the time they struck, we were already taxed from the war against the Horde. We were confident that we could win, however. The tree gave us a natural defense against the creatures of the sea. Or so we thought, anyways. But they were not unprepared.

"They created a massive whirlpool beneath the tree. They destroyed the sea floor that it grew from, using their powers over water, and caused the sea to swallow the mighty trunk of Teldrassil. They might have done more, and swallowed the whole thing, before we interrupted and attacked them. Our druids were able to hold the tree above the water, while my Sentinels and Priestesses attacked. The fight lasted for months, and we were without aid. It took all we had, but we won. We destroyed their leader, and sent them fleeing back into the sea. But it came at a heavy price.

"Our people were injured. Many had died, and many more had been wounded with the poisons that the naga used. Many fell sick, and we found ourselves at a loss. When Fandral spoke of the loss of our standing army, and of our current weakness, the majority of the effects were from this war. Our people became disheartened, and many stopped fighting."

She shook her head in regret. "What's more was that we could no longer move off the island. We lost contact with many of the night elves stationed in Ashenvale, and Feralas, too."

"Why?" Naruto said, frowning. "Shandris-san got here all right. And what's stopping you from going to them?"

She nodded, smiling a little. "Thankfully, Shandris was right to keep a stock of hearthstones for that use. But we had, and still have, not the resources to create hearthstones for every elf in those areas." Her smile faded then.

"On your way here, you doubtlessly ran into a storm or two, did you not?"

Naruto nodded.

"Those storms are not something that we put there, or that are naturally occurring. They are the result of the naga's powerful control over the sea. They create these massive storms, which protect us from enemies, yes, but at the same time, severely hamper our ability to leave Teldrassil. This was mentioned in the Council meeting, I believe."

Naruto remembered. The snide sounding druid.

Then he frowned, kicking the ground in annoyance. "Hmph. So it's all 'cause of those guys, huh?"

To his surprise, Tyrande shook her head.

"There are many reasons. Certainly the war contributed a great amount, but many occurred before then." She sighed, reaching out to touch the branches of a nearby tree, her eyes forlorn. "This whole island is one such reason."

Naruto frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

She sighed. "Do you know what Teldrassil was designed for, child?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nope."

"It was created as a substitute for the original World Tree, Nordrassil. Nordrassil, long ago, was given to us by the spirits of nature, and was blessed by the Dragon Aspects, Nozdormu, Alexstrazsa, and Ysera. It granted us immortality and immunity to disease, and protected us. It was a gift.

"Teldrassil was not. Many, after Nordrassil's destruction, were terrified of the prospect of age, of disease, of change. Fandral Staghelm was among these, and against my beloved's wishes, he created Teldrassil as a replacement."

"But Teldrassil was not blessed. It was created out of a selfish desire to regain something that we had sacrificed for the good of this world. Instead of granting us immortality, it became corrupted; the same corruption that perverted the furbolgs of Ashenvale and Feralas: the taint of the Burning Legion. Because of that, a deep sense of shame filled those who had created it. Though it was a beautiful sight to behold, it was still tainted, unclean."

There was an edge in her voice as she said this. Naruto suddenly realized that this must be the source of her feud with Fandral. She must be still angry with him for doing what he did.

"We stopped the spread of the corruption, but it remained scarred, until the seas swallowed it all. But that shame lingers in many people's hearts; along with the fear of aging, and the sicknesses."

Naruto frowned. "Can't you guys cure the sicknesses? You must have developed a lot of things, seeing as how you're all so old."

Tyrande shook her head. "Jutsu cannot cure diseases, which are living organisms that spread constantly throughout the body. One would have to possess phenomenal control in order to fully eliminate the pathogen. Hence, liquid cures are far better and more effective. But we have grown weak in that area. Without any need for the knowledge, we stopped making records on potions and antidotes long ago. It was a foolish and vain mistake, one that shall not be repeated. We have made great strides in the last few years, and many of the diseases we can now fight as you can.

"But, whether it is because we have gone for so long without being sick, our bodies' natural defenses are weak. We succumb to sickness easily, and it consumes us far swifter than it does you. That is why it is so dire a threat to us. But it is just one of the many."

She sighed, sitting on the soft grass near the water's edge. They had not left the other island, which appeared to just be more gardens, as well as a large stone house, whose purpose Naruto didn't know.

Naruto joined her on the grass, staring up at the unchanging sky. "It seems like you guys just don't want help."

She nodded, sadly. "It does seem like that, doesn't it? As Fandral said, our people are used to doing things for themselves. I do not disagree. For thousands of years, we needed no help or intervention. We were strong and able on our own. But that is one of our defining faults, I think. We became too used to our eternity. We did not want anything to change anymore."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It's pretty funny that you guys are probably the oldest people on earth, and yet you're not any wiser than us."

She paused. "Yes…that might be right."

"Of course it is," Naruto said, grinning at her. He then looked up at the sky. "What you guys don't realize is that change doesn't just come in physical form or appearance or anything like that. It comes in personality and character, too. You guys seem to resist change even in those points. No matter what you go through, you guys aren't changing, aren't growing, in any way. That's what needs to change. You guys need to start acting your age, I guess."

Tyrande couldn't help it. The fact that a boy nearly ten thousand years her junior was telling her to act her age was almost absurd. She began to laugh.

Naruto huffed, frowning at her. "Hmph, I think it's good advice."

She stopped laughing, staring at him with bright, almost teary eyes. "And so do I. You are absolutely right. It is something that has been a long time coming, too. There is a need for great change in this place; I have known this for many years." She looked up into the sky, too, turning her head slightly to look at something that Naruto couldn't see.

"The great lady Elune, who shines above us always, knows this." She smiled. "Perhaps we can begin this change."

Naruto grinned. "Sounds good, I think. I bet Kira knows the way to do it already."

Tyrande smiled, looking at him. "And do you?"

The blonde grinned even wider. "Yep! It's probably something we should've done from the start."

Tyrande nodded. "Take it to the people…then, is that what you are thinking?"

Naruto grinned. "Hehe, great minds think alike!" He then stood, crossing his arms.

"If those stuffy bastards in the Council won't give us permission, then why not take it to the people who really matter! The ones who are gonna be most affected by it, right?"

The enthusiasm that the boy was displaying amused Tyrande, and at the same time gave her comfort. Yes. It was something that should have been done quite a while ago. The people were what truly mattered; her people, the people that Malfurion had charged her to protect. This was the way to do it.

She looked at Naruto with a kind, almost motherly smile on her face. And she was going to have the best kind of help, too. Someone that was as willing as she to change things. Somehow, she knew that this boy was going to be of great help, and honestly couldn't wait to begin.

She stood up finally, dusting her glittering white robe off, and turning to Naruto.

"You'd best get some rest. It is long overdue for both of us, and if what you say is true, then we have a lot of work to do tomorrow."

Naruto nodded, and they both started back. As they crossed the bridge, Tyrande, who walked a little behind Naruto, spotted something that she had not seen before.

"That blade…" she said, leaning down to inspect Magni's Pride, which was strapped to the back of Naruto's belt, more closely.

Naruto stopped, blinking at her. "What about it?"

"It is Dwarven made, is it not?"

He nodded. "How'd you know?"

She rolled her eyes. "I have seen many such weapons, in my lifetime. Who forged it? It looks superbly crafted, a weapon of great power, no doubt."

Naruto grinned. "It's called Magni's Pride. It was made by King Magni himself."

Her eyes widened considerably. "Is that so? Now that you mention it, I do recall you saying something about that in your story." She reached out, taking hold of its hilt. "May I?"

He nodded, and she drew it out, marveling at the gleaming adamantium blade. "Amazing," she said. "Its craftsmanship is absolutely flawless. I would expect no less from Magni. What is its talent?"

"Talent?" Naruto asked, frowning.

She regarded him evenly. "Yes, talent. Every Dwarven blade is crafted with more than just heat and metal. The maker puts his very heart and soul, as well as a large amount of his own chakra into the making of the weapon, and this generally grants it a talent—a special ability that somehow enhances the performance of the sword. From the way that you are staring at me, I can tell that you are not aware of what talent it possesses, correct?"

Naruto nodded, staring at the sword with surprised eyes. "Why didn't he tell me?" he asked.

Tyrande shrugged, handing the blade back to him. "It is his choice whether to tell you or not. Perhaps he wished for you to figure it out on your own. I cannot say. But given the impressiveness of the sword, I gather that the talent must be truly incredible."

Naruto stared at the sword a moment longer, his eyes inquisitive. He had been holding something that cool for so long, without even realizing it? He'd have to find out the talent now. He hated secrets, so he would work his hardest to bring out whatever talent this thing had.

They reached the main island, where the two split. Tyrande gave Naruto a gracious bow, which Naruto returned, a little awkwardly.

"I can tell," she said, looking at him with smiling eyes. "That this is the beginning of change, don't you think, Uzumaki Naruto?"

Naruto nodded, grinning at her. "Hehe, definitely. Kira-chan's dream is so close to being completed. I won't stop now!"

"Then let us part. We shall begin tomorrow. However long it takes."

Naruto nodded, thrusting his hand out, with the finger extended.

"It's a promise!"

---------------------------------------------

Done.

A different kind of battle, wouldn't you say? Them's fightin' words. I changed the Council meeting scene around a lot. No matter how I looked at it, it just seemed a debate, and nothing like a council meeting. So I just went with it like that, and hope that it makes sense.

Fandral's motives can be taken as noble, as in he cares so much for his people that he isn't willing to risk their lives by allying with orcs and Forsaken; but they can also be taken as hateful, for it is clear that he does not tolerate other races very well, and is far too focused on the might of the night elves. I like him, for some reason, even if he is a total dick. He's complex.

That should be it. Next chapter will be up soon. Everything is going to get deeper from here on in!

Seeya next week!

General Grievous


	50. Change

**Disclaimer: There is no disclaimer. Or spoon. Or ownership of Naruto or World of Warcraft. Mittens.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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"Who's Illidan?" Naruto asked, suddenly, to Tyrande as they made their way towards the Temple of the Moon.

Tyrande stopped suddenly and looked at him, eyes wide. "Where did you hear that name?"

Naruto frowned. "I was in the grove earlier, and I overheard that Fandral guy talking with some other druids. He was talking about you and your husband and someone named Illidan. I figured you would know him, since he mentioned you." He noticed the intensely sad look that had appeared in her eyes, and realized that he maybe had said something he shouldn't have. "If you don't wanna talk about it…."

She shook her head, trying to smile, but failing. "No, it is alright. It is something that I should probably speak of more often." She sighed. "Yes, I do know him. Or did. He is Malfurion's brother. Illidan Stormrage; an enemy of the night elves."

Naruto blinked. The words were spoken with a bitterness that Naruto hadn't believed Tyrande capable of. Her eyes were downcast, and she even slowed in her usual long, unbreakable stride. But the look in her eyes told him that he would soon know that source of that bitterness. He couldn't decide if he should be excited or feeling guilty for dredging up memories that Tyrande most likely didn't wish to delve into. He was excited, and yet a little troubled, too. Tyrande rarely spoke of anything so personal to her. In the time that he had known her, she spoke of nothing but her love for the city and her people. She left almost all detailed mention of her husband, Malfurion, out of conversation. Naruto knew why, and he was smart enough not to pry any further.

But as they walked, and she prepared to talk about something that she probably hadn't talked about in years, Naruto couldn't help but wonder what this would reveal about Tyrande.

"Let us find a quiet place to sit. I shall tell you all there," she said, softly.

Naruto nodded.

It had been some time, weeks Naruto guessed, since they had arrived in Darnassus, and had begun their efforts to win over the elves. Again, he had no real idea how long it had been. The days and nights blended together in endless violet, and all passage of time, for Naruto, seemed to stop. The only thing that he had judge how long they had been there was progress.

When Naruto had returned from his walk with Tyrande, that night after the Council meeting, Kira had been up and ready, waiting for Naruto to return. Sure enough, as Naruto had expected, she had come to the very same conclusion that he and Tyrande had. She was delighted that Tyrande was so interested, and knew that her involvement would make everything much easier.

But, she had said, '_It isn't going to be easy. We might stay here for quite a while, you know. Be prepared for some very tedious days.'_

She hadn't been wrong.

Initially, Kira and Tyrande had all set up assignments for them. Because each of them had a different area of specialization, and could teach better about certain things then others, Kira had decided that in order for this to be most effective, they had to each choose the best area to work on. Kira's had been simple—being a medical expert, and master of priestly arts that vastly differed from the night elves', she planned to teach and to heal those who needed it. She said that if she could get the local apothecaries to help make and sell the medicines that she knew of then the night elves would be able to cure their plague of diseases faster.

She took to her art as easily as one might expect. Taking her box of Forsaken medicines, and all the knowledge on medicines and healing jutsu that she had ever known, as well as Kylia's remarkable skill in mixing poisons and medicines, she went around to the many apothecaries scattered about the city. On her first time, Tyrande accompanied them, allowing the shopkeepers to get to know Kira and her handmaiden, and be able to trust them. She spent every day simply talking to a different shopkeeper, helping them make and write down the traditional cures that she knew, and then breaking apart and analyzing the cures that the Forsaken had developed. The night elves were amazed by the complexity, and ingenuity of the Forsaken cures. Kira was interested too. As much as Faranell, the Master Apothecary, had bothered her, she had to applaud the genius of the concoctions he developed. Some of the things she found in the cures could only be found in distant lands, and others looked completely synthesized.

Human apothecaries, she realized, would never have thought to develop their own ingredients for cures. She guessed that the ingredients were hybrids or chimeras of certain medicinal plants and herbs. The results had some of the effects of the plants used, but also new ones created from the hybridization process. The night elves needed no explanation for this. They were master botanists, and as soon as Kira had helped them completely break down the cure, they would set off to find or duplicate the ingredients.

That was one thing that amazed her. Thanks to the druids, they could have almost any plant they wished.

Using their control over the forest and wood, they could cultivate plants that could grow in only the harshest of climates, in their own forests. As long as they had seen it before, and knew its properties, they could create seeds and coax it to life. She could see how they believed they didn't need anyone.

But all the while, she sought to change that.

Kira spoke to them of dozens of things that they could learn. She told them of the medicinal techniques that she had only begun to learn in her training. She told them of the Forsaken and their medicine-making skills, and the tauren and their healing abilities. She did it as subtly as possible. She slipped in a fact here, an anecdote there, anything to make the people more receptive to races that they had not usually dealt with.

She told them specifically of the trolls, and their abilities to duplicate their own regeneration with troll's blood potion. Some of their potions also were said to have some much more potent effects, even going so far as to heal nigh-irreparable internal damage that jutsu couldn't. Unfortunately, the night elves had initially ignored her on this account. They detested trolls, pure and simple. Tyrande had later explained that among the theories that explained the night elves' creation, was that they were the earliest trolls, transformed by the power of the Well of Eternity. Most night elves took offense to that.

Kira worked hard every day. After an entire day of talking and working with apothecaries, she would return to the inn, eat a little dinner, then drop immediately to sleep. Even after working just as hard, Kylia still have enough energy to worry that she might be working too hard.

Kylia spent her time both with and away from her mistress. She would accompany her to every apothecary, and would help in the mixing process of every medicine that Kira knew of. She had learned to mix her own poisons since she was very young, and had developed many shortcuts and techniques. Many of those techniques could apply to medicine making. Her knowledge of plants and poisonous animals helped quite well, too. She knew the minute difference in dosage between helping and hurting someone in certain toxic plants, for in very small doses many such plants could help. She was extremely pleased that she could be of such help to her mistress and her dream.

Kira was pleased that Kylia could be of such help, too. She was amazed at how skilled she could be at times, and at others could be so hopelessly clumsy.

Naruto and Kira saw each other often enough, though. While Kira spent her time in the city, with the normal, everyday people of Darnassus, Naruto spent his among the warriors.

Such a thing would normally be exceedingly difficult. The Sentinel training compound was banned to all but night elf females, and therefore under normal circumstances, Naruto wouldn't have been allowed in. Thanks to Tyrande, he was able to get in, but only the training yard, where most of the sparring and exercises took place.

The building was very near to the main entrance, right in front of a place called the Warrior's Terrace. It was a large, white building with a single, two-doored entrance. Inside, there was a large courtyard, surrounded by long colonnades which hid the entrances to many other training rooms, none of which Naruto had ever had a chance to see.

Because he was not allowed to go anywhere else, Naruto guessed that anything beyond the courtyard would be a pervert's dream. He could picture Jiraiya peeping around in this place, and ending up impaled on a pike with a note attached saying "Pervert's Beware!" written in his own blood. The image was comical, yet sobering. He didn't even try.

Within the training yard, Naruto did two things. First, he bore witness to the complicated and incredibly draining exercises that every Sentinel had to do every day during their training. For hours they would constantly move. They rarely stopped to rest, doing everything they could to keep their hearts thumping, and their blood rushing. They learned this way not only to build their stamina up, but to increase their strength and muscle power. With their perfectly proportioned bodies and incredible balance, coupled with this training, Naruto could see how they could be considered so strong.

The second thing he did was fight.

Every day he was subjected to fighting a different Sentinel. He was forced to fight trainees, who could hit fast and hard, and seemed to have almost perfect aim; he fought journeymen, fresh from their first few months in training at Feathermoon Stronghold; he even faced a full-fledged Sentinel, nearly six thousand years old.

In terms of raw power, they didn't compare to him. Their chakra levels were high, but his own still vastly dwarfed them. But in skill, they easily had him beat. They were superb. The senior Sentinel that he fought could've killed him, easily, he knew. While he was sure that if he went all out, he could defeat her, she had far more control over her own abilities. Naruto learned quite a bit from that fight.

But so did they.

Every time he went, he taught them. He was no good at that with words, and even if he was, he doubted they'd listen to a kid like him, so he did it with actions. He demonstrated, at different points, every technique he had learned since he had come to this world. He fought his hardest, and told them of his previous fights in the world. He told them of his battles against non-humans like the Ventursaurus Rex, Gyth, or Mekgineer Thermaplugg's armor suit. Then he told them of his fights against Captain Blood and his crew of pirates, Cyrussian T. Venture, and Rend Blackhand. They could scarcely believe that a child had done all that.

But he did not always talk of his fights. He told them of his experiences with each race he had come to know. He gave them the side they had never seen. They had always seen the Horde in battle, on their opposing side. They had never seen what they were like out of battle. Naruto showed that to them. He showed them training techniques that he had learned from them, and told them stories of his times in Orgrimmar. The younger elves were enraptured by the tales of things that they had never seen and rarely heard about; the elders were given a new perspective on their former enemies.

Unconsciously, Naruto was making friends. Hearing the tales of a young man like Naruto began to inspire the younger Sentinels into training harder, and faster. The veteran Sentinels, however, too found inspiration. But it was not in his words or his actions; but his relationship with their High Priestess, Tyrande. They saw the Tyrande that had led their people for over ten thousand years, after the Sundering. Naruto had brought back the Tyrande that fought; the strong-willed woman that they had all loved. Naruto and Kira had given her a reason to fight, and were right by her side as she fought. They found nothing but respect for someone who could do that.

Neera went with him almost every day. The elf girl was beyond impressed; seeing him fight confirmed the almost impossible to believe stories. She sparred with him often, too, leaving him impressed. She did have talent; she was light on her feet, almost impossibly so, and was an expert marksman and hand-to-hand fighter. But that was not what truly impressed him. It was her drive. She trained as hard as she could, every day, leaving only when her hair was sticky with sweat, and her muscles burned with exhaustion. She did it all for Tyrande, in the hope that one day she would be able to see the world and its people. She wanted to see that which had been nothing more than a distant dream to her in the past. Now that it was laid about before her, she wanted the Alliance to be formed just as much as Kira.

Their friendship grew. Neera loved to listen to Naruto talk about the world, no matter which one it was. She loved hearing about her own, but the prospect of another seemed just as enticing. She also loved teasing Naruto. Naruto quickly found out that her childish personality, coupled with her extreme beauty, was a very good weapon. She could make Naruto blush and stutter any time she wished, with but a simple gesture or word. It was quite a lot of fun. For her anyways.

Naruto enjoyed talking to Neera too. Despite her teasing, they got along quite well, and shared similar interests. One happened to be (and Naruto was seriously wondering by this point if Fate had determined everyone he had met so far in this world) a type of ramen. The elves called it _e'nmara_. The only difference between it and regular ramen was that the noodles were blue. The grasses and grains were all a bluish color, so when they were processed into noodles, they retained their azure pigment. It was a little weird eating blue ramen, but it tasted good nonetheless.

When Naruto wasn't in the Sentinel compounds, he was in one of two places: either in the Cenarion Enclave, amongst the many trees, finding a quiet place to train alone, or walking with, and listening to, Tyrande.

The Cenarion Enclave was a large portion of land surrounding a large hill. Atop the hill was a circle of trees in which the druids had many meetings and spoke of things that only those in their order, the Cenarion Circle, should know of. Beneath the hill was the Rogue's den, where the members of the Rogue's Guild schemed. There were few of them left; with the steady peace that had come to Teldrassil, there wasn't much need for their skills anymore. Tyrande still kept them active, however. One never knew when they might be needed.

Naruto spent his time around the hill. The trees were immense, and there were plenty of clearings for him to practice in. Everyday, after he spent time in the Sentinel compound, he went there. It was quiet, and he could spend his time revising his techniques, and thinking up as many variations to them as he wished. He continued to get stronger.

The Kyuubi was silent. It neither spoke to him, nor alerted him to its presence the entire time Naruto trained like this. The blonde thought that odd; especially since the creature seemed to have taken an interest in goading Naruto into using its powers whenever it could. He didn't dare attempt to tap into its powers. He felt like the creature was lulling him into a false sense of security. Come the next real battle, Naruto knew that the creature would be howling to be let free.

It was unnerving how strange the Kyuubi had been acting of late. More unnerving was the ease with which Naruto was using its power. After fourteen or so years of imprisonment, the Kyuubi was becoming extremely restless; and Naruto didn't like it one bit.

But not only that, looking back on every major battle he had fought, Naruto would have lost without the Kyuubi's power. It angered him a little. Rexxar's words continued to ring through his mind. He would train his own abilities, and not use the demon's chakra anymore, unless it was a last resort. He wanted to build up his own strength. He couldn't rely on the demon.

Tsuwabuki came with him every time, training alongside him. They worked on creating coordinated attacks, which neither were very good at. Both had a tendency to think up their own ways of attacking, and neither preferred to defer to the other. But they were both willing, and worked as hard as they could in order to improve this weakness. When the fox wasn't with him, she was wandering the forests, hunting and enjoying herself. She could do little to help; she was a fox, and the only one that understood her was Naruto. Naruto enjoyed the time he spent with his spirit animal.

Naruto also trained with his sword. Tyrande's explanation of talents had given him a renewed surge of energy in using the blade. He couldn't wait to find out what it was. Each time he practiced with it, images of the blade glowing with fire, or surrounded with icy vapor, or crackling with electricity or even growing impossibly large, danced through his head. Each vision made him work harder.

But he did not know how to awaken the talent. He tried pushing his chakra into it, which was hard, and that didn't work. He tried using the Kaenhira a few different ways, imbuing the blade with fiery chakra, but found that he could apply a similar technique to his own kunai and shuriken. Other than being indestructible, and light as a feather, he couldn't possibly think of what its talent might be. At times it frustrated him, but he never dwelled on it for long, and would always quickly return to his exercises.

His progress reflected in other ways. He managed to finally summon a single undead creature that did not attack him—a banshee, whose named was Matilda. He had planned to summon something smaller, but when he had tried, she popped out instead. Rather than try and attack him on sight, she seemed a little amused by it. She had heard from the others, as well as Sylvanas herself that a human had been gifted with the power to summon her kind.

"You're the first person after the Champion of the Forsaken to be honored with that privilege. So I figure you can't be that bad. Now that I've gotten a chance to meet you, I'm impressed. Summon me if you're in a bind, okay? The Dark Lady wouldn't give out something like our scroll so flippantly. I recognize your skill. I'll put in a good word, okay?" she had said, before vanishing in a wisp of smoke.

Naruto had rejoiced at his victory, and would've continued, before he was struck with the thought that the night elves might not be so happy to have anything bigger than a banshee appear on their island. He wisely stopped, confident that whatever he summoned in true battle would listen to him.

At times during these training sessions, druids would come and watch. They rarely spoke to him. They simply watched; their presence made known by their glowing eyes, which he could always see out of the corner of his eye. Sometimes, they would talk amongst themselves, as if he weren't there. Sometimes they would approach him; with a word of advice, or a simple praise. A lot of them, despite being loyal to Fandral, were not unkind. Naruto talked to them as often as he could, usually while he continued to train.

He made a few friends, that way, or at least he thought he did. He saw Fandral hovering about often. The Arch Druid never spoke to him, and generally ignored him. He would act like Naruto didn't exist, never stopping in his current conversation even if he walked a little ways away from Naruto's training. This was how Naruto had been able to hear the name of Tyrande's husband's brother, Illidan. The very name that had led him to the current topic of conversation with the High Priestess of Elune.

Tyrande stopped walking. They had long since entered the temple, and now stood in the darkened moonwell room. The pool in the center still glowed with a lunar light. The soft sound of the water falling from the basin clutched the statue, along with the buzzing of insects and chirping of birds, made it seem more like they were in the middle of a clearing in the forest than a great marble building. The room was otherwise empty. The Sisters, Tyrande explained, always had duties to attend to in other parts of the Temple and city. Unless Tyrande had called them there, they rarely spent their time in the moonwell.

Tyrande took a seat on the edge of the pool, her eyes once again lost in another time. Naruto waited patiently, plopping down on the soft grass in front of her.

"Illidan," she finally said, "was nothing like his brother. Where Malfurion was generous and humble, Illidan was selfish and boastful. While Malfurion followed the path of the druids, and was especially gifted in that area, Illidan followed the path of sorcery. He used the abilities granted to him by the Well of Eternity to great effect—as much, in fact, as the very Highborne that we fought.

"Illidan was not cruel, though. He was just misguided; at that time, he was young and rebellious, and despite Malfurion's warnings, he continued to draw on the power of the Well. He craved it. Therefore, despite all he did to convince Illidan to stop, Illidan eventually betrayed us.

"So tempted was he by the powers of the Well, that he couldn't bear to be without them. While we plotted to destroy it, he warned Azshara of our intentions. He did not want it destroyed as much as they, and hoped that by alerting them, the Well would be spared. By doing this, he lost us the element of surprise, and many elves were killed for it. To make matters worse, instead of fighting alongside us, he fled, taking some water from the Well with him, so that one day he might create another Well, and bathe in its power once more.

Naruto clenched his fists tightly. This guy sounded like a real bastard; he sounded almost like Orochimaru—always in pursuit of power. People like that disgusted him.

"After the destruction of the Well, we found him on the top of Mt. Hyjal, where he had poured the water of the Well into a lake there. The Well was easily corruptible, and those who were addicted to its power could unwittingly unleash the Burning Legion again. That is why Malfurion was disgusted by his treachery. I was too. I felt as if the Illidan that I saw atop the mountain that day was the murderer of the Illidan that I once considered a friend and ally. Therefore, I wanted nothing more than for him to pay.

"His punishment was one of the most severe every inflicted. He was imprisoned, deep beneath the Earth, for over ten thousand years."

"Ten thousand years in prison…?" said Naruto, stunned. "Why so long?"

Tyrande gave him a little smile. "By now you should know that time once had little meaning to us. And many were simply terrified of what he would do if freed. The power of the Well, we believed, had corrupted him beyond hope. So there was little point in freeing him." Her face suddenly became hard, and her eyes seemed to shine a little brighter. "Even so, I wanted him to remain in that place. He deserved such a punishment, for what he did. The reasons for why he did it were all the worse. Power!" She scoffed, making Naruto jump at the intensity. When Tyrande got angry, it was as terrifying, perhaps even more so, than when Tsunade got angry. Luckily, the anger was directed at him, allowing him to settle back down rather swiftly.

Then she sighed. "For ten thousand years, Illidan remained imprisoned. And then…I was forced to free him."

Naruto cocked his head to the side, frowning. "You did?"

She nodded. She didn't continue for a few seconds, instead reaching back and dipping her fingers into the cool, ethereal waters of the moonwell. This seemed to soothe her slightly. She lifted her hand out, letting the water drip off her hand. Naruto didn't ask her to continue. He knew she was just thinking of the right words to say.

When she began again, she said something unexpected.

"He shared one thing in common with Malfurion, however."

Naruto leaned in, intrigued.

"He was in love with me."

Naruto recoiled a little, blinking in shock. "He was?" He said it with disbelief. Maybe the guy wasn't so much like Orochimaru after all….

Tyrande nodded. "Yes. From what I was told, he had since our first meeting.

"But," she said, eyes downcast. "I didn't love him. Since I can remember, it was, and always has been Malfurion. For a time, Illidan was a trusted friend. But he was jealous of Malfurion. Everything he did seemed like a contest of strength. He always sought to win my approval, in all the wrong ways. It never worked, obviously. I loved Malfurion. The reasons were not because he looked better, or was more powerful; it was just him. He had a kind and gentle soul, and he lived in harmony with others, instead of against them or above them. He possessed an inner strength that Illidan, no matter how much power he acquired, would never be able to match. That is why I chose Malfurion. Illidan did not know that.

"Even with ten thousand years of imprisonment, his feelings remained unchanged. He loved me, if possible, even more than he had before. When I came to free him, it was not because I wanted to see him. It was out of necessity. The Burning Legion had returned, and we needed his aid." She suddenly looked more melancholy than Naruto had ever seen her. Her eyes were drawn to the floor, and she slumped over.

"Malfurion opposed this decision. He did not believe Illidan was necessary. But I thought differently. So I freed him. The first thing he did when he saw me was smile." She shivered. "It was a devil's smile. He said that he would do anything for me, and agreed to help against the Burning Legion.

"And help he did. For a while, at least.

"He destroyed many of the gates that the Legion was using to move throughout the world. He was utterly merciless, and for once, I didn't care. He inflicted an enormous amount of damage to their forces alone.

"But then he disappeared." She looked up this time, into the light that shone down from the ceiling. She didn't speak again for a few seconds. "When he returned, he had changed. He had done something that I still believe unforgivable." She shook with rage, gripping the edge of the moonwell so hard that Naruto saw them beginning to dig in.

"He sacrificed his soul for power. He consumed a demonic entity that turned him into a creature that was neither demon nor night elf. When I saw him that first time after he had gained this power, I believed that Illidan Stormrage did not exist anymore. His soul had become so blackened with desire that he had become nothing more than a well of desire, rage and power.

But far worse than that, he had cut the very thing that I believed could be his salvation—in accepting the demonic power into himself, he removed the very ties that he had to us. He shattered the bonds that held him and Malfurion as brothers. That bond, I think, may have been the only thing that could have saved him. He cut it, callously, almost without a thought, and neither Malfurion nor I have ever forgiven him for that. That, in my mind, is why he deserves the title Betrayer.

Malfurion banished him from the night elves. He would never return to our lands."

Naruto looked at Tyrande in surprise for a while. She sounded less like the kind, yet passionate woman that he had come to know, one who held the same almost boundless hope that Kira did. The words struck him in a particular way; he knew the feeling that she had experienced.

Yet, behind that disgust, there was a touch of sorrow, of disappointment, maybe.

So Naruto felt he had to ask the question.

"Did you hate him?"

Tyrande looked at him, blinking a few times. "Hate him?" Then she shook her head. "No, I did not hate him. For even when he had become that thing…even when he had sacrificed himself for power, he still loved me. That was something of a reminder of the old Illidan—the one before power had corrupted his mind and judgment. I saw, much later, that this tie he did not cut. There was one last thing binding him to me and Malfurion: his love for me.

"After Archimonde's destruction, we received a message from the elf who had kept Illidan imprisoned all those years—Maiev Shadowsong. She had engaged Illidan in a place called the Broken Isles, far to the southeast, between Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms. There he had been seeking an item called the Eye of Sargeras—a weapon of immense power that could easily tear apart entire kingdoms. He had allied himself with the naga; the very creatures that attempted to destroy us eight years ago. When Malfurion and I arrived, we fought him, and eventually defeated his forces.

"He escaped…" she finished. "And he told me, just before he left, that he didn't want me harmed. He simply wanted to escape. That was the first time that I saw he was not as gone as I had thought. He still cared for me.

"I truly saw it much later. I was attacked and nearly beaten by a swarm of Scourge in the Eastern Kingdoms, after pursuing Illidan there. He fought and destroyed them all, saving me. But that was not the shocking part. After saving me, he returned me to Malfurion.

"I saw then that Illidan was not completely gone. He was just lost."

She sighed again, lapsing into silence. Her eyes fell to the floor again.

Naruto finally probed her. "What happened to him then?"

"He vanished. He told Malfurion that he wanted to end their feud, and simply vanished into a portal. I did not know then, nor do I now, where it went. He vanished, and I have heard nothing of him since." Her face sunk a little more. "It was probably best. I do not think that anything good could come of him staying here. He was no longer a part of our kind." Then, she shivered, recalling a memory with disturbing clarity.

"His last words to me were '_I'll love you always, Tyrande.'"_

Naruto looked at her. Her hair covered her face, making it difficult to discern her expression. But he didn't need to see it. Her next words painted the portrait.

"But with those words, and the smile that accompanied it, I saw that he had slipped a little further into the madness that was slowly consuming him; a madness that would eventually take him completely."

Naruto looked at Tyrande a little while after that. She didn't appear to have anything more to say.

"Thanks," he said.

She looked up at him, a question in her wise, luminous eyes. Naruto smiled at her. "For sharing all that. I know I probably wasn't easy, but you did it anyways." He scratched the back of his head, suddenly nervous. "Nobody's ever really told me something that personal just because I asked. 'Sides, I got to learn a bit more about you, even if it was mostly about that guy. So, I figure I should thank you, you know?" He stumbled over the words, making him blush a little. He didn't know why he was suddenly so bashful. This talk had been different from the rest. Tyrande had told him a little more about herself, and her life.

Tyrande smiled kindly at him, the sadness disappearing almost at once. "Do not mention it. It felt good to speak of this matter. You are the first that I have actually told." She dipped her hand again into the pool, making circles in the water. "Confiding in someone does help, doesn't it? I should do it more often."

Naruto grinned at her.

"It is getting late," she went on. "It has been a long day. Get some rest, okay?"

Naruto nodded, before blinking. "How can you tell it's late?"

She smiled impishly. "It's a benefit of being a Priestess of the Moon. I know its location at all times. It is just barely in the sky, now, meaning that it is night. And you must be feeling tired, anyways, right?"

Naruto nodded. "Guess so." He smiled at her again. "Thanks again! Seeya tomorrow!"

She bowed her head slightly, smiling her kindest smile as Naruto got up and left.

As he departed the Temple of the Moon, his thoughts strayed to the man called Illidan. He realized something, too.

He was the same as Sasuke. When Naruto had seen him, transformed into that horrible winged monster, Naruto knew that he had cut all ties with his team. To turn himself into a monster like that, simply because he wanted power, had infuriated Naruto beyond anything else. It still infuriated him.

Yet, unlike Tyrande, Naruto wasn't going to give up on his brother.

He wondered if Malfurion felt the same way.

But, deep inside him, he felt something was not quite right about that assessment. It occurred to him that Illidan was not just like Sasuke. There was someone else whom Illidan reminded him of.

Illidan had someone he wanted to protect.

Even as a monster, he had a precious person.

---------------------------------------

He reached the hotel a little later. He bid a good night to the innkeeper, a bearded, older-looking elf with pale green hair and dark purple skin. He gave a nod and a word in Darnassian in return. He ascended the stairs, and at the top was surprised to find Kira, sitting on the top step, waiting for him. She smiled when he reached her, and stood.

"You're pretty late," she said. "Your talk with Tyrande must have been pretty important for it to have lasted so long."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, it was." He told her briefly what it was about, but didn't reveal much else. He didn't believe it was his place to tell her, anyways, and if she wanted the whole story, she would have to ask Tyrande. Kira accepted this. She told him that she needed to talk to him. She then beckoned him, and returned to her room, where Kylia was waiting.

When he stepped inside the room, she whirled on him. She looked a little nervous, and seemed to want to tell him something. This set Naruto's rather active imagination off. He had no idea why she wanted to meet with him, especially when both were so tired, but it must have been important, and a little personal, for her to have such a look.

She sucked in her breath, slowly, and for some reason, Naruto's heart wouldn't stop pumping. Finally, she said something.

"Do you think everything's going well? I mean, do you think we still have a chance in doing this?"

Naruto's nervousness was banished after the first sentence. He almost laughed. Of course it would be about something like this. He sat down on one of the wooden chairs that seemed to grow from the floorboards.

"Of course it is! We're doing great, don't you think? I mean, it's taking a long time, but you keep telling me that not all battles are fought with swords and stuff, right? We just gotta keep at it, and I'm pretty sure that the next time we approach those bastards on the Council, they'll agree. I mean, we've done a lot, haven't we?"

Kira nodded, and some of her nervousness appeared to vanish. She heaved a great sigh of relief, and sat on the edge of her bed.

"I suppose so. I was just getting a little worried. Tyrande said that from what she could tell, we've been here almost a month. I know that we can't rush it, but I'm always afraid that something will happen before the Alliance is formed. And we would never know until after we got back…" she mumbled, slumping a little.

"Oi!" Naruto said, glaring at her. "Stop acting like that! You just gotta believe, okay? Acting like this has never helped, so you just gotta keep your attitude up! We're close, and you don't wanna mess this up, do you?"

She glared back at him. "Of course not!" Then she sighed, and a little smile appeared on her face. "You're right, of course. I guess I was just having a panic attack."

"Girls usually do." He nodded twice, his arms crossed, as if to cement the validity of his statement.

Kira raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh?" she said, a little hotly. "I can give you a panic attack, if I wanted to."

Naruto squinted at her. "How?"

Kira reached into a satchel that she had set on the bed, and pulled out a small bottle of clear liquid. She held it out in front of her, smiling a falsely sweet smile.

"This is called _elomisus_ extract. The plant only grows in marshes down south, but thanks to the druids, we were able to cultivated it here. It's got a very special property, that I'm very interested in." She didn't say anymore, waiting for Naruto to question her.

Warily, Naruto did so. "What is it?"

"It vastly increases the chance that you'll get pregnant."

Naruto opened his mouth, closed it, then connected it with something she had said in the previous sentence, and would have passed out if Kylia hadn't given him a sharp rap on the skull. "W-what! W-why do h-have that!" He feared the answer.

She smirked, returning it to the satchel. "Told you!" she said, impishly, her eyes shining with mirth. Behind Naruto, Kylia giggled, a rather foreign sound coming from the usually quiet girl.

Naruto blushed, slouching in his chair. "Fine, you got me. What do you want that for anyways?"

Her smile faded a little. "The apothecaries and I have been working on a new potion, one that has the properties of this plant, only without the potential side effects. The night elves really need something like this, you see. If they don't get it, they might die out in a few generations."

Naruto sat up, alert. "What? Why?"

"For ten thousand years, none of them aged, and very few died. Very few new elves were born, because the majority of the males were sleeping beneath the World Tree, and wandering the Emerald Dream, and there wasn't a real demand for them, anyways. If they procreated that much, and none of them ever aged, they'd have vastly overpopulated the area, anyways.

"But it seems that despite not aging, or seeming to change in any big way, they did. I would even go so far as to say that they evolved, somehow. The point is that because they went so long without making any new children, their bodies didn't believe it was necessary anymore. So when the World Tree was destroyed, and the elves lost their immortality, they suddenly found it extremely difficult to procreate. They were lucky at this point, as the ones that did gave birth to more than usual, but it's still a problem. With the _elomisus _extract, we intend to help the night elves' population grow at a much faster rate. Eventually, they'll get back the pregnancy trait, but it can't be left alone."

Naruto nodded. He cared about the safety of the night elves, and their children, but he didn't like talking about things like this. He hadn't known that babies came from women until he was nine, and that was only by accident. Besides, he didn't like talking about things he couldn't relate to, like pregnancy.

"Tyrande's going to help me educated everyone in this respect," Kira said, sitting back, her eyes fixated on the ceiling. "She's a great speaker, isn't she?"

Naruto responded with a nod, in complete agreement with the young princess. Tyrande Whisperwind was easily the best public speaker than Naruto had met so far. Not even the Third, or Tsunade, could match the speeches that Tyrande could do. Both Kira and Naruto agreed that no matter how hard they worked, whether it be making medicines and helping cure the sick, or teaching others about battle and making friends, they could never match the influence Tyrande could have over her people.

She spoke publicly almost every day, in different parts of the city. She spoke of the world, of its people, and of the night elves themselves. She told them what she thought of their isolation, and what could happen if they joined this new alliance. Her words were of the utmost beauty, like flowers in full bloom, yet not nearly so delicate. They were strong, durable, and they reached everyone who listened to them. She did not seem to make speeches so much as to weave stories; beautiful ballads that described seemingly impossible things in distant, fairy-tale lands.

But everything she spoke was the truth.

Kira was in constant awe of her abilities. Because she would one day become the queen of Stormwind, she would need an ability like that. She listened to the words even better than anyone else, despite being already convinced of their meaning.

Naruto listened closely too. After all, he was going to Hokage, and would like to be a better public speaker than Tsunade, with her blunt words and almost perpetual scowl.

Of course, she had other ways to motivate her people….

"You talk with her a lot," Kira suddenly said. She sat up straighter, looking at him almost slyly.

"So?" Naruto said, frowning.

Kira shrugged. "I think it's good. She'll probably have a good influence on you." Then she yawned, and said, "We're all tired, let's get some rest, okay?"

Naruto nodded, standing up. He bid good night, and on his way out, he stopped, and turned back to the two girls. He flashed a smile at Kira.

"We're close, Kira-chan. Let's make this alliance and kick that Lich King guy's ass, okay?"

Kira blinked, before a smile spread across her features as well. She nodded.

"Let's."

--------------------------------------------

Far away, in the distant lands that Tyrande spoke of every day, Kira's plans were becoming reality, more and more everyday.

Orgrimmar was nearly back on its feet. The repairs were going splendidly, with nearly all of the Valley of Strength and Valley Honor being repaired. Orcs, tauren, and trolls worked everyday, reforming the tight relationships that they had once had in addition to repairing the great city of the orcs. In the few months since the attack, Orgrimmar seemed even greater than before. A phoenix rising from the ashes.

Trade boomed. The roads in the Barrens were packed with caravans and carts, taking goods like leather, iron, grain and wood from Orgrimmar to the Crossroads, then to Mulgore and Ratchet. From Ratchet, where much of the trading was already done, goods traveled down to Stranglethorn. Grom'gol, the main trading camp for the Horde, just north of Booty Bay, had been repaired and was back in use, mostly by Vol'jin and his trolls. They used it to store all the materials and goods that they needed to expand their villages, which grew larger everyday. Grom'gol was already twice as big as it had been before, and the zeppelin tower was in use every day.

With the Venture Co. broken apart and no longer a monopoly on the more common materials, iron and coal, oil and wood, the races were able to find more buyers. They began trading with those they had not needed to trade with before, such as the goblin continent, the Undermine. New businesses flourished, and indeed, things had never seemed better to them.

But more importantly, people were happy. Happier than they had been in years. Businesses that had been shut down after the Horde had fallen apart, because the owners had been of different races, were started up again. Friendships, even more intimate relationships were started again. Orgrimmar never seemed more active, or stronger and the people loved it. To them, it was heaven; they had a booming economy, repaired alliance, and a peace never before achieved.

From the newly repaired Grommash Hold, Thrall heard all of this, and smiled. Every day he could see that things were returning to what they had been before, and would probably continue on after that.

It was common knowledge now that they were to be entering into an alliance with their former enemies. At first, Thrall had been skeptical that they would accept it. Many bore grudges against the former Alliance, and he didn't think that those grudges could be easily forgotten.

But he was wrong.

Because they had housed a human for several months, and that human had played a great part in the creation of their current happiness, they were quite accepting. They didn't seem, for the most part, to care for their old grudges. If it meant that they could live like this forevermore, than they could stomach having to spend time with gnomes, dwarves, humans and elves.

Thrall knew that Naruto had been the result of that change of opinion. He saw that because of the relationships Naruto had formed when he had stayed here, they would accept this seemingly impossible to believe alliance, as long as there were those that believed it that brat and the little princess.

He didn't much believe it himself, but every day, Nazgrel came with news of everything that was happening in the city. He told of the rise in morale, the booming businesses, the state of the repair operation, and numerous other things that no matter how tedious or insignificant, served to remind Thrall that his people were happy. To a ruler, nothing was more nourishing than that.

"…aside from the usual drunken brawls, there has been little for the Grunts to break up. Things are, for the most part, peaceful, my lord. There isn't anything else to say," rumbled Nazgrel, lifting his deep black eyes to stare at Thrall's electric blue ones.

Thrall nodded. "Thank you, Nazgrel." Then, he cocked his head to the side, and asked, "Is there any news from Sylvanas? She has not yet contacted us."

Nazgrel made a face, and shook his head. "No. There has been no news from the Banshee Queen." His tone seemed to imply that such an answer was obvious.

Thrall sighed. He had been expecting some sort of word, even if it was just news that she had killed Naruto and Kira for some reason or another. The thought was horrible, but not entirely impossible. Sylvanas had a hair trigger temper, in his opinion, and he had lost a messenger or two that way, especially when he had first extended a hand to her, back before the Horde had split up. Naruto was, in his opinion, not exactly the person to hold his tongue, especially in front of people of power. Her silence reassured him that she had not yet killed him.

"I can see that you expected her to have replied," Nazgrel said, raising an eyebrow at his lord.

Thrall chuckled. "I did. Either she is working them to the bone as I might have, or she has simply forgotten to tell me that she had them killed. I believe that Naruto would likely have convinced her not to kill them, but I cannot help but worry."

"_Save your worries, fool. The boy lives, and here is your word."_ The words came so swiftly and so hauntingly quiet that Thrall believed at first that he had imagined them. But he had not, for their speaker was suddenly there, in the room with them.

Sylvanas stood at the very entrance to the throne room, her deep robes of black, her bleached, pale eyes and grey skin in complete contrast to the warm, earthy colors around her. The light of the torches seemed to dim as she entered the room. She had not changed outwardly, and still had the same sardonic, superior smirk on her face. She never left home without it. She was alone.

Nazgrel stepped back in shock, his hand flying to the wolf-claw weapons at his side. "You! How did you…?"

"_Your guards are so easily fooled it is borderline between amusing and sad. I am the Banshee Queen, orc. It is not simply a title."_ Her eyes then flicked to Thrall, and she smiled curtly. "_I could have had you killed anytime I wanted, Thrall. You'd best invest in some better guards."_

Thrall stood, letting out a low rumbling laugh. "If I was a woman, Sylvanas, I'd feel inclined to invest in as many guards as you. Thankfully, however, I am not."

She walked forwards, the barb passing through her as if she were a ghost. She spoke in the same, superior drawl that she always had. "_This place has not changed. Still disgustingly dusty, hot, and full of sweaty creatures that smell like dung heaps. I'd invest in a proper sanitation system, while this economic boom lasts."_

Thrall tilted his head to the side. "A fine idea. I'll get back to you on it, I promise." He looked at Nazgrel. "Leave us, we have much to discuss, I dare-say."

Nazgrel gave a grudging nod, and left without a word.

"I assume you are here, then, to discuss the terms of this alliance?"

"_What else?"_ Sylvanas said lazily, walking to the middle of the room. Thrall descended from his throne, and met her there. His hands moved into a seal, causing the floor to shoot up, forming two makeshift stools. Thrall took his place on one, while Sylvanas brushed hers off, and sat down too.

"How are your people?" Thrall asked, calmly.

"_Well. They are not in the midst of such a time as yours, but then again, we don't need it. We are self-sufficient."_

"And the brat? Where is he?"

"_Likely amidst the Kaldorei. I knew that they would have some trouble in convincing them."_

"For how long have they been there?"

"_A month or so."_

Thrall looked impressed. "They were able to convince you in such a short time. I am impressed. I would have thought that you wouldn't have believed it possible."

"_I believe in nothing," _she said coldly._ "It is useless to make predictions about something like this. If it succeeds, then I will benefit. If it does not, then I will still be in the prime position to tell the boy that it failed, and tell and the girl 'I told you so.' I will wait and see what occurs, and react accordingly."_

"Wise words. I knew you would think that," said Thrall. "But nonetheless, you have changed."

Sylvanas raised a gorgeous eyebrow. "_Oh?"_

Thrall nodded once. "I feel as if I am speaking to the true Sylvanas Windrunner. I do not know what it is the boy did, but the masks you had whenever we last met are now gone. It is nice to meet you, finally, by the way."

She smiled a slightly strained smile, her eyes curving into deadly crescent moons. "_Clever. For a giant green pig, you have quite the wit. But then again, I knew that."_

Thrall rumbled with laughter again. Unlike before, trading barbs with Sylvanas now seemed to have more feeling to it. It was yet another effect from Naruto's presence. You couldn't help but change after meeting him. When he had first allied with Sylvanas, she had insulted him or his ruling whenever they met. But trying to retort had been like trying to trade insults with a patch of fog. Now, he enjoyed the reactions she gave, however slight.

She was not as cold and unfeeling as her title suggested, he realized.

She went on. "_The brat brings change. It is not possible to meet him, I have come to believe, and not be affected by him. He has sharp eyes and instinctually knows when change is needed. Though I would never tell it to his face, the brat might do something for this world. Something permanent."_

Thrall nodded in agreement. "Perhaps. I have high hopes for him. As do the others."

"_I have no such hopes. There are only possibilities. It is possible he could just be forgotten in the long run. Who knows? It doesn't matter now, anyways."_

They sat in silence for a while. Then Thrall snorted.

"Hmph," he rumbled. "In all this excitement, I have forgotten to inquire as to why you came here yourself. Don't you usually have one of those ambassadors come for you?"

She nodded, an amused look crossing her face. "_Usually, yes. But he has other duties to attend to. I sent him to Dun Morogh. He is to meet with the gnomes and dwarves, along with his body guard_."

Thrall nodded. "I sent one as well. He was reluctant to leave, but I said the change of scenery would do him good, and he is a sensible person, who would not start a conflict without due reason. Perhaps he will meet with yours."

Sylvanas smiled again, even wider this time. "_For his sake, hope he doesn't. Fen can only be tolerated by certain people."_

Thrall chuckled again. "I'd forgotten how witty you can be."

"_It'd be better for your piece of mind not to again, Thrall. Let us discuss what I came here to, then, shall we? I have little time for dawdling."_

"Of course."

And as they spoke, the world continued to change.

---------------------------------

Golbarn liked to have plans.

They gave him a sense of security and purpose. If he had a plan, then he knew exactly what to do. If he stuck to the plan, then most of the time, the outcome he had wanted would be achieved. Of course, there was generally a certain amount of leeway, and he always planned, especially since meeting Naruto, for someone to do something wrong, or something to happen that he didn't expect. So long as he planned it, it was fine. A plan was necessary, in his eyes, for every major, and minor, action one could take.

For example, he had planned that upon arriving in the barren wastes and biting cold of Dun Morogh, he would head straight for Ironforge. The Zeppelin tower got off nearer to Gnomeregan, but he had no desire to test the defenses that the gnomes had likely set up; the machines would likely destroy him before he got close enough to wave a white flag. Besides, Ironforge was where King Magni was, and that was part of his mission and hence his plan. He had to gain an audience with the King of the Dwarves, and discuss the terms of the alliance that was to be set up.

It seemed simple enough. He planned to lay down all of his weapons when he got there, as a sign of peace, and speak what little Common he knew to make his intentions clear. He only hoped that the dwarves on duty would think before acting.

But he had plans for if that happened, too. If they attacked, he would defend, but not counterattack. He would show them that he meant no harm. Eventually they would see that he wasn't a threat, and he would tell them in broken common that he was "part of the alliance". If what Naruto had said was true, then they would likely understand, and let him in. He planned to simply follow them, and act as submissive as possible. Humiliating, yes, but it was part of his plan, and the end result: a meeting with King Magni, was what he desired.

Yes, he had plans for everything. He had even planned for some other events, such as meeting a troupe of hunters or guardsmen along the way. He'd do the same thing with them. Act submissive, and say that he was heading for Ironforge for the alliance.

He planned for a little more unlikely things too. He had planned that he would fight if he met a group of dire wolves, or a small group of Scourge. If he encountered some of the troggs that were said to wander the snowy mountains, then he'd fight then as well.

Unfortunately, what he didn't plan for, amazingly, was meeting two Forsaken along the way. Now, normally this wouldn't be a problem. They were on his side, and therefore he shouldn't have minded if they tagged along with him, especially since they had the same mission as he.

What he didn't plan, however, was that one of them was easily the most annoying person he had ever met in his life. Not even Naruto could compare to the constant jabbering and only vaguely witty comments of the Forsaken called Fenritt.

He'd met them soon after he had gotten off the zeppelins, trudging through the knee-deep snow. He heard them long before he saw them-- one of them was singing something that might have been vaguely catchy if he had the talent to sing. When he spotted them, one dressed in green furs and the other in all black, he had the distinct impression that he was going to lament their meeting.

He was right.

The one in green called out to him cheerfully, immediately introducing himself in Orcish. Th other didn't, so Fenritt did it for him.

"We're heading to Ironforge," said Fenritt, grinning at him. "You?"

"Ironforge," he replied a little tersely. The Forsaken looked pleased and declared that they should go together.

And so they did.

And Golbarn, every step of the way, wondered what he had done to deserve such a curse. He seemed to attract loud, annoying people. He could bear Naruto's blabbering in general, but Fenritt's was almost impossible. His partner, Myrdraxxis, must have had the patience of a saint to deal with him. The other Forsaken hardly spoke, and Golbarn felt that he could get along with him. They both enjoyed their silence.

They reached the edge of the forest a day later, where the massive mountain of Ironforge loomed above them. Golbarn saw little movement near the entrance, but didn't stop to consider what to do next. He had his plan.

The Forsaken trailed after him, with Fen whispering oohs and ahhs at the sight of the City of the Dwarves. Myrdraxxis hid whatever surprise he might have had. He might have seen it before, for all Golbarn knew.

As they trudged up the slope, Golbarn's eyes rested only briefly on the large gun turrets on either side of the road. They looked freshly cleaned off, despite the last night's heavy snowfall.

'_Maybe they expected us,'_ he thought darkly.

All three were very much surprised (though Myrdraxxis once again didn't appear to be) when the only thing they encountered at the entrance was a lone, rather old dwarf. He was sturdy looking, with a gnarled face, a single black eye, and a scraggly grey beard. Golbarn, Fenritt and Myrdraxxis stopped a few yards away from him. Despite their good intentions, there was still a slightly hostile air between them.

Golbarn couldn't count the time he had been in this very position; but unlike those other times, he held no blade in his hands, and wished no death upon this dwarf. Nonetheless, he felt incredibly strange meeting something that he had always considered an enemy on terms such a this.

The dwarf looked at the three of them without expression. Then, he spoke in a gruff voice, in heavily accented Orcish.

"Messengers?" he grunted.

Fen grinned and nodded, and spoke back in Common. "Yep." He jerked his hand at Myrdraxxis and himself. "We're from Lady Sylvanas. He is a representative of the orcs, trolls and tauren."

Golbarn didn't understand much of what the Forsaken said, but nodded in agreement.

The dwarf once again looked them over. His age identified him as a hardened fighter. He had likely been in the same position as Golbarn. But the orc noticed that he did not view them with revulsion or hate. It was possible that he was just concealing it, though.

"Right then," the dwarf said finally. "Come on in; King Magni's been expectin' yeh. Been waitin' for word from yehr leaders fer some time. Come on then."

Fen started forwards at once, his partner following a second later. Golbarn had only understood a few words, due to the accent, but followed anyways. It seems that Fen hadn't been as useless as he had thought.

Fen fell into step alongside the dwarf, appearing nonchalant. "They must be pretty confident to send such an old dwarf to meet us. I mean, you look like you might keel over any second old-timer."

The dwarf looked up at him, a strange look coming over his face. It appeared to be shock at first, then anger and annoyance, before it petered off into the stony gaze that he had held when they had first met him.

Then, he grinned.

"This comin' from the lad who's skin is sloughin' off his bones. Yeh sure you'll be able to get there without turnin' into dust?"

Fen laughed.

Myrdraxxis, had he had eyes to roll, would have done so.

Golbarn, who did not understand the words they were using, all too well understood their meaning. He smiled too, which couldn't be seen by the others.

Those minute gestures; a laugh here and a joke there, signaled change. He would've never thought something like this possible.

But here he was. An orc, two Forsaken, and a dwarf, brought together by a group of humans, to represent an alliance that would span the whole world.

It sounded like a bad joke. Only they weren't walking in to a bar.

But they were laughing nonetheless.

---------------------------

It took almost all of Naruto's strength to keep himself upright when Shandris Feathermoon's three-bladed shuriken-like weapon crashed onto Magni's Pride, causing the air to ring and sparks to bloom. He focused chakra into his feet, and jumped as far away as he could, landing almost a dozen yards away from the Commander of the Sentinels.

Around the edges of the courtyard, underneath the long colonnades, all the young trainee Sentinels watched. They were quite surprised when Lady Shandris had appeared that morning, interested in seeing how their training was progressing. She saw Naruto sparring with Neera, and after they had finished, she casually requested a match with him. After all, she had been interested in fighting a little with him since she had heard of his deeds. This seemed like the perfect time to do so.

She had begun the battle explosively. One moment, she stood nearly twenty feet away, and a second later, she was there, in front of him, her three-bladed weapon slicing through the air towards him. Without thinking, Naruto's hand had drawn his sword and parried the blow; but he was astounded by her strength. He leapt away at once, reeling from the blow, his arms slightly numb. It was all he had thought to do.

Now, Naruto stood trying to recover from the attack. He didn't have long, for she ran at him again, moving faster than Naruto could believe. He met her half way, this time, using the _Kazaashi_ to bolster his own speed. They struck at each other at the same time, and once again Naruto nearly toppled from the force of the hit. She was amazingly strong!

Thinking quickly, Naruto blurred away, weaving his fingers together as he did.

"**Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"** he hissed, almost to himself. His body became six, and in another instant, all had surrounded the Sentinel Commander.

Shandris' eyes flicked to each of the clones she faced, a smile touching her lips. The technique was strange, and though she couldn't tell which was the original, she figured it didn't matter. She'd let him come to her.

The clones didn't rush her, however. Instead, they blurred away, and began to circle her at _Kazaashi_ speed. She was surrounded by a blur of black and orange, with hints of blonde and flickers of silver now and then.

'_Clever...'_ she thought. But their action broadcasted their next move, which was a sudden storm of shuriken flying from all sides. Shandris leapt high into the air, avoiding the deadly iron, her eyes flicking down, only to discover that her attackers had vanished. All that remained of their presence were the shuriken that had missed.

She landed a few yards away from her original position, frowning.

Her eyes scanned around her. The boy couldn't have gotten far, but for the life of her, she couldn't see him.

But, a second later, she heard a very slight, almost silent footfall directly behind her. Her ears, large as they were, proved to be not just for show.

She spun on her heel, parrying Naruto's blade as it appeared from seemingly nowhere. The boy grunted in frustration, the black markings of the _Kagesui_ fading from his face and neck. She pushed him off and continued her attack, her weapon twirling as she slashed it through the air. Naruto's blade, amazingly, was there to meet hers every time. It was impressive, as Shandris had been sure the boy was a purely offensive fighter. Apparently, she had thought wrong.

It was almost a purely physical battle. The terms had been decided as that, seeing as it was a spar, not a true fight, and neither wanted to cause undue harm to each other or the courtyard. Abilities like the _Kazaashi, Kongou, _and _Kagesui_ didn't count, seeing as how they were physical based abilities.

Suddenly Naruto planted his feet into the ground, and hardened his body with _Kongou_ just as his blade met hers. Now possessing the mobility of a stone wall, Naruto didn't move and inch, and as Shandris pulled back from the attack, and struck out, kicking her in the knee. She lifted it up, avoiding the kick, only to have Naruto shoot off the ground, and ram into her, throwing her backwards. His head struck her in the stomach, his body still as stiff as rock, making the attack far more effective.

Despite the air rushing from her lungs, Shandris leapt away, surprised once again at the boy's ingenuity. He was making use of the abilities he had learned quite well. She was even more impressed at how quickly he was able to react, and to think on his feet. It was the mark of a very skilled warrior to be able to counterattack as effectively as he had.

But, the battle was awakening a rather competitive streak in her. She found her blood boiling, her heart racing. She didn't want to lose this fight, even if it was merely a spar.

Holding her shuriken out to the side, she began to channel her chakra into it. The blades began to glow, long spikes of chakra surrounding each one, extending out almost a foot from their tips. Smirking, she hurtled the weapon at Naruto, who was already moving.

The blonde dodged to the side, and rushed at her with the speed of the wind. As soon as he reached her, however, she moved away, not meeting his attack.

Puzzled, the blonde turned to head after her, when his eye caught a glint of steel. He whipped towards it just in time to bring his blade to meet the shuriken weapon, which struck his with a resounding clang. But rather than bounce off, it continued to push, as if guided by an invisible hand, even stronger than Shandris'. He gritted his teeth as he was forced to take a few steps back, as the weapon continued to push.

Suddenly, Shandris appeared at his side, delivering a wicked fast, and amazingly powerful punch at his jaw. Or rather, it would have been at his jaw, if Magni's Pride hadn't suddenly moved the slightest bit, so that her punch struck the very end of the guard. Her eyes widened briefly at the slight, expert move, and Naruto took the sudden opening to kick her in the stomach, and blur away.

Shandris grunted in pain, but at the same time snatched her weapon out of the air. She watched where Naruto, panting heavily, landed.

'_I didn't think he was that good with the sword...or maybe he isn't.'_ She thought, frowning.

Naruto himself was having a hard time trying to understand why he had suddenly become so good at blocking. He rarely took the effort to block, seeing as how he could heal quite fast. But it was as if the weapon itself was doing the blocking, not him. He recalled a similar experience during his fight with Mograine.

He couldn't wonder long. Shandris was back, her weapon twirling again. Naruto avoided the attack this time, as one hand dug into his weapon pouch, bringing forth a kunai. He leapt away again, hurtling the dagger as he did.

Shandris snatched the blade from the air, and then pulled back and through her weapon, still glowing with chakra, at Naruto. The chakra blades cut the ground as it flew, and Naruto grunted as Magni's Pride parried it again. One of the chakra blades had stopped just over his head, neatly splitting one of his tufts of hair. Any further and he would have been killed.

Shandris rushed at him again. Clutching the kunai tightly, she rushed straight for the blonde. She thrust up with the kunai, fully expecting him to dodge.

He didn't.

The blade struck his _Kongou_ hardened flesh, but did not pierce through. He let go of his sword with one hand, and grabbed her arm. He kicked at her again, this time much higher than before, but she twisted her body neatly out of the way, and grabbed her chakra enhanced weapon, applying even more force onto it. At the same time, one of her incredibly long legs swept Naruto's legs out from under him, and pushing with all of her weight, she smashed him onto the ground.

Neither moved for a few moments. Naruto lay panting, a slight trickle of blood running down his forehead. The deadly chakra surrounding her blades had moved down slightly during the fall, just enough to cut into the top of his head.

"Well," she said, smiling down at the blonde. "I think we might have found that blade's talent!"

---------------------------

"Super blocking ability, huh?" Naruto muttered, staring at his sheathed blade a little later, as he and Neera exited the Sentinel training building. They had trained a lot longer that day, so it was much later than usual, and Naruto was dead tired.

"It sounds cool," said Neera, yawning widely.

At first, Naruto hadn't been too thrilled with his ability. But Shandris, who seemed to find the ability utterly unbelievable, explained to him its benefits.

"_I think that the more you use it, the more effective it will become. You saw how you were able to block my punch, using just your hilt? I bet the more you train with it, the more connected it will become with your chakra. Eventually, I imagine that you'll be able to use it block almost anything; chakra attacks, projectiles, anything you can think of, really. It might not suit you, but from what I saw, the blade did the work for you. You like to attack, and with that, you won't nearly be hit as much."_

Naruto had warmed to it after that. Shandris had warned him not to rely too much on the weapon, because they still didn't know the limits of its ability. She guessed that every time it parried, it drained some of his chakra, so he had to be careful in that respect.

He was also curious as to why this hadn't happened before. He'd had the sword for quite a while, and it had only recently begun to show signs of its talent.

Shandris had shrugged. "_Maybe it was because you didn't have the proper skill in using it. Maybe because it had to take some time to get used to you. Dwarven blades are so well made that many of them bond with their user. Normal iron and steel weapons bond quickly, so I imagine Adamantium take a little longer than normal. Now that the blade is able to sync with your body and chakra, I imagine it will come to you much easier."_

It also explained, Naruto realized, why he hadn't been able to discover it by himself. It seemed to only react to real attacks, and he guessed that no matter how hard had he tried, it wouldn't have worked. The ability was still a little disappointing. The visions of white hot blades that could cut through anything or spit electricity or grow a hundred feet long vanished.

Still, he knew it would grow on him. He couldn't wait to figure out how to develop it further, and incorporate it into his attacks. Neera had promised to help him train it.

Neera yawned again, before patting her stomach. "I'm hungry. Let's go get Princess Kira and get something to eat. I'm starving."

Naruto nodded in agreement. Then, frowning, he looked over across the lake, in the direction of the Temple of the Moon.

"I actually wanna see Tyrande first. I haven't seen her all day," he said, starting off for the bridge.

Neera sighed, but followed. "You're spending a lot of time with her, these days."

Naruto blinked, realizing that she had just said the same thing Kira had a few days ago. "So?"

She shrugged. Then, she adopted a sly look. "Could it be that you like her?" She drew out the word "like" in a long, singsongy, teasing tone, grinning impishly at him.

Naruto answered in a surprising and resounding "No!" He didn't even blush. The idea that he could like her as Neera was suggesting seemed almost creepy.

Neera blinked at the forceful denial. "Oh?"

The blonde nodded. "Yeah. She's just fun to talk to. And I get a nice feeling when I'm with her, like I can talk to her about anything. She, I don't know, makes me feel sorta safe. She's kind and generous and wise, too. I just like spending time with her, you know?"

Neera mulled this over. "That makes sense. Kinda like a mother."

At this, Naruto stopped, staring wide-eyed at the elf girl. Mother? He hadn't even considered her like that. She was just a friend.

But he had never had a mother, so he couldn't really deny it. Did he treat her as a son might a mother? He had no idea. He just liked talking to her and spending time with her. He felt as if she had an answer for almost everything, and that if he needed trouble, he could just ask her. He made frequent use of this, whenever they met. It was what had sparked him to ask her about Illidan. She was a font of knowledge, and seemed to enjoy answering his many questions.

Was that the feeling one got from a mother?

He puzzled this over, his head cocked to the side, as they walked across the bridge.

Did he think of Tyrande as a mother?

--------------------------------

Tyrande lay in her room, high in the Temple of the Moon, her eyes staring up at white marble, covered in vines, above her. The day had been incredibly tiring, with her speaking several times all over the city, and having a meeting with her Sisters of the Moon in the moonwell room. Yet, she found it hard to fall asleep. Her mind was abuzz with what had been happening in the past few weeks. Everything was changing, and she couldn't believe it.

Her initial doubts had been blown away. Everything was going so well that it seemed impossible. Her people, gradually, were becoming more receptive to the idea of an alliance. Through hers, Naruto's, Kira's, and Kylia's efforts, they were inspiring her people to look beyond their own shores, to the distant lands that many hadn't seen for years, or even at all.

Kira's work with the apothecaries was amazing. Though she was teaching (and even learning herself) about plants and brewing all sorts of potions and elixirs, she was showing her people that they couldn't do things alone. She continually told them that she knew little of the plants in the world, and if they went out and searched for themselves, they could find and develop cures that hadn't even been developed yet. They could find plants for all sorts of illnesses and healing. There were so many possibilities that it was staggering. All of it could be found. They just needed to look.

Kira was also telling them that they couldn't do everything by themselves. No matter how many plants they could grow in a different habitat, no matter how many cures they themselves developed, they would never reach their full potential without aid. She was proving this point by working with them, and showing them techniques and skill that they had never known before.

And Naruto. Naruto wasn't just teaching them about fighting. He was telling them about the world. But he was also making friends. Not allies, but true friends that would help him in any situation. Naruto had that spectacular ability to make friends with no matter who he was with. It was an ability that would aid him much later in life, and could be the cornerstone of this alliance.

After all, it was because of his friendships that this alliance was possible.

Tyrande loved spending time with the blonde. He was simply a joy to be around, and was always surprising her. He was easy to talk to, and despite his age and apparent naivety, he was incredibly wise. He viewed the world as it was, and applied his morals to every situation. Tyrande was amazed at what he was doing, and even more at what he could do.

Finally change was happening.

And yet, it wasn't happening enough.

As much as they were doing, and as many people who came to their speeches, it still all fell on the decision of the Council. She hoped that by showing them that if a group of humans could do so much for them, then think of what the rest of the world could do. She hoped that they would change their opinion, as they saw their people changing too. She hadn't spoken with any of the elders since the meeting, nor with any of the druids. She only hoped that they had been watching.

She was tired. At some point, her thoughts became clouded, and she no longer thought of the world around her. She stopped thinking about her people, and what was happening, and began to dream about the person she missed the most in this world.

Malfurion. Her beloved Malfurion.

She dreamt of him every night. She knew they were only her fantasies. Malfurion had more important things to do, and couldn't be bothered seeing her every night.

Yet she so wished it were him.

She missed him more than anything in the world. She wished she could see him, standing before her again. She wished she could touch him, smell him, even taste him. She wanted the musky, delightful smell of the wild in her nostrils, and wanted to feel his strong arms around her.

She wanted to hear his voice. She wanted to hear him speak her name, just her name.

"_Tyrande..."_

She wondered, somewhere in the back of her mind, if she was dreaming. She wondered if that voice was real, or if it was just something her head had invented.

"_Tyrande..."_

It came again, louder, with more feeling. It was his voice. His strong, deep earthy voice, the one that she had been longing to hear for ages.

"_Tyrande...come, Tyrande..."_

She sat up.

Malfurion's voice still rang through her head. Now she was sure it hadn't been a dream. Her heart beat wildly. Was it him? Was it really his voice?

"_Tyrande...come..."_

_"_Where?" she whispered into the air. "Come where?"

She suddenly saw something in her mind. A beach. A long, sandy beach in front of the looming trees of Teldrassil. She recognized the beach. It was the one that she walked along on occasion, because it was the closest to the city, just west of the Temple.

"_Come, Tyrande..."_

The voice was loud in her thoughts now, and she found herself suddenly running. She bolted from the room, and down the long hallways towards the moonwell. She descended the stairs in a hurry, and then into the entrance hall and finally outside. She passed a few Sisters, who blinked at her hurried movements, and nearly stopped when a Sentinel called out to her, asking her where she was going.

"A walk," she said, trying to appear composed, and never really stopping. "Just a walk."

The Sentinel peered after her, a little confused, but shrugged. She could take a walk if she wanted to, and there was little that could harm her on the island.

Tyrande was running through the woods, then. She ran as fast a she could, so fast that she saw nothing on her sides, only what was in front. Everything appeared a blur, and she was deaf to the usually soothing sounds of the forest. For her mind was only on one thing.

Malfurion.

She reached the beach a few minutes later, her eyes searching desperately around her. The waters were calm, and the tide was down. She could feel the moon above her, through the impenetrable cloud of purple mist. She saw several sand crabs skittering away into the sea, and could smell the salty sea air, and feel the sand beneath her bare feet. She could hear the sounds of the forest, distant, almost drowned out by the sounds of the sea.

But she did not see, smell, feel, or hear Malfurion.

She was panting, almost breathless. Her heart hammered in her breast, as she desperately searched for any sign of her beloved. It couldn't have been a dream. It just couldn't have.

Then, she did feel something.

It was a cold prickle on the back of her neck, which soon ran down her spine, making her shiver. Abruptly, the sounds of the forest stopped, and even the sea seemed to quiet. For a second, all Tyrande could hear was her own breath.

And then a voice.

And he appeared.

The shadows parted for him, kowtowing to the being far greater than they. They slid from his dark purple skin, embroidered with tattoos glowing a demonic green, and sank to his feet in reverence.

He was smiling a devil's smile, just like he had been when she had released him from endless darkness.

"_Hello, my beloved Tyrande,"_ said Illidan Stormrage the Betrayer.

-------------------

Bam! Illidan!

Got you!

HAHAHAHA!

You have no idea how much pleasure it gives me to reveal this chapter. None of you were expecting it. Granted, that might not be a good thing, and I probably should've given you a few hints earlier, but in any case, it turned out like this.

Surprised?

You should be.

Those of you who thought the naga were going to be the main badguys, too bad. Their mentioning was just like Hakkar the Soulflayer's in the Troll arc. They were just part of a back story, and won't be making an appearance until later. But, if I had written this chapter a month or two earlier, you guys would have been right.

From the very beginning, I wanted Illidan to appear in this arc. He just had to. He's Illidan, and a huge part of the elf back story. He just couldn't not make an appearance. I had planned to have him show up at the end of the arc, but my first ideas for this arc resembled that of the Gnomeregan arc a little too much. I wanted something different. There's no huge battle, just Illidan. So I took away the naga, and just put Illidan in. He seemed like enough.

Next chapter-- Illidan, Illidan, Illidan. I hope to make those of you who don't know him love him, and those of you who do keep loving me. His character may or may not be character that you guys were expecting. Who knows.

I would like to thank my brother, Nozdormi, for correcting my lore, as there is a lot of it. We bickered a bit about the back story, but I hope I got it right, and it is clear enough for those who don't already know it.

By the way, like Naruto's blade talent? I figured since it was a "shield sword" type, or a kodachi, this would fit. It's not flashy, but its going to be damn useful, as you might be able to tell from his little scuffle with Shandris.

Naruto's relationship with Tyrande; I figured that it was about time he needed a mother-figure. He's never had one, in this story or in canon (Tsunade is a big sister type, not a mom) and I decided that since Sylvanas is not the type of person for the job, Tyrande might be. She seems kind and gentle enough, and Naruto would definitely like her, and probably look up to her a bit too. I hope its a little believable, and I hope to expand on it as the story goes on.

Well, that should be it. Thanks for reading, and see you next week!

General Grievous


	51. The Betrayer

**Disclaimer: I don't possess ownership of Naruto, or any of its characters; or World of Warcraft, or any of its characters. I do enjoy fantasizing about what it would be like if I did, however.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

-----------------------------------

"Illidan..." Tyrande whispered, stepping away from the apparition as it removed its cloak of shadow. Her body shook visibly, and had been every since her eyes had fallen on the monster that she had once called friend. He looked, and felt, even more that monster than ever.

He was tall, but his presence was not like that of other elves. He stood hunched, the poise and grace that the night elves had been gifted corrupted and misshapen. His arms and chest bulged with thick, knotted muscles, grotesquely distorting the perfect proportions that his former kind had. His hands were clawed and his feet were jointed like those of a beast. Tattoos framed his body, across his chest and down his arms, which glowed poisonous green and seemed to pulse as she watched. He wore no covering over his chest, only a pair of long, flaring pants which nearly engulfed his feet.

But the true perversion of body and spirit came in the form of two great, black, leathery wings sprouting from his back, folded behind him. Two curved horns sprouted from the top of his head, curving down in front of his face. A mane woven of pure shadow, tangled and wild, fell across his shoulders and down to the middle of his back.

His face seemed to be the only thing unchanged. It was handsome, sharply defined with high cheekbones and no trace of a beard. But it was marred horribly by a smile of pure madness, showing sharp, elongated canines and morphing his face into that of a grinning devil. His eyes were invisible; hidden beneath a strip of black cloth, hiding them from the world. Or maybe hiding the world from them.

The last thing that Tyrande noticed was a huge, wicked scar across his chest. The skin around it was blackened and shriveled, as if recently burned. It distorted the muscles on his chest, sucking them into it and further marring what was left of his night elf body.

"_Tyrande..._" the monster whispered, taking a step forward. Tyrande took a step back, almost a cringe. Looking upon what Illidan had become shook her to the very core. She had seen the wings and horns before, but everything seemed to have changed. Illidan looked more a demon now than ever before. He felt like one too; the power that he was emitting, whether consciously or unconsciously, made her shake all the harder.

"_You cringe from me, my love? It aches me to see such fear from my beloved. Please, I have not come to harm you, Tyrande."_ He was smiling even wider now, and took a step forward again. Tyrande almost flinched back again, but caught herself. Her initial shock was beginning to fade and the purpose of her arrival resurfaced.

"Illidan...did you call me here...?"

"_Yes,"_ he said, tilting his head to the side. "_I knew you would come. If my brother is involved, you are always the first to arrive."_

"Where is he...?" she whispered, raising her head slightly to look directly at him. "Where is Malfurion?"

Illidan smiled even wider. "_I cannot say. He wanders the Emerald Dream; a place that neither you nor I can even hope to travel. I just used his voice to call you here..." _his smile faded, and he pouted. "_I missed you."_

"Missed me...?" Tyrande began to shake again, but full of barely restrained rage this time. She stood tall, glaring at him with everything she had. How dare he? How dare he call her hear, using her beloved's voice, just to say that he missed her! She stepped forwards, fury seeping from every pore, eyes glowing as fiercely as the moon.

"How dare you!" she roared, suddenly. "How dare you, Illidan! Why have you come? Why did you taunt me with that vision, that voice! Answer me, you bastard!" Chakra began to seep from her, rising from her skin as a pearl colored mist. She let go of her role as Tyrande Whisperwind, and became the High Priestess of Elune; a goddess of battle.

Illidan stepped back, a little surprised at her anger. It registered on his face, his mouth slightly parted, his brow wrinkled in confusion.

"_Why are you so angry, my love? Is it because I used my brother's voice? I didn't mean to deceive you so, but I knew you would come if I used it...forgive me."_ He bowed his head, looking truly apologetic, and for a moment Tyrande was a little baffled. But every movement and word seemed so disgustingly mocking that her fury returned two fold a second later.

"Why are you here, Illidan? How did you come to this place?"

He tilted his head again, and smiled. "_It was easy. I am very powerful, Tyrande. I was able to create a portal, and I came here to see you as soon as I was able to do such a thing. I trained for many years to gain that skill, so that I could see you whenever I wanted." _His smile faded some. "_I missed you so much...I have waited for this day ever since we last parted, Tyrande."_ He began to walk towards her, but stopped when she stepped back into a fighting stance.

"Don't come closer, Illidan," she snarled. Her nails bit into her palms, causing dark blood to run freely down her hands. Illidan noticed this with a frown. He stopped moving nonetheless, standing now a few yards away from her. He reached out with one hand, and smiled again.

"_You've grown even more lovely since I last saw you, my beloved."_ His tone carried no trace of mockery, but he knew full well that she had aged since they had last met. But in his eyes she had just ripened; the sweetest fruit that existence could offer was now even sweeter and fuller than ever before.

"Shut up!" she snapped, causing him to flinch a little at her tone. "You know full well my feelings for you, Illidan! Malfurion is my husband! Now tell me, what are you really doing here? Why have you abandoned your place in Outland?"

Illidan cocked his head. "_Abandoned? You misunderstand. I have not abandoned it. I am simply on a vacation, of a sorts. I only wished to see the woman that I have loved for nearly ten thousand years. My allies are perfectly capable of handling everything themselves. There is no need to worry." _His face seemed to soften, and he suddenly looked quite forlorn. "_Why do you still love him?"_

Tyrande flinched a little in surprise. "What?" The question seemed absurd. Why didn't she love him?

"_I can see it in your eyes," _he said softly. "_You love him every bit as you loved him then. Why? He is not here. What has he done to inspire, to nurture that love? Where is he now?"_

Tyrande scowled at him. "As you said, wandering the Emerald Dream, protecting my people! He is doing something to protect us, unlike you!"

"_But he causes you such pain."_

Tyrande stopped, her face and temper cracking for a second. Illidan had seen her pain. He saw the anguish she held over Malfurion's absence. He knew that she never heard from him, never spoke with him. The pain that she could hide from everyone else, was as visible to Illidan as the world itself.

"_You don't have to lie to me Tyrande,"_ he said slowly, stepping forwards again. "_I can see the pain he causes you. I can see that his absence hurts you more than anything. That is why it infuriates me that he spends all his time in that place that neither you nor I can visit! In a place that might not even exist! He has the gall to hurt you like this, and I can never forgive him for that!"_

_"_He is doing what is right for the world," snapped Tyrande, her pain receding and her anger rushing in. "He puts the safety of our people and our way of life above his own life. He has a strength of will that you never did, Illidan. I can bear the pain; I know he will return some day." Her eyes flashed. "But you, Illidan, abandoned your people. You became the creature that I see standing before me today. And you have the gall to speak of something that you don't understand! You never could understand!"

Illidan looked at her awhile, his face sagging with melancholy. "_Tyrande, you don't have reason to believe he will return." _He clenched his fists. "_He speaks of an evil that neither you nor I can see or hear or experience. Something that needs his undivided attention, while you and your people suffer. It saddens me to see you in such pain, and I hate to see you bear it. Why does he not return? Why does he not simply speak to you?"_

Tyrande shook again. The very same question had assaulted her all these long years. She had lived every day hoping that she would be able to see him, hear him, touch him. She went to bed each night, hoping that he would visit her in her dreams, and tell her everything that she needed to hear.

But he didn't.

"_You speak of strength of will, Tyrande. What strength of will can he have, if he cannot even return to the one he loves? If he cannot brave any obstacle that is placed between you and him, then why does he deserve your love?"_

Tyrande exploded in fury. The sand around her flew away in a cloud, as her chakra flared to life all around her.

"WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW OF WILLPOWER?" she roared. "What would you know of such a thing? You never had any, Illidan! All you had was outward power. You craved it, and believed that it could grant you anything. You were wrong! Malfurion is worth ten of you, Illidan! Malfurion has done, and will do, everything that is in the best interests of his people. He loves me, but does not let it influence everything he does! If he based every decision he ever made on what I would think, or what was best for me, then he'd be just like you! He understands that, and more! That is why I love him, Illidan!"

Illidan sighed, his malformed body sagging a little. He looked troubled for a moment, and neither spoke. Then, Illidan seemed to recover. He smiled again.

"_You're wrong Tyrande. I have strength of will. I have that inner strength that you chose in Malfurion. I know that outward power isn't everything. And I know that you love Malfurion more than you do me, and always did. I realize now that what my brother is doing is for the benefit of the people that abandoned me." _His smile grew, and he brushed some of the flowing strands of shadow out of his face. "_But I know also that power can be the answer to everything, Tyrande. I can help you. We can find Malfurion, Tyrande. With my power, we can find him together!"_

Tyrande gaped at him. Find Malfurion? The thought seemed impossible.

Illidan went on, growing more excited. "_I have found ways. I am not a druid, but I have found ways to enter the Emerald Dream. I am truly powerful, and I have done this all for you! Now we'll be able to find my brother, and bring him back! We can even help him destroy this evil that he claims to fight! With my power, we can do anything, Tyrande, really! You don't have to suffer anymore! We can bring my brother back together!"_

Tyrande began to shake again. What was he saying? Did he honestly believe that they could find Malfurion? And what's more, did he honestly believe that she'd go with him?

But the thought, no matter how terrible, was appealing. The offer was so terrifyingly tempting that it seemed a oasis in the desert of despair. But she knew that the oasis, no matter how desirable, was tepid and plagued. Though Illidan was offering this promise, that they'd find Malfurion together, she knew that his sights were on her, and her alone. He didn't care about Malfurion, not anymore. She could see it in him. He was mad, madder than ever before!

"You haven't changed..." she said, her eyes icy crystals and her words daggers of frost. "You still think power is the answer to everything, Illidan. I told you before-- Malfurion will return. It does not matter what power you have."

"_But I have changed!" _Illidan said, almost desperately. His smile grew into a cheshire grin. "_Power is no longer a means to an end, Tyrande! I know it can't do everything...but I don't care. The act of gaining power; of getting stronger and stronger and stronger, is what I now believe! Power has no end, Tyrande. Power is the end, and the means. Everything else is just a benefit."_

"You're sick," she snarled. "You've grown even madder since our last meeting, Illidan. You think that by gaining power, you can simply take whatever you wish? Is that what you intend for me, Illidan?"

He shook his head, smile never fading. "_No, of course not, my love. I will get stronger and stronger, in both mind and body. I will get you Malfurion back, but by then I know you will see that my inner strength is greater than his! I told you! Power is a journey, Tyrande! And don't they say that the purpose of a journey is not the destination, but the journey itself? My journey has no end!" _He smiled lovingly at her again, reaching out with a hand. Behind the black cloth over his eyes, she could clearly see a burning, demonic green flame similar to that of an infernal.

Then, his smile faded. He touched his breast, right above his heart, as if making sure that it still beat. He looked at her again, his face solemn.

"_I have inner strength, Tyrande. Do you feel this power, surging within me? It is my will that stops that from flooding out into the world. I am using the inner strength that you were so attracted to in Malfurion to hold back this power! Is that not so? My inner strength allows me to control this power! I can control it Tyrande! Isn't that why you used me? Isn't that why you freed from my endless darkness, so that my powers could be used? I am myself, Tyrande! I have never changed! How can I not have willpower, if I can control this chaotic power?"_

Tyrande watched him, calmly. Her gaze was almost pitying. She slowly shook her head.

"No, Illidan. If you had strength of will; the strength of will that attracted me to Malfurion, then you would never have accepted that power. You would have never been imprisoned, and would have remained by our side all this time. Don't you see? It has affected you. You simply cannot see it." Her gaze turned hard then. "I love Malfurion. His inner strength was one of many reasons why I chose him. I always will love him, Illidan. Nothing you say will ever be able to change that."

"_I understand that," _he said softly. "_I understand that I will never have your love. But don't you see? Don't you see that that is exactly the reason I wish to help you? I know you feel pain, Tyrande. I know you long everyday to see Malfurion, to hear him, to touch him. It is the same with me. I ache everyday, a thousand times worse, because I know that I can never have you. But if Malfurion returns, I know that your pain will vanish. If that happens, mine will lessen." _He shook his head. And then his face twisted up in confusion, borderline fury. "_But I do not understand! I know you love him, and will do so forever, but I do not understand what he has that I don't! We have been equals, always! Our strength of will has always been equal! It must be! If he cannot pull himself from the endless darkness that he has fallen into, then how can he be different from me?"_

Illidan was suddenly bereft of breath. His hidden eyes widened, staring straight into Tyrande's, not a foot away. Her fist was buried deep into his solar plexus, driving the air from his body. He gasped, only to have her move back and smash her other fist into his jaw. Propelled by chakra, he flew backwards tearing up the sand of the beach and landing in a heap yards away. Her whole body shook with fury.

"What did you say?" She walked towards him, and as he got up, she blurred and appeared in front of him again.

"Where is he, Illidan?" She lifted her hand to strike again, her eyes blazing with primal fury. Illidan looked up at her, a frown marring his face. He looked confused.

Her fist smashed into him again, knocking him to the ground again. Dark blood, almost purple, dribbled from his mouth, as he struggled to get up from the two amazingly powerful strikes.

"WHERE IS MALFURION!"

-------------------------

"Hey, hey, do you really think she feels like a mother?"

Neera blinked, staring at the boy in confusion. They stood at the very end of the bridge to the Temple Gardens.

"Why not?" she said, looking at him with puzzled eyes. "But shouldn't you know that...?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nah. I've never had a mother, so I don't know what one would 'feel' like."

Neera blinked, suddenly feeling extremely embarrassed. Though she did know he came from another world, and a little of what that world was like, she knew almost nothing about his personal life. But ever since she had mentioned it, the boy had looked somewhere between nervous and excited.

He had no idea what it was like to have a mom.

"Oh," she said softly. "Well, a mother makes you feel safe. They're someone who is always there for you, no matter what, and who helps you work out your problems without judging you in the slightest. They are someone who loves you unconditionally." She blushed a little. "Sorry, but I'm not a very good explainer. But that's what I always feel like whenever I see my mom. I feel safe, warm and happy. They can make you smile, or at least the good ones can, whenever you are feeling bad. They take care of you."

Naruto slowly nodded. He had never had anyone like that. But in his opinion, Tyrande did feel somewhat close to that description. She certainly made him feel safe, and was always there to talk, no matter what. He had no clue if she loved him unconditionally (whatever that meant), but he realized that she was very close to him.

She'd become one of his most precious people.

They reached the Temple of the Moon a few moments later. There were few Sisters still remaining, and the Sentinels still prowled the entrance. They walked towards it, intending to go inside. But one of the Sentinels stopped them, a frown on her face.

"If you're looking for Lady Tyrande, she's out."

The two exchanged glances. "This late?" asked Neera. "What is she doing?"

The Sentinel shook her head. "She went for a walk." She pointed towards the woods off to the side of the Temple, thick and black and almost dead silent. The Sentinel did not look pleased with this fact. Her gaze lingered on the dark forest, her forehead wrinkled with worry.

Neera frowned, watching the woods as well. Naruto looked between the two women a moment, not understanding their confusion. So she went for a walk. Was that so unusual? He voiced this to the two, and Neera shook her head slightly, still staring towards the forest.

"Do you hear anything?" she asked him, pointing to the forest.

Naruto frowned. "No," he said. "Why?"

Neera shook her head again. "Have you ever heard it this silent? I haven't, and that's making me a little worried." She glanced at Naruto. "Perhaps we should go see if she's alright."

Worry crept into Naruto. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he too felt a compulsion to check up on Tyrande. It couldn't hurt, and she could always do with a bit of company.

"Yeah," he said. "Let's go!"

--------------------------------

"_I do not know,"_ Illidan said, standing up again. "_I told you before, Tyrande. My brother is lost to me and to you."_

"You said he was lost in a darkness," she snarled. "What did you do to him, Illidan? What do you know?"

_"Nothing that isn't hearsay, my love,**" **_he said. "_I have heard nothing from him, nor seen him at all. He is as bereft from my dreams as he is yours. But it is the only explanation for he is gone. He got himself trapped by the being he fights, this Nightmare, or lost within the boundless realm of the Emerald Dream. I have nothing to do with his disappearance, Tyrande. Believe me."_

"I cannot believe you," she said, walking towards him. "You are insane, Illidan. I know that you know something. You say you put to rest your feud with Malfurion, but I can see that as long as you love me, you will always despise him. You are jealous, Illidan. You will tell me what has happened to him." Her eyes blazed and her chakra began to rise again, an aura of pearl light, drifting off her body like smoke.

"Or I will kill you."

Illidan wiped his mouth. There was no longer a wound, and no blood flowed any longer. He looked sad again.

"_I am not insane, Tyrande. This is the change that I went through to handle this power. This is my inner strength. Yes, I love you. I love you more than anything in the world. But I do not hate my brother for loving you too. Not anymore. I hate him for causing you pain, like he is doing now. I have done nothing to him." _He sighed. She was not listening.

Suddenly he smiled.

"_But maybe I could tell you something. But not now." _

Tyrande's eyes narrowed, becoming silver daggers in the night.

Illidan continued, holding out a hand. "_Before that, would you grant me the honor of seeing the goddess of battle that I fell in love with? Would you let me see the strength that I saw in you, Tyrande? That is what I missed most: my goddess, the lovely Tyrande Whisperwind." _He grinned like a hyena, his fiery green eyes beginning to glow once again beneath blinding cloth.

Her answer was a fist.

Her fist, charged with chakra, crashed into Illidan's face, knocking him back again. But he did not fall over this time. Instead, he spread his wings, revealing two large weapons strapped beneath. They were wicked things, consisting of two blades protruding from a circular guard, which was gripped like a shield. He removed the weapons in an instant, and as soon as they were secured on his arms, they began to glow red and crackle with lightning.

Tyrande's hands formed a seal, and a second later, she touched a small place on her arm, where a small, nearly invisible tattoo had been made. There was a large puff smoke, and the three bladed weapon of the Sentinels emerged from it. She clamped onto it, and brought it swishing down at Illidan.

The Betrayer raised on blade, blocking the attack with ease. He did not flinch at the hit. He smiled wider, pleased with Tyrande's ferocity. He thrust her off, not violently, but simply and effectively. Tyrande landed without a sound, a charged forwards again. Her weapon began to glow, gathering her pearl-colored chakra around it. She struck at Illidan again, and again he blocked. When the two blades met, however, Tyrande's chakra exploded outwards, violently. Illidan leapt back, a tendril of Tyrande's deadly chakra scything a few hairs from his shadowy mane. He smiled.

Tyrande's weapon now resembled a sea urchin, with large spikes of her chakra jutting out in all directions. They were already fading by the time he noticed, contracting back into a shapeless mass surrounding her hand.

Tyrande suddenly made a hand seal, and then hurtled her weapon at Illidan.

"**Moonlight Strike," **she whispered. The weapon became a sliver of light, and if Illidan hadn't at the very moment raised his weapon, the blade would have sliced straight through him. Instead, it slammed into the guard of his left blade, causing a dazzling flash of light and a loud ringing. Illidan was thrust back by the force of the hit, his mouth open from both surprise and delight.

He remained on his feet, skidding across the sand and throwing it up in a continuous cloud. He watched as the weapon reappeared in Tyrande's hand, in another flicker of light. That was her power. The power of the Priestesses of the Moon was more than the power of the earth. They controlled light itself, in all its amazing and complex forms.

After all, it was the goddess Elune that gave them both light and inspiration.

But only the High Priestess, his Tyrande, could control it to such an incredible degree. Light was a tricky thing to control, but his love had done it masterfully.

Tyrande cursed silently. The technique usually struck and killed without fail. The weapon moved so fast that it could be neither seen nor heard, nearly approaching the speed of light. So how had he been able to block it? It was not possible for him to move so quickly, to anticipate the attack. She frowned. It must have been luck.

Illidan had always had such uncanny luck.

Lifting the weapon again, Tyrande began to twirl it in her palm. She took a deep breath, as she twirled, and both her hands began to glow with built up chakra. She suddenly gripped the blade with both hands, and slashed it downwards at Illidan.

There was a bright flash of light again, and the sand was instantly divided, sliced almost half a body's length into the ground. It cut straight through to Illidan. But he remained unaffected. The light seemed not to touch him, as the ground a foot on either side of him remained intact. He stood motionless the whole time, unconcerned.

"_Please, Tyrande. I long to see my goddess. She has yet to show herself," _he said, grinning madly. He then cocked his head to the side. "_Perhaps a little incentive?"_

Red chakra began to bubble up around him, forming a protective cocoon. He raised one leg, and then stomped the ground, hard.

The red chakra exploded outwards, blowing away the sand around him. Tyrande leapt away, stunned by the power, covering her face from the flying sand. The violent chakra forced the sea back, and caused the trees to lean away, as if disgusted by the tainted power.

It did not fade. It settled down into small patches in the sand. The sand suddenly rose up, first a shapeless mass, then slowly, it became the perfect likeness of a naga. Every detail was etched in; every single scale in the serpentine tail, and every tooth in their gaping maws. The sand then began to change color, turning green and white and silvery, all the colors of Azshara's brutal naga. When the glow finally faded, Illidan smiled.

"_I developed this ability too. They are sand naga. They are simply constructions of my chakra and the natural world, but I love them as though they were real."_

Tyrande stared at the five new naga, who hissed like snakes and bared their fangs at her. They looked exactly as naga should; but Tyrande could see that they possessed little of the fighting power that naga did. Even if it was Illidan's chakra they were made of, it was obvious that they possessed only a little of their master's power.

But Tyrande knew how to deal with them. She didn't need to waste time dealing with weaklings.

Tyrande bit her thumb, and her hands blurred together in a rush of seals. She then slammed her palm into the ground, creating a spider web of black markings in a heartbeat.

"**Summon: Nightsabers!"**

There was an explosion of purplish smoke, which obscured Tyrande for a moment. Illidan and his makeshift naga waited, a hideous smile painted on his handsome face, and seconds later five white blurs erupted from the smoke.

Five massive nightsabers, silvery white with many black stripes, streaked across the beach towards their quarry. They pounced on the naga, their claws glinting. The snake men met them with claws and tail, hissing in their own language and clawing at the big cats with whatever they had.

But neither Tyrande nor Illidan paid much attention to them. Tyrande was rushing towards Illidan again, her eyes narrowed into daggers. Tyrande slashed at the demonic elf with her weapon, but Illidan blocked and danced away. Cursing, Tyrande made a seal and lifted up a handful of sand.

"**Stardust Shower!"** She thrust the sand out, and it lanced into Illidan's chest, finally damaging him. It struck as hard as a shotgun blast, spreading outwards across his chest, each grain drilling a hole deep into his flesh.

Tyrande smashed her fist into the wounded area a second later, knocking him off his feet. He crashed to the ground, and lay on his back, stunned. The wounds on his chest bled freely now, spilling a strange purplish ichor over the ground.

Then he became sand.

Tyrande blinked in shock as Illidan, grinning maw and all, became merely a sculpture of sand on the spot. It dissolved into a heap mere seconds later, leaving the true Illidan unaccounted for.

She turned and saw him, standing amidst the ruins of his naga and the five bodies of her nightsabers. His blades were slick with blood, and the damnable smile remained in perfect place.

She looked back at him, frowning. The subtleness of the previous attack seemed so unlike Illidan. He no longer wielded his power as if it were a sledgehammer, using it to destroy everything from elephants to ants. He wielded it swiftly and powerfully, like a sword. He had trained, she saw, and not just to increase his power. He had gained lots of control over it as well. Perhaps he had changed. He had changed in realizing that raw destructive power wasn't the only type of power one could wield in battle.

Though, she thought, it still helped.

Illidan touched his chest, right atop the scar. "_You seek to strike where it would hurt most, my love. You are still as amazing as ever."_

"That scar suits you Illidan..." she snapped.

Illidan's face suddenly morphed, his smile exploding into a look of volcanic fury.

"_A reminder of my battle with that fool, Arthas! Every time I have looked down and seen it in the past years, I have grown even more driven to destroy that man! The time will come when my power will be far greater than his, and then I will annihilate him." _His grin returned, a heartbeat later. "_But he is still just an obstacle, my love. I have never hated anyone, not even my brother, more than that man."_

Tyrande smiled grimly. "I see a growing trend, Illidan. You hate those who are stronger than you in any way."

Illidan frowned at her. "_Yes, you may be right. But soon will come a time that nobody will be stronger than me, and I will not have to hate anybody, Tyrande. Hating people is incredibly troublesome, and I have learned in my feud with my brother that it brings nothing but more hate and more pain. When I am strong enough, I will no longer have to hate."_

Tyrande shook her head, glaring at Illidan again. "I don't know how your mind works. But I don't care anymore. You will tell me where Malfurion is."

He grinned. "_I will. But I haven't seen her yet."_

Tyrande began to weave her hands together in seals. She smiled.

"Here she is."

Tyrande suddenly stomped the ground with one foot. Six immense boulders, rising from deep within the earth, exploded from the sand around her, and began to hover in mid-air in a circle around her. She made another seal, and thrust her hands out in both directions, towards the boulders. They began to glow, a bright, electric blue, crackling as she charged them with her light chakra. She then made a final seal, and they shot upwards, high into the air and out of sight.

Illidan watched the entire process, smiling. His eyes were now skyward, as if attempting to spot the high flying rocks.

This was it.

His beloved's most powerful technique.

Starfall.

Then, as he watched, he spotted six glimmers of light, high the air, growing larger and brighter. As they came closer, he got more and more excited, his eyes growing wide and his mouth stretching into bigger and madder smile.

"**Omen's Howl!"**

Illidan suddenly felt a terrible pain erupt within his head, as a howling sound filled his large, sensitive ears. He suddenly found himself on the ground, clutching his head, as his ears rang and his body convulsed. He was unable to stand, his equilibrium all but obliterated. His vision swam as he looked towards Tyrande, who was glaring at him. Omen's Howl was another technique that only the Priestesses of Elune could use. A sonic, high-pitched howl that could destroy most elves' ear drums, and severely weaken anybody who was caught in it.

With no way to combat its effects, despite his power, Illidan was unable to stop the attack, as Tyrande's Starfall struck home.

The world exploded as one of the falling boulders, super-charged with chakra as well as heat from the force of its fall, slammed into the ground directly beside Illidan. He was flying through the air, twisting and flailing, whatever sense of direction he once had now gone. The second struck a moment later, engulfing him in searing flames and hurtling him into the air again.

Through the smoke and sand, however, and through the haze in Illidan's mind from Tyrande's previous attack, he saw her.

Her saw his goddess.

He saw her clad all in armor, white as the moon, that he had seen her wear in every battle he had fought alongside her in. Her hair flowed and her eyes pierced through his. He saw the immense power that she exuded, the power that he had always seen in her. It was a glorious sight, more glorious than anything he had seen in ages.

And then, she was gone, hidden by smoke and out of his view.

But he had seen her.

And that was enough.

Illidan Stormrage suddenly vanished, as chaos reigned around him.

Tyrande watched as her technique ended. The air was now filled with dust and sand, and smoke rose steadily from six monstrous craters, much of them overlapping. Illidan was nowhere to be seen, but she knew that the attack wouldn't have killed him. The demonic power inside him wouldn't have been so easily defeated, or else Maiev Shadowsong would have done it years ago.

So she hardly found it surprising to find him suddenly behind her. Shadows dripped from his wings and slid off his body like water, forming a pool at his feet. He was smiling, and the burns and wounds he had sustained from her attack had just completed their regeneration. He was perfectly unharmed.

"_Beautiful," _he said.

"That wasn't _Shadowmelding_ or _Shadowform_," Tyrande said, ignoring him. "What was it?"

"_Something that I created with inspiration from Akama, my ally of the Fallen Draenei. Shadowmancy, I call it."_

Tyrande snarled. "Have you had your fun, Illidan?"

He shook his head, ever smiling. "_Not yet. I have not seen you for so long. If I tell you now, then you might make me leave. I wish to just be with you a little longer."_

Tyrande's eyes flashed, and she turned on him in an instant. Her words, whatever they might have been, however, were suddenly cut off by a sound. It was a whistling sound, that of metal streaking through the air. It's source became known not a second later, when Illidan lifted one of his evil blades to deflect a Sentinel's three-blade weapon. Both Illidan and Tyrande turned towards the origin of the sound, and spotted Neera, standing atop a high branch in a tree very near the beach's edge.

Tyrande's heart skipped a beat. If Neera was here, then she knew that Naruto couldn't be far behind.

And she was right.

In a blur of motion, Naruto appeared in front of the Betrayer, clutching a sphere of glowing, spinning blue chakra in his hand. With the speed of the wind, he thrust the chakra forwards, into Illidan's gut, before he could react otherwise.

"**Rasengan!"**

The ball exploded in a bright flash, creating a loud howling sound as the spinning chakra was flung into Illidan's body. The former night elf was thrown backwards, skidding along the ruined sand. He came to a stop many yards away, still on his feet, his body hunched over in pain.

Naruto immediately turned to Tyrande, a worried look on his face.

"You okay? What happened? Who's that guy?"

Tyrande stared at Naruto a moment, before smiling kindly at him. "I am fine," she said. Her eyes then went past him, towards Illidan's hunched form. The demonic elf was already straightening, and his wounds healing. He was frowning at Naruto, but Tyrande couldn't judge what he was thinking because of that. She only hoped that he was more curious that angry at the blonde. That distinction might save his life.

"That is Illidan," she said. Naruto gaped at her a moment, before spinning around quickly to face the elf. This guy was the bastard who had betrayed the elves for power. The guy that had hurt Tyrande so much. Naruto was both angry and slightly afraid as he stared at the elf's ruined form. Angry and wanting to express that anger to the person who had harmed Tyrande so much, and afraid of what power he might have. He could feel it in the air, hot and stifling, like an immense layer of smog. And upon seeing him shrug off the Rasengan to easily, Naruto was sure that this guy was incredibly powerful.

"_Who...what...are you?"_ Illidan suddenly said, frowning at the blonde curiously. He touched his stomach again, making sure the pain was totally gone. What a strange technique! He tilted his head to the side as he watched the young human, standing in front of Tyrande and glaring at him forcefully. Again, he could not express how strange the boy was. He felt human, and yet, there was something else, deep within him. It was hidden to most eyes, but Illidan could see almost everything. He could see the power that was contained in the blonde.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto said, standing up straight and smirking. "Konoha's Number One Most Surprising Ninja!"

Illidan blinked beneath his cloth covering, tilting his head to the other side as he did. "_Konoha? That name sounds familiar, but I can't place where." _He then frowned at Tyrande. "_Why is there a human here? I came to understand there is no Alliance anymore. Why is he here, Tyrande?"_

_"_To help create a world alliance," said Tyrande simply.

Illidan blinked, and looked at Naruto again.

"_Help create an alliance...ah yes! Kael told me about this! He said that something was happening in this world! I was so busy training that I didn't care! An alliance! Tell me Tyrande, have you joined it?"_ He smiled widely at Tyrande. "_It would be unlike you to have not. I think Malfurion would have approved, wouldn't you say?"_

_"_Yes," Tyrande replied tersely.

"_But I wonder if it will work?" _said Illidan, suddenly frowning. "_It sounds so...difficult. But I have confidence that you will do it, Tyrande! There is nothing that my love couldn't do. What is the purpose of this alliance, may I ask? What brought it on, especially after years of isolationism?"_

Tyrande wondered why she was still talking, still answering this madman's questions. She looked at Naruto, who was glaring at Illidan. To protect him, of course. The longer they spoke, the more likely Illidan would lose interested in Naruto's previous action. As strong as he was, Naruto had no chance against Illidan.

"To destroy the Scourge, and to bring peace to the world," she said.

Illidan's smile faltered. "_Oh...? To destroy the Scourge...that would mean destroying the Lich King...and Arthas..." _He frowned deeply at the blonde then, and a purple glow began to show beneath his eye bandages.

"_I can't let you do that..."_

Tyrande's breath caught in her throat. Illidan's cheerful and flowery speech had vanished. His words now burned with blistering rage, transforming them into fearful weapons. The words sent a sliver of fear through Tyrande's body, and just a little in front of her, Naruto froze up. The killing intent that Illidan was now releasing was enormous. It was unfocused, but was so incredibly intense that it felt like Naruto now faced a thousand Illidans, rather than just one. It was not directed at any one thing. It just flowed out like liquid fire.

"_He is mine to destroy. He will always be mine. I must destroy him and consume his strength. I can't let the alliance exist if it seeks to take that away."_

Tyrande stepped forwards. "Don't even think about it, Illidan. If you attempt to do this, then it won't matter what knowledge you have of Malfurion. I will not let you do anything to endanger my people." Her eyes swept to Naruto. "Or this boy. You will do nothing, Illidan, or I will show you what I am truly capable of."

"_I would never hurt your people. Or you. But this boy must be the reason that this alliance is happening. If I destroy him, the alliance will fail, won't it? Or maybe not. But even so, I find that I am mere moments away from attacking him." _His grin returned. It was more a leer now, and it reminded Naruto uncomfortably of Sasuke's.

'_I'm more special than you Naruto!' _his best friend had cried, smiling maliciously as his body had changed from man to monster.

Illidan continued. "_Your body contains an incredible power. Each time I look at it, I get shivers of delight. I am astounded at how such a small body can hold more power than the generals of Sargeras' army. But I can also see that it is not without its effects on your body. I can see that it hurts you to use it. It seems that you have not fully accepted it. But it fills me with delight to see such a power, but at the same time it makes me sad that it is contained." _He brandished his blades, and they crackled and glowed red even brighter. "_I want to bring it out. I want to see it."_

Naruto growled. Somewhere within him, he could feel the creature stirring. It did not speak, but he knew that it was watching. This bastard had caught the Kyuubi's attention, and Naruto knew that if he even attempted to use the demon's power, the Kyuubi would attempt to seize control.

But at the same time, he could barely control the rage that was flowing through him. Illidan's face and demeanor awakened memories of the last time Naruto and Sasuke had seen each other. The glint in his eyes, the mad smile, and the horrible power that he emitted.

Tyrande suddenly stepped in front of Naruto. He was struck by the gesture. It was not unlike what Iruka had done during his fight with Mizuki, ages and ages ago, or even what Sasuke had done during their fight with Haku. She was protecting him.

It meant that she considered him a precious person, too.

Naruto smiled, renewed courage welling up in him. He flexed his arm, and drew his sword. He stepped up alongside Tyrande, and grinned up at her.

"Oi, I'm not gonna be left out, here. This guy has done some bad things, and I don't think I can stand just sitting here and not fight him."

"Me neither!"

Both turned just as Neera leapt from her perch, landing right near Tyrande. She clutched her Sentinel weapon, which had returned to her after failing to strike Illidan, and stared determinedly at Tyrande.

"Lady Tyrande, you have done so much already. Please let us help you."

Tyrande looked at the girl a moment, and then down at Naruto. She was touched.

But she shook her head. "No. He is too strong. Even for me. You cannot fight him, or he might not have the same reserves that he has had in fighting me. He has not yet attacked me, only defended. He will not hesitate in killing you, that I am certain."

Illidan listened patiently. He broke in, smiling.

"_I won't kill him, Tyrande. I know you would be angry with me if I did that. I just want to see the power he has within him. It has been a long time since I have seen such immense demonic energy." _He stepped forwards. "_I won't kill him." _

He was suddenly there, right in front of Naruto. His leering face so close that his and Naruto's noses almost touched.

"_I promise!"_

One of his blades sliced forwards. Naruto's sword came to meet it, but the force of the hit threw Naruto backwards. The blonde skidded across the sand, but twisted to his feet at the last moment.

Illidan was already upon him. The second blow came just as fast, just as strong. Naruto's blade met it, and this time Naruto bolstered his stance using _Kongou_. It nearly numbed his arms, almost causing him to drop the sword, but he held fast against Illidan's strike. Then, kicking the ground, Naruto threw the former night elf off of him, and dodged away to the side. His hands came together, and with a familiar cry, he summoned six clones to aid him.

Illidan was not impressed. The technique was exceedingly simple-looking, at nothing that he couldn't match or see through. He turned and attacked again, gleefully yelling as his weapons sliced through the air.

Naruto moved forwards, meeting Illidan's blades with his, while his clones circled around the demonic elf. Drawing fistfuls of their own shuriken, they sent a storm of steel towards Illidan. With a smile, Illidan suddenly vanished, the shadows consuming him. The weapons hit nothing.

Naruto's eyes widened. It looked a lot like the _Shadow Walk _he had learned from the trolls, and yet at the same time seemed far different. Illidan did not utilize shadows, but summoned them. He was not at their mercy, they were at his.

Naruto lifted his sword upwards in a heartbeat, and almost immediately found it pulling behind him. He turned, just in time to meet another of Illidan's hits. He grunted from the exchange, then leapt back, extending one hand out to the side. He willed his chakra to spin, creating a large, blue glowing Rasengan.

Illidan peered at the ball with great interest. The technique seemed so simple, and yet from what he had already experienced, possessed great power. He grinned again. This boy was interesting indeed!

"Illidan!" roared Tyrande, somewhere behind him. "Stop this!" She ran shot towards the two, her hands flying through seals as she went. Neera followed her, weapon raised and ready to fly. The Betrayer turned, shot her a warm smile, before stomping the ground once. The ground beneath Tyrande and Neera suddenly became pure shadow, causing them to stumble and sink beneath it.

"_I can't stop, my love. Please, I won't kill him. But my body is moving on its own. I want to see this power!"_ He struck out at Naruto again, his blades searing hot. "_Show it to me, boy!"_

Growling, Naruto met his twin blades with his Rasengan. His chakra struck the glowing steel, repelling it. But the blades suddenly flared to life, cutting through the swirling barrier. Naruto leapt back, crying out just as the steel bit into the flesh of his palm. He was blown back additionally by the force of their chakra's sudden parting. Cursing, Naruto landed a few yards away, blood dribbling down his hand onto the sand.

"_Show me!"_ Illidan cried again. "_Show me!"_

The Betrayer suddenly sucked in his breath, his hands coming together briefly in a single seal. His ruined, tattooed chest expanded outwards, and his throat began to glow green. Seconds later he exhaled, bellowing as he did, "**Nether Flame!"**

A large sphere of emerald fire erupted from his wide mouth, and it streaked towards the blonde, faster than any shuriken. Using his _Kazaashi_, Naruto blurred away, just as the fire streaked past him.

It detonated over the water, a brilliant viridian inferno in the night. The explosion sent a gust of wind strong enough to make Naruto stumble, and to kick up more sand into the air. Throwing up a hand to ward off the flying dust, Naruto sought out Illidan, who had vanished again.

"_I will force you to show me, since you seem to have little incentive. Release the power!"_

Illidan exploded from the ground beneath Naruto, having Blinked there just after releasing the attack. He lifted one blade and with a cry slashed it across Naruto's stomach. Naruto tried to harden it using _Kongou_, but the blade sliced through it with ease. Pain flooded into his body, igniting it afire and making him scream. He crashed to the ground, clutching his stomach, as blood flowed out.

Tyrande's heart skipped a beat at the blonde's scream, and she struggled to release herself from the technique. Neera hurtled her weapon, but Illidan blocked it easily, hardly looking up. He was staring at Naruto, a frown covering his face.

Naruto did not get up. He lay on the ground, clutching his stomach, the pain growing more and more unbearable. It was greater than anything he had ever felt. Every nerve burned, and it felt like his body was going to explode from the inside out.

The pain was most intense in his stomach, right over the seal of the Kyuubi no Yoko.

Illidan stared at the blonde again. "_Ah. I see." _He looked at the blade that had done the deed, and smiled. "_This blade does more than cut flesh. It cuts everything. It seems I cut the bonds holding the creature within. It will soon break free."_ He then looked troubled, turning and looking at Tyrande.

"_I do not want to go back on my word, Tyrande, but this boy might hurt you if he stays alive. The creature will come out soon. I don't want you harmed. Will you reconsider?"_

Tyrande screamed.

It was a scream of primal fury, causing Illidan to step back. Tyrande broke free from her bonds, and was in an instant at Naruto's side. But as soon as her hands touched his flesh, he had to pull away, hissing as the demon's chakra lashed out at her, burning her flesh. But she did not move away. Her eyes immediately went to Illidan.

"Leave."

Illidan opened his mouth to protest, but Tyrande didn't let him. "Leave, Betrayer. Leave and never come back. Your presence brings nothing but suffering and destruction. Leave, return to that godforsaken world you rule, and stay there. If I see you here again, Betrayer, make no mistake, information about Malfurion or not, I will kill you." Each word was spoken with the so much hate that Illidan recoiled slightly. Tyrande had never spoken to him like that. She had never called him by that name, either.

He stepped back, as Tyrande began to inject healing chakra into Naruto's wound. She never looked back at him. Her mind, her determination, was focused solely on Naruto. Illidan had seen that very attentiveness in her dealings with Malfurion, ages and ages ago.

Illidan wanted to say something, but he suddenly felt presences coming towards them. Sentinels, druids, maybe. Drawn by the sounds and the sights of battle.

"_I will leave, then, Tyrande. I am confident that you will survive this. You and my brother defeated Archimonde the Defiler. Though this creature might be stronger than he, I have no doubts that you will be able to come through." _He smiled. "_I have every confidence." _He forgot her earlier biting words. He knew she didn't mean them.

"_I have only this information-- Malfurion lives, somewhere deep within the Emerald Dream. I know that he is locked in a struggle in which he cannot leave. I know not where he is, only that he is. I have no other information. I am sorry. Goodbye, my love." _He smiled again, mad as a hatter. "_I will love you always."_

The shadows consumed him, and Illidan Stormrage left Teldrassil as suddenly as he had come, but his presence would soon be made known, and the mark he left would remain with the elves forever.

Tyrande, though registering Illidan's final words, paid no attention to his leaving. She suddenly didn't care. All that she cared about was healing Naruto.

But it wasn't working.

Her chakra was repulsed. Boiling red, angry chakra began to flow from the wound in Naruto's stomach. He screamed and writhed, but his screams soon became more animalistic. They suddenly spoke not of pain, but of hate, rage, and destruction. No matter what she did, it kept flowing, surrounding Naruto's body, taking the shape of a fox.

Naruto face suddenly vanished into the cloud of chakra. The fox head that replaced it then turned and grinned at her.

Teldrassil awoke, its inhabitants hearing the terrible rage of the Kyuubi, finally free.

And soon they would feel it.

----------------------------------------------

Kira cried out and sat up, feeling a great surge of chakra behind her. Her empathetic mind, sensitive to emotion, was suddenly filled with all the most horrible feelings of battle. She felt an ancient, monstrous wrath, not at any one thing, but at everything. She doubled over, gasping, nearly sick from the suddenness of the feeling. She barely heard Kylia, who had awoken at her shout. She barely noticed Tsuwabuki, sitting in the corner, suddenly writhing and howling in fury and anger as the feelings from the bond washed over her too.

But this rage was familiar. The terror that it brought to her could only be matched by the terror she had felt when she had seen Naruto use his powers.

This was the power of the Kyuubi.

"Naruto..." she whispered, looking out the window.

--------------------------------------

"Oh!"

Sakura backed away from the table, as the tea from her cup splashed across it, and dribbled onto the ground. She stared at her tea cup, which had split almost completely in two.

Ino, who sat across from her, blinked at the unusual breaking. "Oooh, that's a bad omen, Sakura. You'd best watch out for yourself in the future." She then peered at Sakura's slightly shocked face. "Or were you thinking about someone else when it happened?"

Sakura continued staring a moment, before she slowly shook her head. "Of course not. I don't believe in those stupid superstitions. Aren't you a little old to be taking them seriously?"

Ino puffed out her cheeks, annoyed.

Sakura walked away, saying that she was going to find a napkin. As she did, worry filled her heart.

She had been thinking about someone.

'_Naruto...'_

-------------------------------------------

Naruto stood, knee-deep in the murky water of the Kyuubi's chamber.

The bars had been cut.

The huge opening, large enough for the Kyuubi to fit its head and forearms through, completely bisected the small piece of paper that had once read "**Seal**." One part was completely gone, the other half remaining attached to the remnants of the bars, slightly singed.

But that was only the least of the problems.

The Kyuubi was gone.

"Oi, fox! Where are you?"

"**HERE."**

The water began to bubble and froth, and Naruto yelped as it began to boil beneath him. It soon rose upwards, forming the head and body of the Kyuubi. The water began to glow bright red, and streamers of similarly colored chakra, extending from between the bars, flowed into its new body. It was only partly formed, but it seemed to be growing more and more solid as time went by. The water was turning into reddish fur, and more of the body began to form.

"**I AM FREE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD HOST. I WOULD HAVE BROKEN FREE EVENTUALLY, DUE TO YOUR CONSTANT USE OF MY POWER, BUT THAT ELF HELPED QUITE A BIT." **A claw suddenly shot out, grabbing Naruto. The blonde cried out as the chakra seared his flesh. He struggled, as the demon pulled him close.

"**YOU WILL WATCH. MY POWER IS NOT COMPLETELY FREE YET, BUT AS IT COMES OUT, I WILL USE IT TO DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU KNOW. I WILL MAKE YOU A PRISONER, LIKE I WAS FOR YOU. ENJOY FOR FINAL MOMENTS, BRAT. IT WAS FUN."**

The Kyuubi smashed him into the wall, and then pulled away. A bubble of chakra remained around the blonde, trapping him. He struggled and growled and screamed, but the pain soon overwhelmed him. He watched in horror as the demon grew, and could do nothing to stop it.

Outside, the world awakened to fear, as Kyuubi no Yoko walked once again.

--------------------------------------

Surprised again? Illidan isn't even the main baddy. It's Kyuubi!

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I wrote it a little worried, however. From what everyone was saying in the reviews, they wanted me to put Illidan in the character they remembered him as. Kickass, anti-hero and Tyrande-lovin'. Well, the kick-ass and Tyrande-lovin' are there, but he is at present much more villain than anti-hero. He's crazy, as you can see.

I made his personality as such because of two reasons. One, it might be canon. Illidan was totally pissed after losing to Arthas, and it might have driven him over the edge, especially given so much time to brood about it in Outlands. So my Illidan, despite still being in love with Tyrande, is much more obsessed with power than his canon counterpart. He loves power for the sake of power, and enjoys attaining it. Everything he does revolves around attaining power, no matter what kind.

Before you say that he is like Orochimaru, (and that is slightly true) he has a big difference. He cares not for immortality, or becoming the "Ultimate Being". He has no goal. He's just gaining power because he wants to. Simple as that.

The second reason for making him crazy is because he's so much more interesting that way. He's unpredictable, weird, and a little child-like. He can go from being rather depressed and poetic to being violently mad in a heartbeat. Besides, if he was regular-ol' Illidan, it wouldn't cause nearly as much conflict or be nearly as exciting. I hope you find my reasons to be acceptable, and if you are a fan of Illidan and do not like my interpretation, please know that I am very sorry, and that I hope you continue reading nonetheless.

As for Illidan's personality, I gave you hints that he's like Sasuke, but also like someone else? Can anyone guess who from this chapter? (It's not Orochimaru).

Thanks again to Nozdormi for previewing. And to all who sent information about Illidan.

Next week: The Kyuubi Cometh. The Elves had better be prepared!

**Spellbook:**

**Moonlight Strike- **Imbues a weapon with light chakra, which enhances it to a near light speed. It cannot be done with people, because their bodies are unable to handle it. Only usable by those who have trained to be a Priestess of the Moon.

**Stardust Shower- **Imbues ordinary sand, or pebbles or small objects with light chakra, and then they are thrust out to move at high-speeds and cause great damage up close. Has the force of a shotgun.

**Starfall- **Only usable by the most skilled Priestesses, the Starfall imbues any number of boulders summoned from the ground with light chakra, and then sends them streaking high into the air. Upon their return, they gain force and deadliness, and when the return to the earth, they cause massive damage to groups and individuals. Needs incredible concentration to do it.

**Omen's Howl- **Named for the wolf, Omen, who once defended the Night elves as their ally, before being corrupted. The howl is incredibly effective against those with enhanced hearing, such as the elves and trolls. Causes loss of equilibrium and can completely destroy inner ear.

**Nether Flame- **A highly concentrated blast of demonic chakra, emitted from the mouth. Causes incredible damage.

**Shadowmancy- **Invented by Illidan, based on the abilities of the Fallen Draenei, led by Akama, who follow Illidan. Cloaks a person in shadow, and allows them to teleport and conceal their presence with it. It can also be used to attack, in a variety of ways. Incredibly powerful, but much of it has yet to be revealed.

**Armory-**

**Blades of Azzinoth- **Illidan's twin warglaives. One can cut nearly any material or chakra, making it useful for breaking attacks, while the other can defend against any attack. Their full powers have yet to be seen.

**Bestiary-**

**Illidan Stormrage (Humanoid/Demon)(Boss)- **Obsessed with power, in love with Tyrande, and hateful of those stronger than he, Illidan is an incredibly powerful opponent. Possessing a cunning mind, and being extremely unpredictable, Illidan is a very difficult opponent to fight against. He seeks power only because of power, remarking that power is a journey, and that he never intends to end that journey. He has no destination. His true power has yet to be revealed. He rules over Outland, a world which he conquered long ago, along with his subordinates.


	52. The Kyuubi: Part One

**Disclaimer: I had a dog once. I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft. Wait. Wait. What?**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_--------------------------------------_

When Shandris and her Sentinels reached the edge of the forest, they were frozen by Tyrande's shout.

"Don't get any closer!"

Shandris stared at her superior, who stood a little ways away, Neera by her side. Tyrande's body was badly wounded, and her hands burnt so badly that it didn't appear they would ever completely heal. Her hair whipped around in the unnatural, hot wind that was emanating from the shaking, writhing form that once was Uzumaki Naruto. Shandris could not see her face, but from watching the scene unfold, she could easily guess it.

Naruto was changing. His body was covered in a thick layer of angry red chakra, which took the shape of a monstrous fox. It stretched out a few inches from the rest of his body, so that he appeared to be caught in a cloud of chakra. The head of a fox covered his own, with long pointed ears and wild red eyes. Claws covered his arms and legs, and two long tails of pure chakra swayed behind him, with a third one already half-formed. What could be seen of Naruto's face was a mask of pure, animalistic fury. There was nothing of the kind, determined boy left.

Both Tyrande and Neera were frozen in place. Neither felt like they could do a thing at the moment. Seeing Naruto; the sweet, fiery, inquisitive and stubborn boy that they had known for over a month, transform into the monster before them was more than either could take. They could but watch, in morbid fascination tinged with horror, as Naruto's third tail fully came into being.

Then it moved.

The creature Naruto had become lunged straight at Tyrande, not caring what chance it stood against her. With the demon's personality fully released, it had absolutely no mind any more. It was a creature of instinct, and always had been. It cared nothing for power levels, strategy, or anything of the sort. It would simply kill until there was nothing left. Though it was joyful for its freedom, it had long ago planned for its first action upon freeing itself.

It would kill anything that was there in front of it. Anything at all.

It had hoped that it would be the brat's precious people. It had prayed that when it got free, that first thing it would be able to do was destroy those the brat, whom had caged it for so long, cared about. It had gotten its wish.

But now there was no need for thought. It didn't hold the sick ideal of revenge in its mind, or delight in seeing the terror on their faces. It was simply reveling in its complete and total freedom by tearing everything it saw into pieces. Chance favored it.

For those it saw first were the ones the brat cared about.

Though it didn't concern itself with that. It didn't want to think anymore. It just wanted to act. As soon as it ripped everyone here apart, it would find more, and repeat the process. Just like old times. Back when it hadn't needed to think, back when it had simply reveled in its lust for destruction, and joy of the kill. For nearly fourteen years it hadn't done a thing but think. Now it wouldn't have to.

One of its massive claws stretched out on a long tendril of chakra, slicing at Neera and Tyrande. The two night elves leapt backwards, avoiding the swift, furious attack, landing just in time to dodge another, and then another. The Kyuubi attacked with everything it had at that point, even as more of its chakra began to pour through the break in the seal. Its sweeping claws tore through the sandy beach, throwing up large clouds of sand. Tyrande finally stopped her dodging, and brought up her three-bladed Sentinel's knife, blocking one of powerful strikes. She cursed at the sheer power it possessed, but held her ground.

Neera raised her weapon to attack, but froze when the Kyuubi, with Naruto's face, looked at her. Her hesitation was long enough for the creature to pull back from Tyrande and thrust a claw in her direction. It slammed into her stomach, palm first, lifting Neera off her feet and throwing her across the beach. She struck a tree, causing it to crack and her to cry out.

The Kyuubi would've continued its attack on her before a Sentinel's blade, directed by Shandris, slammed into its left shoulder. Enhanced by azure chakra, the blades cut into the thick layer of chakra, slicing straight through to Naruto's flesh.

The Kyuubi howled in pain, reeling from the attack. The Sentinel's blade cut deep into Naruto's left shoulder, nearly slicing the arm clear off. It passed straight through, doubled back, and returned to Shandris' waiting hand. Tyrande gasped in horror at her lieutenant's attack, seeing the damage it had done to Naruto's body.

Her fears for the boy's arm dissolved, however, as molten chakra flooded into the wound, and repaired it in nothing less than a heartbeat. It released several short growls, but with its hideous vulpine grin, it sounded more like cackling.

'_What is this creature?'_ wondered Tyrande. This demon was nothing like Archimonde. It had no motive other than to destroy. It answered to no master, and acted on pure instinct, and seemed to bear only a grudge against life and existence.

And what more was that she could feel no corruption coming from the creature. This was not a tainted beast, fallen from grace. It was pure; created for one sole purpose.

Destruction.

How could such a beast have been sealed in Naruto? How could he have resisted that terrifying power for so long?

Illidan had only sliced through a portion of the seal, and thankfully that meant that the beast's power was not completely free. However, she could tell that every moment more and more was pouring out. She did notice, however, that it was not rushing out like water from a dam. It seemed controlled. The Kyuubi was not letting all its power come out at once.

She stopped thinking as the beast turned to her, one of its baleful red eyes boring into her own ivory ones.

It lunged at Tyrande this time, thrusting its claw towards her chest. She ducked swiftly beneath it, and brought her weapon up, slicing through the chakra, splitting the arm in two. The spectral claw fell to the ground, whereupon it dissolved into dark red wisps of smoke, and returned to the Kyuubi's body. The stump began to bubble, and from it a new arm took shape a blink later.

Before the Kyuubi could move again, however, three arrows suddenly struck it in the chest, knocking it backwards. The arrows bored through the increasingly thick chakra and into Naruto's flesh, but were thrust out by the Kyuubi's chakra as invaders. More arrows soon followed, however, causing the demon to leap away, bringing a tail up to defend its head from the deadly barbs.

Tyrande moved away from it, shouting behind her. "That is Naruto!"

Several of the Sentinels stared in shock at what had become of their former training partner. Shandris, however, ran up to Tyrande.

"My lady, what do we do? How do we stop this?"

Tyrande cursed as another hail of arrows halted the demon's movement again. They had to act fast. "We have to suppress the chakra before it gets any greater. Illidan cut the seal! We have to--"

Suddenly a wave of power blasted them backwards. Both landed deftly on their feet, their eyes shooting as one up to the Kyuubi's body, which had begun to change. The red chakra became thicker and darker, almost black. It grew taught against Naruto's flesh, its claws grew larger, and the chakra molded itself to the blonde's face, all but erasing his features save for twin wide, pupil-less eyes and a grinning maw. Behind it, they watched in horror as a fourth tail appeared. It now looked more fox than human.

The ground exploded, turning the sand to glass, and sent flying those who had not bolstered their footing with chakra. The air was now so thick with chakra that neither could stand it. It was asphyxiating, and it burned their skin and dried their lips. The hot wind had grown worse, and seemed to steal the air from their lungs as it rushed by them. But greater than all of that was the fear that began to course through the hardened warriors' bodies. Fear of both the chaotic, wild power in front of them, and what it meant for the boy caught within it.

Tyrande came awake as the creature seemed to settle for a moment, observing its new form. So it wasn't as single-minded as she had thought. It appeared to have a personality, even in the real world.

But she knew that with the few Sentinels they had, they wouldn't be able to stop it. They had to retreat. They had to get reinforcements, and find a way to stop the chakra from coming out any more. She had an idea, but at the moment, it was impossible to perform.

The Kyuubi suddenly let out a great roar. The forest seemed to shrink back, and she could hear the creatures of the forest in flight behind her, moving as far away from the monster as they could. They needed to do the same for now.

She made a long series of hand seals, followed by smashing her palms into the ground. From deep within the earth, two massive spikes of rock erupted just in front of her hands. With another seal, she placed her hands on the rocks spikes, surrounding them with a glowing, pearl chakra. Just as she finished, the Kyuubi moved.

She thrust both hands out, crying "**_Spears of Heaven and Earth!_"**

The spears of rock exploded from the earth, streaking and slamming into the Kyuubi with the force of bullets. They did not pierce the creature's hide, but the force blasted the demon off its feet, and carried it along with them. It soared away from the beach, far out into the ocean.

Tyrande didn't stay to see the results of her attack, however. She roared to the others, "Let's go! We need to get help! We cannot fight it on our own!"

Shandris did not hesitate. She nodded, and commanded the others to follow them into the forest. Tyrande leapt towards where Neera lay, still unconscious from her first blow. She lifted the young elf up, and disappeared into the forest.

----------------------------------------------

'**EXCELLENT.'**

The Kyuubi grinned horribly in Naruto's mindscape, staring at the trapped blonde with its big, fiery eyes. Naruto had stopped struggling, pain and despair weakening his resolve.

'**I FEEL IT AGAIN. I AM FREE, UNHINDERED BY YOUR ANNOYING MIND AND ACTIONS.'** It leaned in forwards, so that Naruto could feel its hot, stinking breath. '**MY CHAKRA IS NOT COMPLETELY FREE, BUT IT WILL SOON BE. I DON'T WANT YOUR BODY DYING BEFORE THAT HAPPENS, SO YOU ARE GOING TO HELP ME.' **It boomed with laughter, as one of its four tails swept down and covered Naruto's head, muffling his renewed cries.

'**JUST AS I HELPED YOU IN YOUR BATTLES, BRAT, IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO HELP ME IN MINE!'**

_----------------------------------------------_

The forest was screaming in fear.

Fandral Staghelm stood among the great trees of the Cenarion Enclave, listening to its cries of horror. He could feel, too, the source of that horror, growing ever stronger in the distance. It had appeared suddenly, after the sounds of an unknown battle had died away. He had heard and seen the effects of Tyrande's Starfall, and had felt another, familiar power along with hers.

But then this power had come.

He unconsciously shuddered. Something was coming, something powerful, immense, and extremely harmful to the sanctity and peace of the night elves. It was an awful power; wrathful and hot, a maelstrom of unfocused rage that would soon sweep across the entire island, and reduced it to cinders. It was different from the feeling of corruption that the Burning Legion brought. It felt more primal, older. It was not a creature corrupted by Sargeras, but a force of nature, a pure demon. It simply wanted to destroy.

It had no other motive.

But he could feel that it was nothing in comparison to Archimonde. But from the way the trees trembled and shook, he knew it had the potential. That meant they had to stop it quickly.

Other druids began to gather. Some appeared visibly frightened, others affixed masks of stoicism and calmness so as not to cause panic. But all could feel the disturbance. It was impossible not to. They looked to Fandral, their Arch-Druid, their leader, with questioning eyes. How was he going to combat this threat? In the past, the one who had always been the one to save them was Malfurion. Without him, would they be doomed?

Fandral's eyes swept across the gathered druids. He saw their fear, their doubt. He gritted his teeth. Malfurion's legacy, he scoffed. He hardened his eyes, which appeared to glow brighter in the darkness. He stood up straight, and let his chakra flow out, seizing the attention of all those around him. The trees themselves seemed to react, extending their roots and branches towards him so as to listen better to his words. The druids' mutterings fell silent at once.

He would give no long speech. He would give no powerfully spoken words to encourage the hearts of those around him, to whip them into the spirit of battle. That was not his style. That was more Malfurion's.

No, he simply intended to convey to them the direness of their situation. If this creature, whatever it was, was allowed to get anywhere near the main city, then he knew that untold destruction would be caused. Thousands of lives would be lost. He intended to tell them as simply as possible that if they did not win, they would all die.

After another sweep of his eyes, he spoke. "This threat, I do not have to tell you, is immense. Whatever seeks to harm us, whatever has revealed itself to us this night, is beyond dangerous. If we fail, if we are unable to stop it from reaching our city, then it is over for us. There is nothing else to say. We must stop it."

He then lifted something up, which before he had been clutching in his left hand. Upon seeing it, the druids seemed to grow heartened.

"Then let us go," Fandral said, clenching his fist. "Let us fight to win again. We are strong. We are the Kaldorei!"

------------------------------------

'_This is bad,'_ Tyrande thought with a curse. '_Very bad.'_

Their flight had not gone as planned. The creature, despite her efforts, had not been stopped for very long. It had been unharmed by the attack, and had recovered and pursued them, running across the surface of the sea. They were only halfway back to the city when it reached them again.

It swept its tails in a long arc, suddenly releasing a massive explosion of chakra. Trees were blown apart, the ground was flash-burned to nothing but rock and sand. Tyrande focused as much chakra as she could into her feet in order to keep her balance, but even then it was difficult. It stretched a claw, shooting it directly towards a Sentinel that had fallen to the ground near it. The Sentinel cursed, leaping away from the arm, but it only continued after her. She knocked an arrow, poured her chakra into it, and released it at the extended arm.

The arrow bounced off the thick chakra, and before she could grab another arrow, the arm burst apart, flinging deadly bullets of dark red chakra in every direction. The bullets struck her body, tearing through flesh and bone, and poisoning her chakra system. She died seconds later.

But even as the Kyuubi was ending one Sentinel's life, it was searching for others. The Kyuubi's chest suddenly bubbled, and six groping arms erupted out, tearing through trees and earth, searching for lives to claim.

Tyrande was unfortunate to find the attention of one of these arms, as was Neera. Making a seal, Tyrande thrust her hand out, and released a burst of purifying chakra, created specifically to destroy and suppress demonic chakra. The red arm recoiled and fell apart.

Neera, on the other hand, having recovered a little ways into the forest, was doing her best to avoid the deadly creeper, having no way to dispel it like Tyrande did. The High Priestess, however, soon came to her aid, and dispelled it in the same way. Tyrande then turned to Neera.

"Get going. I will stay."

Neera gasped. "But my lady...what about--"

"Don't worry," said Tyrande. "Get as much help as you can. I'll be able to hold it off until then. Spare no expense. All of my Priestesses must come, as must all the Sentinels, druids and anyone else who can help." She glared fiercely back at Neera. "We don't have time. Go!"

Neera jumped, but went. She moved as fast as she could, leaping from tree to tree, back towards the city.

Shandris looked back, cursing when she saw two more Sentinels fall to the chakra claws of the Kyuubi. She then noticed, to her horror, that Tyrande stood her ground upon the earth, yards behind her. Her first impulse was to stop, but her second made her continue forwards. She knew that Tyrande was buying them time. Therefore, they needed to get back as fast as possible in order to get the reinforcements that Tyrande desperately needed.

And, she thought grimly, Tyrande was most likely the only one of them that could stand up to this power without being immediately slain. She only hoped that Tyrande would be able to stay alive long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Tyrande, for her part, had to do all that she could to stop the demon from advancing. They needed to find some way to stop this beast, to suppress the power and allow Naruto to reassert his control over it. In order to do that, she would need all of her best Priestesses, and everyone possible in order to stop it long enough for her to complete preparations. She already had an idea on how to stop this creature. She just needed time and help, both of which were in short supply at the moment.

She prayed again that they were already mobilizing. She knew that it would a short time before Fandral and his druids arrived, and for once, she was counting on him. The druids would certainly be able to keep it contained for the time she needed. Her Sisters of Elune were hopefully ready as well. They must have sensed the Kyuubi's presence by now. Something so awful was impossible not to feel.

The Kyuubi howled suddenly, so wild and terrible. Tyrande could hear nothing of Naruto in the howl. He was gone, and to where she did not know. She only hoped that her plan would work. She only prayed that they would be able to seal the beast away again, before it completely consumed Naruto.

The awful chakra that now covered him made her fear for the blonde's life. She had seen the corrosive effects it had on everything it touched. So why would it not have such an effect on the body that it surrounded? If they didn't stop the chakra from coming out, then Naruto's body would be destroyed.

The Kyuubi released another explosion, clearing away another large patch of trees. Tyrande bolstered herself with chakra again, and ran forwards to meet it. It stood in the very center of the new clearing, releasing another ear-shattering roar. Its tails whipped around it in a frenzy, and it twisted its head in every direction attempting to sight new quarry. When it found Tyrande, it lunged for her.

One of its claws stretched out, coiling and flailing as it flew at Tyrande. The High Priestess of Elune made a seal, thrusting out a hand.

'**_Moon Shield!'_** Pearl-colored chakra erupted from her hand, forming a glistening semi-transparent wall in front of her. The claw struck it, but at the same moment Tyrande stepped forwards and turned her body angling the shield so that the claw glanced off. Tyrande stepped forwards then, and dispelling her shield, made another few hand seals. Lifting her Sentinel's blade, she threw it hard, making disappear in a flash of light.

'**_Moonlight Strike_!' **The blade smashed into the Kyuubi's chest with amazing force, jettisoning it backwards. It crashed through a group of trees, shattering and destroying them all with but its presence. The extended arm slowly began to retract.

Tyrande called her Sentinel's blade back, and it flew from the fallen, now burning trees back into her hand. She waited, keeping one eye trained on the still retracting claw and the other on the pile of fallen trees, from which the Kyuubi had yet to emerge.

Suddenly something happened.

The claw, which now flailed in mid-air a few yards in front, suddenly swelled up like a huge balloon, making Tyrande's eyes widen. The arm suddenly took another shape, growing a head, body, tails and claws of its own. It became a full fledged Kyuubi, but only possessed two tails.

The pile of burnt trees suddenly exploded, and another Kyuubi emerged, with two tails as well. They remained covered in the dark red opaque chakra, and still had wide, pupil-less eyes.

_'It's using Naruto's techniques!'_ she thought, horrified. She had no more time to think, as the one nearest her attacked. Tyrande dodged two swipes from the demon's claws, and another from from a tail that had grown long and thin like a spear. The other Kyuubi rushed at her side, one of its claws growing as large as its body. It brought it up over its head, then smashed it down on Tyrande.

The High Priestess of Elune avoided the attack, which drove straight through the earth, rock, and wood of the great waterlogged tree. Her hands flew through more hand seals, and as the beasts renewed their attack, she slammed her palms together.

_"**Aura of Elune!" **_she cried. Purifying chakra erupted from every pore of her body. It exploded outwards in a quick, furious blast, throwing both Kyuubis back, and making them roar in pain and anger.

Breathless, Tyrande charged at the nearest Kyuubi, making more seals as she did. She planted her hand in the Kyuubi's chest, hissing in pain at the contact, but at the same time releasing a massive burst of purifying chakra. The creature screeched and fell back, writhing, a gaping hole in its chest.

But then its began to swell. It grew big, its limbs becoming grotesquely fat and its body becoming almost spherical. It made a noise that was somewhere between a growl and a cry of glee, and exploded.

Tyrande moved. Faster than she ever had before. Before the Kyuubi clone burst, she had already traveled the entire distance of the clearing, and was beneath the trees when it finally did. Even then, however, she was nearly knocked to the ground by the force of the blast. Trees were uprooted and flung into the air, or simply reduced to cinders where they stood. Tyrande covered herself from the flying dust and debris with her arms. For a moment all she could hear was the roaring wind and crashing impacts of trees returning to the earth.

Then silence reigned.

Tyrande stood, now at the very edge of an even larger clearing. The Kyuubi stood near the middle, once again in possession of four tails. It was howling again, this time in apparent victory. It did not even bother to look in her direction.

She slowly made her way out into the open. She was shocked to discover, however, the purple mist above her was gone. She could see the night sky, clear as day. It was something that she had never seen before in Teldrassil.

Then, she saw the Kyuubi look at her. It stopped howling, and seemed a little surprised at her appearance, tilting its head to the side as a curious dog might. She stared back at it. She readied herself to fight again.

But there was no need.

From the earth beneath the Kyuubi, huge, thick dark vines erupted. Some were as thick as oak trees, others as thin as reeds. They wrapped themselves around the Kyuubi, lifting it into the air and completely surrounding it. They continued to emerge and bind until the Kyuubi was no longer visible.

A figure emerged from the trees. Tyrande knew who it was at once.

"Fandral!" she cried, rushing towards him.

Fandral Staghelm turned as Tyrande called out to him. His eyes narrowed briefly as she came to a stop, panting, in front of him.

"Tyrande," he said. "It seems you have done well in keeping it occupied. Good. But your presence is no longer needed. We shall destroy this creature." To prove his point, he produced something that Tyrande had not seen in ages. It was horn with an ornately carved head that resembled a bird. It emanated no special power, and had no special presence, yet Tyrande was not fooled. She recognized it instantly, for she herself had used it once, long ago.

"The Horn of Cenarius..." she whispered. Then, realizing what he intended to do, she cried. "No! You cannot!"

"We can," replied Fandral. As he said this, more druids began to move from the trees. Some held their hands together in a seal, staring at the writhing mass of vines with looks of intense concentration. She could feel their chakra flowing out, into the earth and vines, reinforcing their power. Even so, she knew that they couldn't last long.

"No, you don't understand! That is Naruto's body! The demon has taken him over, thanks to Illidan. We must find a way to seal the demonic chakra away again, not kill them both!" Tyrande said, glaring at him.

Fandral stared at her a moment, then turned back to the mass. "That is the boy? Hmph. I knew that there was something off about him. He never told us that he had a demon inside of him. And I though I recognized the other presence earlier. Nevertheless, it does not matter. We will destroy him hear and now, no matter who he is."

"You will not!" Tyrande cried, now desperate. "It is not his fault! Please, I know how we can seal it! I just need my Priestesses and Sisters. We don't have to destroy him! Please, Fandral!" Normally, she would have never pleaded with him. Normally, she would have punched him or swore at him until she could no longer, even though anger never worked against Fandral. But this involved Naruto's life. She didn't know why, but she found herself almost hysterical with worry. The boy had become very close to her, without her even realizing it. She couldn't let him die. She couldn't!

Again Fandral stared at her. His face was as unreadable as ever. Then, he nodded.

"Retrieve your Sisters. We will stay here, and keep it occupied. Go. Now."

Tyrande didn't stop to thank him, or even smile in relief. She turned and ran into the forest, towards Darnassus.

When she was gone, Fandral turned back to the vines and their captive. He could feel the awful power growing inside, and knew that they had to act now.

He shook his head. It was strange, he thought, as he raised the horn to his lips. She had never even thought to suspect him of lying. That boy must have been very important to her, to make her so strangely trusting.

He blew the horn, just as a massive explosion of chakra incinerated the Kyuubi's vine prison, freeing it.

The creature landed, bellowing out a long roar which drowned the sound of the horn. But that didn't matter. The horn had been blown, and Fandral knew that it would only be a matter of time before the spirits answered his call. They would simply have to wait until they came.

The Kyuubi screamed again, slashing one claw at the druids, producing a blast of hot wind. The druids summoned shields of wood, protecting themselves, as Fandral thrust a hand at the beast.

Two long wooden poles erupted from the ground, smashing into the Kyuubi. It screeched, but grabbed the poles and ripped them apart, even as Fandral made more seals. He thrust a hand at the Kyuubi again, roaring into the air.

'_**Moonfire!**'_White-hot, sapphire blue fire burst into being on the Kyuubi's chest, immediately covering the whole creature. The flames burned deep, attacking and eating away the thick, fiery chakra that made its body. It writhed and screamed, but as long as Fandral willed it, the flames would remain.

The Kyuubi then thrust his claws out in every direction. One of them grew immensely large, smashing through the shields of wood and clawing at the druids behind them. Most dodged away, but even then, the large fingers suddenly grew long, becoming miniature claws themselves. Two punctured a pair of druids' bodies, burning through their flesh and destroying their chakra systems. They died with gurgling cries.

Others managed to get away, and fended off the attacking claws with shields of wood and creeping vines.

The other hand made straight for Fandral, who conjured more vines, which wrapped around the claw and bound it in place.

Then, Fandral began to smile. It was their victory.

For the army of nature, called by the horn, had arrived.

Wisps, glowing everywhere from sky blue to bright yellow, began to flutter out from the trees. They made their way slowly out into the clearing at first, but at Fandral's shout, suddenly shot like bullets towards the Kyuubi.

They converged, forming a cloud of rainbow around it. The demon swatted at them, though it seemed puzzled by their appearance. Fandral smiled. The battle would end now. This creature was done for.

It happened seconds later. In a terribly bright flash, the wisps detonated, engulfing the Kyuubi in a mighty explosion.

The druids called up shields again to protect themselves. Fandral, listening to the howling winds, and watching the flying debris and near blinding light behind his shield, knew that they had won. As Malfurion had done against Archimonde, using the power of the World Tree, so would Fandral do against this beast, using the power of Teldrassil, his World Tree. The wisps had answered his call.

The blast blew away trees and scorched the earth. It cleared away the rest of the purple mist above them, revealing the night sky. A third massive clearing was formed by the explosion, and hopefully the last. It lasted for several moments, and Fandral and his druids knew only chaos in those moments, as the world was seemingly annihilated around them. But their shields protected them, the very tree they stood upon keeping them safe from nature's wrath.

Then the light began to fade, and the dust and debris began to settle. A calm settled over the battlefield, and everything was veiled in silence. The night air, Fandral just noticed, was cool and breezy. He looked up into the sky. It was something he usually found so distasteful, so incredibly huge and open that it made him feel small. He hated that feeling. But now, he felt as if he could reach out and grab it. He had won. He was strong, just as he had always said.

He was not so far away from Malfurion now.

But then he heard it roar, equal to the screams of a thousand feral beasts, a thousand raging demons. It brought a great fear into the elf's heart, eroding the victory away.

Malfurion was suddenly a speck in the distance, so very far away again.

He felt so very small again.

A second explosion rocked the world. But this one was different. There was no bright flash, only a maelstrom of wind, a tremor through the earth, and a sudden feeling of great dread. The awful power, the power of the demon, was growing again. It suddenly felt more awful then ever before. The wood shields of the druids began to crack and burn, the demon's horrible chakra burning through them. Fandral was for a moment unable to even breath, as the Kyuubi's chakra reached a new level.

As it settled down, Fandral stepped boldly from his protection, and saw his fears confirmed.

The Kyuubi now had five tails.

It was bigger than ever before, nearly his height on all fours. The chakra that covered it was just as dark, but seemed to emulate skin and fur even better. The demon's claws were even more wicked, and its grinning maw now filled with even more teeth. It's eyes were still pupil-less, but seemed sharper and narrower, making it look even wickeder than before. It tails were longer and wilder, and its face more elongated and vulpine.

Fandral was stunned. The wisps, though they had answered his call, had not been enough. His World Tree had possessed none of the power that the former one had.

Malfurion had been right again. This World Tree could never compare.

But even as he stared down a creature he knew he couldn't beat, Fandral hardened himself. He was Kaldorei. He was strong and fearless. No matter what he faced, he would fight to the death.

But perhaps, he thought grimly, Tyrande would come through.

For once, he hoped that the woman would bring help soon. As irritating as he found her, he knew that in this instance, she would be their only hope.

She and her feelings for that brat.

----------------------------------

Tyrande emerged from the forest to find an army waiting for her.

Shandris had done well. She had gathered the entire standing army of Darnassus, and had called six Ancients of War from around the city. These massive, tree-like beasts were even bigger than those that Naruto and Kira had met outside the city. They had huge tusks of wood, and were outfitted with massive shoulder and shin guards, as well as colorful war paint. Their hands were sharpened into claws, and their massive legs could easily trample a dozen people in a single step. Their faces resembled animals'. They stood at the back of the gathered, silent and still, waiting for their orders.

"Tyrande!"

Tyrande turned as Kira and Kylia pushed their way to the front of the group. Kira looked terrified, though whether it was from worry or the demon's presence, she didn't know. Kylia remained calm, a pillar for Kira to lean against.

Neera appeared minutes later, Shandris by her side. Immediately, the commander of the Sentinels bowed to Tyrande and said, "I couldn't find the druids. It seems they have already gone."

Tyrande nodded. "I met them. They are keeping it occupied. We must go over the plan now. I have an idea of how to stop--"

A great explosion behind them drowned out her words, and lit the air with a bright flash. Tyrande felt a surge of chakra behind her, one that was not the Kyuubi's. She knew, however, exactly what it belonged to. She had felt something similar many years ago, on a day she had faced another demon of great power.

Though she had not heard it, Fandral must have blown the Horn.

Horror welled up in her. '_Naruto!'_ she mentally wailed, nearly toppling to her knees. No, it couldn't be possible. He couldn't be dead.

Shandris caught her at the last moment, staring at her in puzzlement. Kira and Kylia were watching the now fading explosion, eyes wide at its size.

"N-Naruto..." she mumbled, causing Kira's attention to snap to her.

"What is it? What happened?" Kira asked. The look on Tyrande's face filled her with sudden dread. She had heard everything from Shandris. She knew that Naruto was now dominated by the Kyuubi's personality, and unless they did something, he would die, and the Kyuubi would be free to walk the earth again. They couldn't let that happen.

"The Horn," muttered Tyrande, disbelievingly. "He used it. He used the Horn of Cena--"

Her words died on her lips as she heard the second explosion, and the return and ascension of the Kyuubi's chakra. She stood, her fear for Naruto vanishing in an instant. She did not think of what had happened to Fandral. She did not question why the Horn had not worked. She didn't care. They still had a chance. They could still do this.

"Never mind," she suddenly said. Her voice was cold and calm now. The worry that she had once displayed was gone, and replacing it was the familiar mask of the High Priestess of Elune; the battle goddess that Illidan had worshipped. "I have a plan." She sucked in her breath.

"We need to seal the Kyuubi. There is nothing that we possess currently with which to destroy it, so we can only rely on our seals to suppress the chakra and push it back into Naruto. Illidan didn't destroy the seal. The Kyuubi is not completely free. Its chakra is slowly pouring out from the ruptured seal, and invading Naruto's body. It grows tails each time its power grows past a certain level, and a certain amount of it is freed." She looked at everyone with determined eyes. "But I know that at the same time, this chakra is harmful. It burns everything it touches, and if it gets into your system, it poisons it, and gradually destroys it until you yourself die. Unless you are strong enough to combat it, a single touch from the Kyuubi might kill you.

"But from what Kira and Naruto have both told me, every time he uses the demon's chakra, it corrodes his own body as well. He has never before reached the level he has at this point, which leads me to believe that his body is at this very moment being slowly destroyed by the chakra that surrounds it."

Kira gulped. "So the how do we stop it?"

Tyrande took another deep breath. "I'm getting to that. The demon seems to be regulating its chakra flow. I'm sure that if it allowed its chakra to flow out too fast, then Naruto's body would be destroyed. If his body dies before all of the Kyuubi's chakra can come out, then it is likely the demon itself will die. They are still connected, as long as the creature's chakra is behind the remnants of the original seal.

"My plan is to overlay another seal, the strongest one that we have ever developed, and hopefully combine both seals so that one single, much more powerful seal is created. To do that, I need all of my Priestesses to help me. The _Grand Seal of Elune_ is something that we have never performed on such short notice, but in order to stop the demon, it must be done."

"But," she said, eyes sweeping across them. "We must buy time. I need every able person to keep the beast contained or distracted in order for the seal to be prepared. It will be incredibly difficult. Many may lose their lives. But it must be done. This creature is not like Archimonde; it is an engine of destruction. It does not get overconfident, and cannot be beguiled. It must be stopped with force. We have to do it quickly, too. The longer we wait, the more Naruto's body is destroyed. If we wait too long, there may pass a point when we cannot heal him."

Kira gasped. The Sentinels, those who had trained with Naruto and spoken and laughed with him, hardened their faces into grim looks. Neera swallowed, looking worried, while Shandris showed no emotion at all. But they all felt it. They all knew what Naruto's death would bring to them: immense, irreparable holes in their hearts. An incredible feeling of pain and loss that would never go away.

That was how much Naruto meant to them. In his short stay, he had already brought so much, and inspired so many. He was their friend, their ally; a precious person to all who had met and known him for even a day.

"Then let's go," said Kira, quietly. She looked at Tyrande. "Do what you need to do. We will handle the rest."

"Yes," said Neera, nodding. "Leave it to us, my lady."

"It's all we can do," said Shandris, her face still as hard as ice. "We will do our part, and you yours, my lady."

Tyrande smiled. The rest of the gathered elves: Sentinels, warriors, magi and even potion makers shared her friends' sentiments. Naruto would survive, and they were counting her her to ensure that.

With another nod, Tyrande called her Sisters forwards. Bedecked in silvery armor of battle, the Priestesses came to her, forming a ring around their white-garbed, wounded and dirty leader. Tyrande had little need to explain. The seal they were attempting was something that none of them would forget. It was something that they had been developing since the Third War. _The Grand Seal of Elune_ was something that they had begun creating for one purpose, before a better, much more permanent solution had been found by her husband.

To defeat Archimonde the Defiler.

But Malfurion's alternative, despite the heavy costs, would have been far better in the long run. But she had not abandoned work on the seal. She did not know why, but she had felt that it must be completed. She and her Priestesses had then created the sealing technique, knowing that one day it might help them in a battle against one as terrible as Archimonde. It was that day.

All she told them was what she intended to do. She was going to alter the seal slightly, and add some parts to it that would hopefully make it automatically reshape itself to combine with Naruto's seal. Combination seals were always a risky business, but not impossible. Some seals could be combined easily, and they did most of the work by themselves. She remembered little of the blonde's seal, having only seen it once or twice when she had asked during their talks. She knew it was a strong seal, and she knew that it was likely adaptable too. Someone had given their life for it. It had traces, therefore, of another's chakra in it, and therefore would hopefully be receptive to another seal. _The Grand Seal of Elune_ was a powerful seal, too, and would hopefully adapt. She expected no lives to be given in the sealing process, instead using multiple people's chakra and small bits of their life energy to achieve the same effect as one person giving their life.

She had no idea what the combination effect would be. She had no idea if they could be combined. But she had to try. At this point, it was the only thing they could do.

Before they turned back to the battle, Tyrande hardened herself. She was, she told herself, not doing this for Naruto. As much as she was beginning to care for the boy, if they didn't stop the Kyuubi, then her people would be destroyed.

But, she gazed on them again. Those who had come to fight were all filled with a great fire, ignited almost a month ago by the blonde's appearance. They were doing it for him as much as they were doing it for themselves. Tyrande knew that it was that spirit that would allow them to win this fight.

The Kyuubi's bellowing roar filled the air again, but not a soul was affected this time. They had faced peril as dire as this before, and had pulled through fantastically. They marched into the trees, going to face a monster not of their world.

And no matter what, they would win.

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The Kyuubi laughed. It was enjoying itself immensely, at didn't want to stop. Its chakra was slowly filling the boy, invading him. Soon, all its chakra would be free. When that happened, it'd be able to use what was left of the brat's organic tissues to make himself a new, fleshy body. It'd have all of the brat's techniques, too, and would enjoy using them to the fullest degree.

It grinned down at the imprisoned shinobi, who was still struggling. Humans, it thought, were an interesting breed. They fought everything, no matter how pointless it was or how hopeless it seemed. To the Kyuubi, it was an endearing trait. It had high respect for those that refused to give up, and continued to fight no matter what the situation was. The brat was one of those. So was the Fourth.

But now, it was going to have his sweet, much deserved revenge. It could already feel his prey coming closer, a great many of them too. It laughed. This would be fun. The druids had provided it great amusement, and the ones that still remained were slowly earning its respect. One of them was particularly tenacious, and no matter how many times he seemed to fall, always got back up.

The Kyuubi was loving the battle. It was loving the feeling of freedom it now had. It was a feeling that it was sure would always last. Unless these fools had a Fourth up their sleeve, they would not win. They were not a weak people, but after the druid's failed attempt at defeating it, the Kyuubi was sure that they could do nothing more.

It looked down at the brat again. It could not hear what the brat was saying, it only felt his struggle. The demon grimaced. The brat had a lot of willpower. It was confident that Naruto could do nothing, but it didn't want to take the chance. The brat would die here, as the Kyuubi had always planned he would.

In the darkness of Naruto's mindscape, the Kyuubi leered again. It felt the brat's important people close, and they would be arriving any second. It would busy itself with the remaining druids until the real fun began.

And all the while, Naruto struggled and thrashed, hoping desperately that his precious people still lived. It was all he could cling to.

The pain was great, and he felt as if he was boiling alive. But he knew that the pain would be even greater if he found his precious people to be already dead.

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Sakura lay awake in bed, her heart aching with worry.

Despite reprimanding Ino for her foolish superstitions, Sakura had been raised with the very same ones. Her mother had always made quite a big deal about them, even if sometimes they didn't mean anything.

And yet, when it had happened, she had been thinking of Naruto. For no particular reason, either. She'd just thought of him, right then, just as the cup broke. It was unnerving her, and despite her reasoning that it was nothing, she couldn't get it out of her head.

They hadn't received a letter from Naruto for another long time. Not since nearly a month. She would be going off to the _Chuunin_ _Exams_ soon, and hoped that they would get another message before then. She rather wanted to send a return message, too. It would be her first ever, anyone's first ever, actually.

But for some horrible reason, she didn't believe that Naruto would send one.

She sat up, glancing over at the picture of Team Seven, focusing particularly on Naruto's scowling, petulant, totally Naruto face.

"Naruto," she muttered. She prayed that her teammate and friend was alright.

'_I'll bring back Sasuke for you, Sakura-chan! I promise!'_

She lay down again. The phantom words gave her some small, warm comfort, and she didn't know why.

He would be back.

He had promised.

She ignored the slight sliver of doubt, and tried to fall asleep.

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Shorter chapter, but came out faster, right?

Don't worry, next chapter will be a continuation and conclusion of the Kyuubi battle. What will happen? Who knows?

I hope I portrayed the Kyuubi in a realistic light. It always struck me as odd that it never spoke outside, only acting like a mindless, feral animal. So I chalked it up to instincts and a simple mindless need to destroy. It is smart, and cunning, to be sure, but its first instinct is always to kill. It is a demon after all. Tyrande finds out that despite its mindless appearance, it is still quite deadly and cunning.

There are, as you found out, a couple of reasons why it doesn't just let its power flow out completely. One is exactly what Tyrande said-- if it did, Naruto's body would be destroyed. It makes some sense, considering how much damage the Four tails form does to Naruto. It doesn't want Naruto's body destroyed, even if the seal is ruptured. It is still connected to Naruto, in my opinion, as long as its chakra remains behind the seal. So it has to let all of it pour out, in a controlled rate, so that Naruto's body gradually burns away, eventually dying when the demon is free. I imagine if the seal was completely destroyed, this wouldn't be needed, since it would be freed instantly, but if that happened, I imagine Naruto would die instantly.

Naruto would die if the Kyuubi was freed in any way. Gaara died when Shukaku was removed, right? They are connected. As long as the seal is still partially intact, Naruto and the Kyuubi remain connected, until the Kyuubi has completely freed itself.

I hope this is acceptable. It makes sense, doesn't it?

The Horn of Cenarius-- didn't work because Teldrassil doesn't have as much connection to nature or power as Nordrassil. Simple as that. Fandral was rather naïve to think so, wasn't he?

Next week: The Power of the Five Tails Naruto! And Tyrande and Kira's struggles to seal the beast away again! Maybe even more Illidan!

Thanks!

General Grievous

_**Spellbook:**_

**Aura of Elune- **Releases chakra of purification; something that helps suppress and destroy demonic chakra, from all parts of the body. Not an Ultimate Defense.

**Moonfire- **Creates a powerful, almost ever-burning fire that consumes all its hits. Remains as long as the caster wants it to.

**Moon Shield- **A shield of light chakra. 'Nuff said.


	53. The Kyuubi: Part Two: The Finale

**Disclaimer: My creative reservoirs are tapped for disclaimers this week. I don't own Naruto or World of Warcraft. That's it. There's no more. Nothing funny. Sorry. Mostly. I CAN'T DO IT! I NEED FUNNY DISCLAIMERS! THEY ARE A PART OF THIS STORY AS MUCH AS I! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto! _

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Tsuwabuki was in pain.

It was agonizing beyond words or sounds. She couldn't whine or growl through it, or even whimper. It seized every inch of her body with a gnarled, flaming claw, making it impossible to move from her crumpled spot on the floor. He teeth were clenched so hard that it seemed a miracle they didn't shatter. Her eyes flitted halfway between open and closed, and her back was arched so far that any more and it would have formed a right angle. Her tail was curled up so that it seemed to meld with the fur on her back. She shook, every waking second, with unrelenting, unbelievable pain.

Her mind was a haze. She knew where the pain was coming from, yet she could do nothing to stop it. Her body was being filled, gradually, with not only Naruto's aches and pains, but overflow from the Kyuubi's chakra. Her body, despite being bonded to Naruto, was not like his. It did not tolerate the creature's chakra, and her own was desperately trying to force it back, or through any available orifice in her own body. The chakra was gradually, however, eating away at her. Poisoning her. It it didn't stop soon, if she didn't find someway to close off the bond, then she knew she would die.

She also knew that Naruto would die.

She could feel his pain. She could feel the horror he did at what was going to happen if he didn't regain control. The Kyuubi was going to get stronger and stronger until it completely erased Naruto's existence. All the while, it was going to destroy. She could feel those urges too. She felt the hot, ancient, unfocused rage of the Kyuubi pouring through the bond. It was quite unconnected from her own emotions, so it did not interfere. But it was there; a sickening reminder of the source of her pain.

She could feel its delight as well. It was enjoying what it was doing. A lot.

Several times she struggled to get to her feet. In the back of her mind, Kira's parting words continued to return to her.

_'We'll be back! We'll save Naruto!' _

But she didn't want them to save him. Her was her partner, her spirit bondmate. He had already done a lot more than was necessary, for her and everyone else, and now it was her turn to fight for him. She refused to just lie there. She had chosen Naruto as her spirit counterpart for a plethora of reasons. But one stood out amongst the others, a shining beacon that all who knew Naruto saw as his greatest trait.

His determination.

His ability to continue to fight, no matter what the circumstances. She had teased him for a variety of reasons. About his hair, his looks, his thoughtless words and bad grammar; but never his determination. That was something that she respected in him. Even now, he was fighting. She could feel that. Though he was in such extreme pain, he was still fighting for freedom.

Now she had to as well. She was his spirit counterpart. That meant that their spirits, despite their different personalities, were alike and that meant that she had the same determination burning within her. She needed that determination, now, to get up and help. Naruto was never one to just sit out and watch. And so Tsuwabuki was never one either.

Slowly and painfully, she got up on shaking, weak legs. And yet, her physical body remained where it was. The pain continued, but did not worsen as she moved. She stopped thinking of everything at that point. She just thought of her goal. And she began to walk.

With each step, she got faster. The pain did not leave, but she suddenly no longer cared. Her goal was on her mind. Not her pain. Not anything. She knew that was what gave Naruto his ability to stand up, even in the worst of situations. His goal. His dream.

And his precious people.

Tsuwabuki would wait for her chance. Her journey had only just begun, but her destination was already so close. She would wait. Her body lay where it was, still arched in pain, but her mind was free to wander the only path it could see.

The bond.

It would walk to the end and wait. Wait for the only chance she had to save her spirit bond mate.

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The Kyuubi roared, and Fandral cursed.

His body was nearly devoid of function. His arms were heavier than oak trees and his vision swam and darkened more and more with each passing second. His chest and head burned with pain beyond anything he had ever felt, and his blood was making a continuous exodus from his body. He had so many gashes, burns and broken bones that somewhere in his mind he found it amazing that he still stood, and was still able to think about it. He had exhausted all of his chakra, and nearly all of his subordinates and allies were dead or in the same state as he.

The demon was intact. It appeared no more damaged than when he had first laid eyes on it. It looked even more ferocious however, and was steadily growing stronger with each passing second. He had thought it powerful with four tails, but with five it seemed invincible.

And what was worse was that he couldn't end it. His body felt no compulsion to fall to the ground, no need to give up. Even with the wounds he had sustained, both in body and pride, he remained standing, and would do so until his soul left his body. But even then, he would rise up and attack as a wisp, ending his very existence to destroy this beast. He was just going to keep fighting, no matter what he thought.

It was a little sad, in retrospect. His body, even when he knew he couldn't win, simply didn't know how to give up. The Kyuubi was unrelenting and remorseless. This tenacity was not impressing it in the slightest, nor was it angering it. The creature was enjoying every moment, simply because it was fighting.

So why did he still stand?

He snorted. Because it was what Malfurion would have done.

And he was just as good as Malfurion.

He looked around. His comrades were spent. Some lay unmoving save for the slight heaving of their chests. Others lay against tree trunks, covered in blood and burns, watching their leader with eyes full of regret or sorrow, or even defiance. These would occasionally struggle to move, hoping to return to the battle, hoping to gain one final burst of stamina to die with honor. But the pain would be too great, and they would fall back into half-consciousness.

But many more were simply dead. Their bodies blown to smithereens by one of the demon's sudden bursts of chakra, or torn in two by one of its constantly changing claws or tails. Some were twisted in unnatural angles, their spines or necks broken by the demon's powerful strikes or from an impact against a tree. They had died for their people. Fandral hoped that they could rest now. They deserved that much.

Fandral pulled himself up, standing straight. He reached into a pouch attached to his belt, pulling out a handful of small seeds. They were not particularly impressive looking things. They were small and black and shriveled, but hard and dry. They weighed a surprising amount for things only two or three times the size of an ant.

He looked at the beast again. It had stopped its attack, but not because it was waiting to see what he did next. It seemed distracted. It would constantly tilt its head, staring past him into the forest. It was expecting something to come, and though his mind was hazy with pain, he had to guess that it was Tyrande and her group. He looked at the seeds again, contemplating whether he should wait for the others, or use them now. He merely had to ingest the seeds for them to take root and start to grow. He would die. But hopefully, he'd take the demon with him.

For the plant that these seeds grew into was a plant that grew only in the most desolate of places. Where nourishment was scarce and therefore it had to evolve ways of getting such nourishment from things other than sun and water. Because of the large number of animals and humanoids that inhabited that place, it had evolved a way of draining and converting chakra into energy for itself. It fed on chakra.

He hoped that if it took root in his body before it touched the Kyuubi's, it'd be able to withstand the demon's corrosive chakra and convert it. He didn't want to waste them. But, even so, he didn't want to die if he could help it. He did not fear it, but there were always other ways. Self-sacrifice was always a last resort.

The demon switched its attention abruptly back to him. It gave a shrieking roar, and suddenly lunged towards him, its claws outstretched. Fandral lifted the seeds and was just about to ingest them when a tremendous crash sounded behind him. A heartbeat later a shadow covered him, and in another, a massive tree crashed down with stone-shattering force onto the Kyuubi, stopping it mere feet from Fandral.

Looming over him was a massive Ancient of War, clutching a gigantic tree trunk that had been fashioned into a crude club. It had huge, curved tusks near its mouth, a button-shaped knot for a nose, and small shrunken eyes that appeared to be carved from its tree-like body. It wore crude armor, consisting of shoulder pads and had bushy green patches of leaves on the top of its head.

_'HAIL, ARCH-DRUID,' _it said, in Darnassian; the wispy, ethereal language of the night elves.

Fandral didn't respond, save for a scowl. There was a sudden splintering of wood, as the Kyuubi broke through the wooden club with a burst of chakra, howling in fury. The Ancient roared, and with a mighty swing of its thick, root-like legs, it kicked the Kyuubi across the clearing. Or tried to.

For the Kyuubi, as the wall of wood struck it, dug its claws deep into the Ancient, and hung on. Its chakra began to burn away the walking tree's leg, blackening it until it began to dissolve into ashes. The Ancient howled in pain, stumbling back. The Kyuubi hung on the whole way.

But more Ancients stomped out of the woods, and descended on the attacking demon with terrifying force. The Kyuubi roared, its tails lashing out and transforming into massive spears. They fended off the large clubs and allowed the demon time to leap from its position, and land smoothly away from the crowd of Ancients. It roared again.

Fandral cursed.

He watched as the Ancients began to pursue the demon, leaving their comrade to deal with its wound by itself. But he did not watch them. They were merely distractions to the beast. He saw in relief, however, what he had been hoping for. Night elves: Sentinels, hunters, warriors and those from nearly every trade imaginable that dealt with fighting were spilling from the forest in great droves. They were led by Shandris Feathermoon. He did not see Tyrande, or her Sisters or even the human girls.

Shandris came for him at once. "You're alive," she said, with evident disbelief.

"Yes," he said shortly, tucking the seeds away. He didn't feel any relief in doing so. He almost regretted it.

Shandris looked past him, and back at the Kyuubi. It was still in battle with the Ancients, which were losing quite spectacularly. They were conjuring vines and regenerating themselves, but the demon evaded nearly all of their attacks, and the ones that struck did not appear to injure it.

"Where is she?" He did not have to say who.

"Preparing the seal. We must hold if off until then. We have to keep it from getting any stronger, as well," Shandris responded.

Fandral snorted. Stop it from getting stronger? How? And he did not know what seal she was talking about, but neither did he care. If Tyrande was planning to use it, then he had no choice but to trust her at this point. It was something he was not very good at, but he could not move his body much anymore, and so was in no position to argue.

Shandris held a hand out, summoning healing chakra. She began to heal his wounds, but he pushed her hand away, scowling at her.

"Do what you came to do. That does not include healing me, does it?"

Shandris stared at him a moment, almost ready to contest, before a sudden change in the air stopped them. The hot and stifling air suddenly vanished. It was sucked away, drawn in towards the Kyuubi, which was in the midst of doing something most odd. Its tails were all pointed towards its head, which was looking up. Its body was shivering, releasing small bubbles of red and black chakra, which began to converge into a steadily growing sphere in mid-air. The Ancients moved to stop it, but the demon danced away from their clubs and feet, still gathering the chakra into a compact ball in front of it.

_'What is that,'_ wondered Shandris, the beginnings of her argument with Fandral disappearing. The creature was focusing an enormous amount of its power into a ball of super-dense chakra. She had no idea what it intended to do with it, or even how it was to use it. But she felt a feeling of terrible foreboding.

The Ancients seemed to share her feelings. They began to back away. They then bellowed to each other in Darnassian, and quickly the ones that were able formed a circle around the demon. As it continued to focus, apparently unaware of its attackers new formation, the Ancients let out booming roars that echoed across the entire island.

They then began to stomp the ground, and continued to roar. Great, black vines began to shoot up from the earth, suddenly enveloping the demon. It ignored its plight, and just as the vines began to cover its body and head, it finished its focusing and at once devoured the ball of chakra whole.

The vines suddenly bulged, and without warning the Kyuubi fell through them. It struck the ground with a thunderous crash and sunk deep into the earth, touching the wood beneath. Nearly everyone staggered from that impact.

Shandris gasped at the results. The Kyuubi had swelled up like a balloon, so that its body was almost perfectly spherical. Its mouth was closed, and its cheeks puffed up like those of a chipmunk with a whole season's worth of nuts in its mouth. Even its eyes, white and wide, seemed to bulge out like a fly's. But the bad feeling Shandris had gotten before returned and increased tenfold. The Ancients were on the move again. They piled straight up in front of the beast, as if knowing that what came next would not be enough for just one to handle. They were right.

The immensely dense chakra exploded from the Kyuubi's mouth, firing faster than a bullet and far deadlier than a cannonball. The demon was rocketed downwards by the attack, shattering the wooden ground, and flinging deadly splinters into the air . The chakra missile zipped forwards, tearing straight through every one of the Ancients, utterly obliterating them. Their bodies were vaporized in a flash of intense, bright light, a terrifying boom, and a surge of wind that knocked the night elves off their feet. They had no time to cry out. They were simply gone.

The chakra ball continued past them at an upwards angle, spiraling through the air and vanishing into the sky. More of the purple foliage that covered the island was forced away. Elune was a mere sliver of light, nearly consumed by familiar darkness. As if sorrowful that she had leave at such a time.

Shandris stared in horror at the destruction wrought by the demon's attack. The Kyuubi leapt from the crater it had created, letting out a scream of delight, its gaping maw wide. It immediately attacked again, rushing straight at a group of Sentinels.

Shandris shot towards it. She drew up her Sentinel's blade, imbuing it with her chakra and hurtling it at the demon. Her hands flew together in a seal, and the spinning weapon suddenly split into two dozen. They converged on the Kyuubi, striking it solidly on its body and head, slicing in a little, but never sticking.

The Kyuubi howled, turning to meet her, only to have a group of Sentinels suddenly loose arrows at it. The arrows, also charged with chakra, pierced deeper into the beast's "flesh" and caused it to turn in their direction.

Another hail of arrows arrived from another direction, these sent by the hunters and warriors, the men who could not be Sentinels, but had no taste for the druidic. Even so, they were just as strong as the Sentinel's arrow attacks. Some were engulfed in flaming chakra, which exploded on impact with the beast; others fired multiple piercing arrows from one; still others fired single arrows enhanced by chakra, which buried themselves up to the feathers in the Kyuubi's chakra-flesh. But more soon attacked as well.

The apothecaries that Kira had been working with her entire stay came forwards, hurtling vials of varying colors of liquid. Their effects ranged from exploding in great clouds of multicolored fire to flash-freezing everything around it.

Rogues, wielding weapons tainted with chakra suppressing poisons, attacked the beast with quick, accurate strikes, leaping in and out before the beast could attack them. They struck as snakes and scorpions, causing little damage but chipping away at its strength. They had no idea if their poisons would affect it. But many didn't care.

Neera attacked with everything she had. Though she was young, a greenhorn to some of the Sentinels in the attack, she was infused with the same spirit they were. It became clear why Tyrande and Shandris held her in such high regard. Her attacks were relentless and perfectly executed. But she differed from the others in that she was doing it for a far different reason.

Though Naruto had made an impression on everyone, and had made many friends, Neera thought that their relationship was much better than the others. Neera had known Naruto since he had arrived, and had trained with him more often than any other. She knew a lot about him as a person, just as he knew a lot about her.

And truth be told, Naruto was her best friend. She had had little time for making true friends in her Sentinel training, because there had been so few others around her age. She had made allies, and had had a few classmates, but she had had never gotten as close to them as she had Naruto. Naruto was not only closest to her age, but he was interesting, powerful, and despite his looks, had a lot of wisdom. Though they traded insults on a daily basis, she had never felt such an incredible feeling of camaraderie. Naruto was her precious person; probably her dearest friend.

She could not let that go. She was going to fight this demon until she could see Naruto again. She wouldn't die.

They all attacked at once. The Kyuubi was beset with so many, from all sides, that it found it extremely difficult to attack. Few of the attacks caused any harm to the demon, but with so many occurring at once, it felt the pain nonetheless.

"Keep at it!" shrieked Shandris, a steady hope rising within her. If they could keep it up, they would do it. Tyrande and her Priestesses would emerge any second to take over, sealing the demon away again. She knew it. They would do this. They would save Naruto!

Again and again, the night elves attacked. The Kyuubi howled in rage and fury with the ferocity and suddenness of each blow that it felt. It slashed with its claws, extending them outwards beyond their normal length and manipulating them into many grasping arms. Its tails lashed out, becoming like swords one moment, like spears the next. Even its head and mouth snapped at and bit anyone that came close. But even with all that, they continued to attack. They would never give up.

But neither would it.

Snarling in rage, it suddenly twisted its tails together, making them converge into a single one. The tail then seemed to harden, becoming rock-like, as if it had been shaped by an inexperienced sculptor from low-quality stone. Then, the Kyuubi smashed the tail into the ground.

The earth exploded.

Elves were flung backwards, soaring away from the beast courtesy of an immense shock-wave generated by the Kyuubi's tail. The earth: stone, dirt and everything between the wood of the tree beneath and the air above was dashed to tiny pieces and thrown skywards. The result was a massive tidal wave of earth, rushing away from where the Kyuubi stood. The night elves ran as fast as they could to avoid it, some even leaping over the wave. Others were consumed and crushed, not having the training in order to avoid it. The wave covered the entirety of the massive clearing of trees, and even expanded it by uprooting more trees and earth.

The air was thick with dust and even after the shock-wave died away, debris continued to return to the earth. The surviving elves were now scattered about the battlefield. There had been few casualties, something that Shandris was grateful for, but the attack had ended the fight in other ways for quite a few. She did not know what had happened to Fandral or his surviving druids. Those that had survived did not move from their new positions. They had been shaken by the power of the previous attack.

The Kyuubi roared in glee at the destruction of its attack. Its tails remained converged, but the hardened quality was quickly replaced with a fluid, bubbling texture, like a liquid. It then curled its tail around itself, shrouding it entirely save for its pure white eyes. Shandris did not need to know what the beast was going to do next to know that it would be incredibly destructive.

Shouting orders to her Sentinels, she rushed through a long string of hand seals, guiding the river of her chakra into her arms and hands. Others began to follow suit.

**"Great Prison of Heaven!"** she and her Sentinels bellowed. Shandris raised her arms out to both sides, sending long tendrils of pearl-colored chakra out. They connected with other tendrils, sent out by her Sentinels. Soon there was a vast ring of glowing lines surrounding the beast. Then, as one, the Sentinels formed a single seal in front of their chests. The lines glowed brighter, and suddenly grew up high into the air and became thick and opaque. The newly created walls then curved forwards high in the air, joining into a dome straight above the Kyuubi, just as it released its attack.

A tidal wave of water exploded from the Kyuubi's whipping tail, rushing forth with enough force to uproot trees and crush the life out of anyone who fell in its path. It came from almost nowhere, fashioned purely from the demon's chakra and what remained of the water molecules in the air.

The tsunami struck the walls of the barrier, but did not break past it. Soon the entire dome prison had become a vast lake. The Kyuubi stood in the center, steam rising from where it stood atop the water.

Shandris bellowed to the Sentinels on her left to release the technique, and they did so, allowing the water, now placid, to gush out onto the wooden ground. The others began breaking the shield as well, until the lake became merely a thin layer of water, reaching just past their ankles. Those that could stood atop the water.

The Kyuubi's tails parted, becoming five again. It howled, and began its attack anew.

Shandris and her Sentinels rushed forward to meet it, crying out the name of their goddess.

But inside, they prayed. They prayed with all their might that Tyrande would come soon, and deliver them from this monstrosity.

-----------------------------------------------

The sounds of battle were not so distant in the forest where Kira, Kylia and Tyrande, along with her Priestesses, stood. The latter two, however, could not afford to be distracted. They were in the midst of an extremely complicated sealing procedure, one that Kira knew she was the first human to ever see.

The Priestesses had stripped down to all but their undergarments (which, despite the situation, Kira found time to be the slightest bit jealous of their bodies). For the entirety of their time in the forest, while the others had rushed off to fight the Kyuubi, they had been painting strange designs over all of their bodies. They were incredibly detailed, and painstakingly made, for Tyrande had said that even one mistake might ruin the entire sealing process. They were completely silent.

Kira and Kylia watched the entire process. They could do nothing to help. Not yet. Their duties would come when the sealing began.

Tyrande had said that theirs was quite possibly the most important job of all. Without them, it was doubtless that the sealing could not be achieved. She had told them, very briefly, just before she and her Sisters had begun their preparations.

_'You possess that which we have little experience in. You possess training in the arts of the mind. The Priestesses of Elune deal with battle and healing, but not with arts of the mind. We cannot feel the emotions of others or see into their thoughts like you. We cannot attack their mind as you can. When we begin the sealing process, the Kyuubi will not wait for us. It is during that time that you must use all of your mental arts, all of your power, to hold it still by attacking it from within. I have every confidence that you will be able to complete this task. Young Kylia, you must do what you have done from the beginning-- you must protect her body, with your life, while she is unable to. Both of you are crucial to this sealing. Naruto's fate lies just as much in your hands as it does in mine."_

The task was more than daunting for Kira. Though Benedictus had always praised her for her skill in the mental arts, it was terrifying to think that she would be facing such an awful monster. For many moments after her task had been given, Kira had felt fear. But it didn't seem to be the fear she had felt in facing Shanker. That had been fear for her own life. This fear, she realized, was not for herself, but Naruto.

She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to stop the Kyuubi. That because of her, the sealing would fail and Naruto would die.

But soon, she beat that fear back. For she knew that if she feared so much that she couldn't do it, than she probably wouldn't. Did Naruto doubt himself? Naruto had faced opponents far greater than he since he had arrived in this world. But every time he had come through, due to indomitable dogmatism. He had believed he could win with everything he had. It had always given him the strength to do so.

Now, she faced an something far greater and more terrible than ever before. Even so, she couldn't let herself fall prey to doubt. She had to be strong. So as she sat there, Kylia by her side, she repeated the words to herself.

'_I have to be strong.'_

Kylia's presence was a godsend. The girl spoke nothing, but Kira was glad that she was there. She always had been, and for that, Kira would always be grateful. Now, together, they had to face one of the greatest evils they had ever seen. Kira, repeating her mantra, would face the demon who had ensnared her friend and ally; while Kylia, her ever-present protector, would be by her side.

She smiled softly to herself. A lot had changed since Naruto had arrived. Not just in the world, but in herself. She was more confident. She saw the world in a new way, unblocked by filters of sugar and kindness. She was stronger. But most of all, she was closer to seeing her dream realized. And that was because of Naruto.

She had, from the very beginning admired him. Someone who was willing to risk his life for a person that he had only just met, for a world that was as foreign and unknown as the future, had made her grateful beyond words. Now that she thought about it, it had been rather naive and stupid to entrust such a dangerous mission to a boy from another world. But at the time, she had had little doubts. Something had just struck her when he had arrived, carrying her mother's necklace.

This boy, she had known, would be the one to help her. So, even before she had gotten to know him, and had barely knew his name, she had asked him.

Looking back, she smiled. She had changed a lot from the desperate, naive girl that had requested the aid of a goofy, otherworldly, and unknown boy. But even so, she knew she had chosen correctly.

Naruto had become her friend. He had saved her and her dream countless times since he had arrived, and now she would repay that debt. Naruto's life, but even more, his dream, was at stake. She would save both, with the help of the others who had been touched by Naruto's amazing presence.

So when Tyrande finally stood, covered in seals, and said, "We are ready;" so was Kira. She stood, her mind focused, her face set, Kylia her shadow. As one, the elves moved towards the sound of battle.

And Kira and Kylia strode right along with them.

-------------------------------------------

Tyrande was ready.

The entire time she had been inking the seals on her body, she had kept her face composed. She had stayed silent. But within was an indescribable mess of emotions. Among them: fear, despair, anxiousness, anger, depression and worry. But there was, as Pandora had discovered within her box, hope. This seal was their last hope. If it worked like she had hoped it would, then Naruto would live.

But she didn't know if it would work.

She could be very well spelling their own doom. The seals could conflict and react in different ways, and simply destroy both Naruto and the Kyuubi. It could simply not be enough; the Kyuubi could break free completely anyways.

But even with those chances, she would do it. It was a necessity. But it was also something more.

She cared for Naruto. She knew that much. The boy ignited a feeling in her that she had never felt before. It was not romantic in the slightest. It was a feeling of need that she had gotten ever since she had talked with him, that night after the Council.

A need to protect him. A need to teach him and instruct him and listen and watch him. She did not know exactly what the feeling was. But she needed the boy to be alive; so that when she did, she would know exactly how to react.

So she walked. Perhaps to her demise. Perhaps to victory. One was as likely as the other.

But she had hope.

----------------------------------------------

Kylia watched her mistress.

She had changed a lot. Kylia had almost always been by her side. Even before this grand adventure, and Naruto's appearance, Kylia had watched her mistress in almost everything she did. She had watched her train with Benedictus; watched her study history and reading and the sciences and maths; watched her at play, sneaking constantly into places that she should not have been, and making Kylia herself an unwitting accomplice to her mischief; and watched her grow up, from a young girl into a young woman.

And though she hated to admit it, most of that growing up; the greatest changes she had seen in her mistress, was because of that boy, Uzumaki Naruto.

At first, she honestly admitted that Naruto had bothered her. The boy had been loud and brash, uncouth and (in her opinion) slightly perverted. The boy had ignited her suspicions on a number of occasions, though none of them had ever really turned out to be true.

But over time, Kylia saw a little of what Kira must have seen in the blonde. She saw his courage, his strength, and even a bit of his wisdom. The boy knew, despite his looks, quite a bit about the world. He could see things deep within people that others could not, and by seeing that, he could know exactly who he was dealing with. While he too possessed a fair bit of naivety, it was not in his view of the world. He saw things both for how they were.

Because of the horrors of her own past, of her life with her parents in the slums of Stormwind, she too had learned to view the world for what it really was. At first, she had believed him to possess the same type of filter as her mistress had. But after awhile, she saw that he may have been more like her. His past had been even worse, and he so might look at the world as she did: as it really was.

But she know realized that he didn't see things like she did. He looked beyond what she saw.

He saw the potential in things. He saw the world as it was, but chose to look even further, to what they could be. And he actively sought to change that. Even when it seemed impossible to everyone else, Naruto saw what could truly happen if they succeeded, and went for it. He worked harder than everyone, and made what he saw a reality.

It had become clear to her that her mistress needed Naruto. The boy could teach her this valuable skill, and was already doing so. Kira had seen the best in everything and everyone; she had been an idealist. But she had never experienced the world for what it truly was. In her travels and talks with Naruto, that had changed, and Kylia knew that her mistress was now gaining an understanding of the world. Her words to Maya had proved that.

Kira was growing up. And Naruto was the cause of it.

She knew that this monster that they would face that held Naruto captive might kill them. It was already so powerful, and nearly unstoppable. But she was in Naruto's debt. Not only had the blonde saved Kira countless times, but he had taught her how to truly look at the world, through his actions and words.

So she would go alongside her mistress, speaking nothing, simply ready to fight.

She would not question Kira's actions, because she wanted to save Naruto just as much as Kira.

----------------------------------

Fandral lay at the edge of the battlefield, through back by the Kyuubi's earthquake. He could not move anymore. He couldn't feel anything in his legs. The rest of his body seemed to be on fire, the pain was so great. But he didn't scream or cry out, or moan or whimper. There was no one around to care, and even if there was, he had an image to keep.

He was still strong. He would stay awake until this ended, either in death or life. He watched the battle, feeling nothing, cloaked in the shadow of the forest. He did not wonder or think. He just watched. His time in battle was over.

He felt a presence behind him, suddenly. Then many more. Then he heard a soft clip-clopping of hooves against hard earth. A figure appeared at his side, looking down at him with sorrowful eyes.

"_You are in great pain," _The figure said, in Darnassian.

"You noticed. You always were pretty perceptive," Fandral retorted. He didn't look up at the figure. He did not need to to know who it was.

The figure gestured to something behind him, and a young night elf appeared. He knelt by Fandral's side, and began to repair his wounds with healing chakra.

"I don't need your aid, Keeper," Fandral barked.

The figure shrugged. "_I do not give it to you out of necessity. You are part of our order. You are our comrade. No matter how much you disagree, you will always remain so. As long as you follow the way of the druid, the Cenarion Circle will always be there for you."_

Fandral snorted. "Then go and aid. I am done."

The figure nodded. "_Rest well. You have done your part. Now let your comrades and people fight in your place." _

Fandral grunted in response, and let go. He fell back into darkness.

The figure rested a hand briefly on the druid's shoulder, before walking out onto the battlefield, clip-clopping with each step. He nodded in the direction of the battle.

"_We go."_

_----------------------------------------_

Shandris' heart soared when she saw them. They appeared suddenly at the edge of the forest, ethereal wraiths of the utmost beauty and power. Tyrande was at their head, bedecked in little more than a few strips of cloth, her hair flailing wildly in the Kyuubi's constantly blowing wind of power. Black markings covered her body, and combined with the deep and powerful stare that had been carved into her set, emotionless visage, she looked as much a goddess as Elune. The other Priestesses stood by her side, all twelve of them, similarly garbed and composed. It was an awesome sight.

The human girls, Kira and Kylia, appeared behind them. The dark-haired Kylia had no expression, and tawny-haired Kira had adopted a look that would not look out of place on Naruto's face. They walked through the gaps on both sides of Tyrande, looked up at her once, before continuing forwards onto the battlefield. They made their way straight towards the Kyuubi and her warriors.

Kira shook as she walked, much of her earlier confidence draining upon seeing the creature. It was horrifying. There was nothing left of Naruto inside the creature's visage. It was a mask of natural fury. The demon's emotions were like a maelstrom of fiery wind. They struck her hard, and as she walked, consumed her confidence and determination like it was dry wood. She might have fled, had Kylia not been there, and Naruto's face had not suddenly appeared in her mind. She couldn't go back.

The Kyuubi was battling harder than ever. Dozens of weapons and arrows littered the ground around it. The wood was charred and splintered in many places, and the water from its previous attack had almost evaporated. Many night elves lay dead around it, killed without a thought, and in the most gruesome of manners. The creature had not yet used another of its elemental attacks. But Shandris knew that at any moment, it could perform one of those or the horrible chakra ball that had destroyed the Ancients.

Kira could feel the awful heat of the demon all around her. It was suffocating. It dried her skin and made her eyes water and burn. With each breath, her lungs hurt and her throat became drier than bark. She stopped when it reached a point where she could no longer stand it. She stood almost a dozen yards away from the demon.

This was it.

She raised her hands up, making a seal. She sucked in a painful breath, and began to focus. But it was difficult. The noise and the wind and demon's awful cries hindered her attempts, and she soon began to grow frustrated. She continued molding chakra, but she could not focus it into the form she desired.

A sudden explosion knocked her senseless, and flung her into the air. Kylia immediately caught her, sparing a long and painful travel away from their target. She opened her eyes to see the Kyuubi surrounded by a corona of chakra. It destroyed the wood beneath it, turning it to dust in seconds. The weapons caught in its way melted in a heartbeat, while night elves were scattered into the air like leaves on a breezy day.

She did not know what it was doing. It could have been reaching yet another tail level, or it could have suddenly wanted to rid itself of all its attackers in one go.

Pulling away from Kylia's protective grip, she unleashed with all her might the built up chakra, in a different form than she intended.

'**_Mind Blast!'_**

It suddenly stopped.

The immense dome of chakra vanished, and whatever power the creature had built up was gone. Even the wind died away for a second. The Kyuubi was howling in agony. It clutched its head, its pure white eyes clenched shut. Its tails thrashed with primal violence, causing the wood of the World Tree to burn and splinter in great clouds.

She raised her hands again. She needed to continue. This was the time. Tyrande and her Priestesses had to go now!

But suddenly, the beast roared. It looked up, straight at her, immediately identifying that she was the cause of its pain. One of its claws shot out with the speed of an arrow, stretching and whipping all the way to her. Kylia stepped in front, immediately, her blades up and ready. Kira raised her hands, beginning to make a seal to forge a _Power Word: Shield_; but she stopped suddenly.

From the ground, large wooden creepers, like the tentacles of an octopus, emerged and wrapped around the approaching arm. Wooden spikes suddenly erupted beneath the Kyuubi, but instead of spearing the beast, they interlocked into a position that pinned the Kyuubi where it was. Howls exploded from its mouth, as it twisted and flailed to get out of its prison.

Then, a shadow fell across her, as a massive figure appeared in front of the two girls.

It was one of the strangest beings she had ever laid eyes on. It towered over her, nearly twelve feet tall, its torso and head that of a male night elf. It had dark green, leafy hair and a moss green beard with a mosslike appearance, and bright yellow eyes. But there was where its similarities ended. Beneath the waste was a long fur-covered body and four hoofed feet. From its head sprouted long, dangerous-looking antlers and both hands seemed to be made of wood. One was sharpened and clawed, the other clenched into a tight fist. Despite its strangeness, however, it radiated power and authority. She had no idea who or what it was, but she was grateful for the help.

"_Step forward, human. You must have a job to do," _the creature said.

Kira did not stop to nod or thank him. She hurried past him, and began to focus her chakra again. This time, she did not intend to injure it from outside. She needed to face its source. Focusing all of her chakra, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and thrust out her mind.

'**_Mind's Eye!"_**

When she opened her eyes, the battle was gone.

She stood in a dark, dank hallway. The ceiling was low, nearly touching her head, and was covered in a slimy resin. Murky, foul-smelling water came up to her calves, and more dripped from nooks and crannies all around her. The walls were made of rusted iron, and were damp from the moisture. They were lined with cracked, bent, and mangled pipes that emitted bursts of hot steam every few seconds. The air was hot and muggy, and the smell was almost overpowering.

At the end of the hallway was a dead end, where a single torch burned. However, halfway down the hallway she spotted another passage. Deep, fiery light shone through it, brightening the hallway she stood in. She slowly approached it, and felt a familiar hot wind blowing out of the passage. She took a tentative step into the passage, and saw nothing but a mass of fiery light at the end.

**'COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE! DO NOT THINK YOU CAN HIDE, GIRL. I CAN SMELL YOU; SENSE YOU, FROM ANYWHERE IN THIS PLACE.'**

The voice came from nowhere, thunderously loud and full of hate. It reverberated throughout the halls long after it had stopped speaking. Kira shook, the voice terrifying her. She had heard it once before; Naruto had spoken in a voice very similar to it during his fight with Rend Blackhand, but that had been watered down by the blonde's own voice. This was the demon's true voice. So hellish and terrifying that she wondered how Naruto had been able to last so long with this beast constantly in his thoughts.

But the thought of Naruto brought a sudden surge of courage, or perhaps desperation. She threw off her mantle of fear and walked down the passage, entering a cavernous room. She stopped at the entrance to the room, craning her neck upwards in horror and awe as she laid eyes on the demon's true shape.

The massive fox was little more than a mass of living liquid fire. It had five flailing tails, each the size of a castle tower, and a head as big as a house. Its claws were brutal and its teeth were curved daggers of pure flame. Its eyes were pools of boiling blood, and its visage was an eternal grin of pure malice.

But she saw that it was still a shadow of its former self. It was transparent, but parts were already gradually growing darker, more solid. Soon, it would be truly free, and its body would once more be that of flesh and blood.

One of its tails was touching the wall to her right, where she could see a vague, dark outline of a human body beneath it. Her eyes widened.

"Naruto!"

'**CONGRATULATIONS, BRAT, ON COMING HERE,' **the demon rumbled, amused.

She almost shouted at the beast to let Naruto go. But she knew that would be useless. She settled for glaring at it with everything she had.

'**HAHAHAHA! THE BRAT'S EYES ARE EVERYWHERE, THESE DAYS! WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO?' **The Kyuubi raised one of its wagon-sized claws, raising it right above the girl. '**I COULD KILL YOU HERE. YOUR BODY WOULD DIE WITHOUT ITS MIND. THE BOY IS MINE. IT WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE HE DIES HIMSELF.'**

"You're wrong," Kira said, barely a whisper. "He's just waiting."

The demon stared at her curiously, then began to laugh again. Meanwhile, her hands came together in a single hand seal. Though her body was yards away, lying limp on the ground, it was still connected to her chakra. She took a deep breath.

"Let him go." Her eyes flashed. "Naruto isn't yours. He's ours. He's our friend and comrade, and none of us are going to let you have him."

'**THEN COME TAKE HIM,' **the demon roared, laughing.

Kira nodded.

The demon's claw crashed down, just as Kira roared, "**Mind Flay!" **and thrust out everything she felt at that moment. She poured out her hate, her pain, her desperation and fear; she expelled her determination, her hope, her will and every emotion she couldn't even identify; she bowled her memories, and thoughts and beliefs into a tight ball, and released them in the form of a massive stream of mental chakra.

Everything she felt crashed into the demon, throwing it back against the ruined bars of its cage. Pain tore through its mind, greater than any before. Its tails flailed away, even the one obscuring Naruto. The blonde, however, remained trapped in a sphere of chakra against the wall. But not for long.

There was a silver blur beside her, speeding directly towards Naruto. Tsuwabuki, having seized her chance, had passed through the bond and into her bondmate's mindscape. She leapt into the air, and with shining claws, sliced through the demonic chakra that pinned Naruto the wall.

Kira held her technique with everything she had. She was prepared to use everything she had to keep the demon in pain.

But the Kyuubi was used to pain.

It was an old beast; though nearly invincible, it had lived long enough to experience many types of pain. Though this pain was different, it was pain nonetheless.

And after spending fourteen years in a prison of flesh, it refused to succumb and let its only chance at freedom pass it by because of something so trivial.

With a roar, it swept up a blast of wind with a tail, throwing Kira backwards against the wall. The technique broke, freeing the demon of the pain. With frightening speed, its claw sliced down at Kira, intending to finish her for good.

But it wouldn't get the chance.

The demon's claw froze, inches from her face. Its entire body went suddenly still.

"Oi, fox."

The demon's head swiveled, where it saw Naruto. The blonde stood, slightly hunched from weariness, glaring at him. It was a glare that only one like Uzumaki Naruto could pull off. It had everything he felt reflected in it. They burned with an inner inferno greater than anything the Kyuubi could create. The boy's raised hand, glowing with chakra, signified why the beast couldn't move. The boy, through sheer force of will, was stopping him.

"Don't hurt Kira-chan, okay?" Naruto said quietly, flashing a bright smile at the girl. He then turned back, his glare returning an instant later.

"Just go back to your cage, you dumb furball."

The Kyuubi roared, and with everything it had, twisted to meet the blonde. It lifted a claw, clumsily, as if it weighed thousands of tons, and stretched it towards the blonde. It only had to reach him. If its will triumphed over Naruto's, it could win. It could live freely again. It would not lose here. The brat was not going to win!

It would be free! It would be finally free!

Its claw, seconds away from crushing Naruto, was suddenly sliced in two by a ray of pure, electric blue light. It cut the demon's chakra in two, letting the arm drop to the ground and dissolve into mist.

The demon howled in pain, just as another ray struck it in the chest, knocking it off its feet. Then came another, and another and another. The rays slammed into the Kyuubi, cutting through its body with little interference.

Kira's heart leapt. The seal!

Outside, on the battle-scarred field, Tyrande and her Sisters had surrounded the trapped Kyuubi, having moved the instant that Kira had used her technique. They stood, their hands forming a seal in front of their chests. The markings on their body were moving, descending down their skin and onto the ground around them. The markings spread out, connected to each other and forming a massive circle around the beast. They began to glow an intense blue, and crackled with electricity. Tyrande then got onto her knees, placing her hands upon the markings, as did her sisters, and then as one, they shouted.

"**_Grand Seal of Elune!"_**

The ring of seals suddenly began to change. It morphed and twisted and spiraled, every marking changing. Some slightly, some drastically, they became something completely different. They then were drawn inwards, crawling up the Kyuubi's still body, twisting around every limb and every tail, around its body, and up to its head and face. The markings then began to glow again, and there was a flash of light.

Within Naruto's mind, the gate had opened fully. But instead of demonic chakra rushing out, there was a vacuum of swirling wind that began to draw everything into the cage. The Kyuubi, pierced with dozens of rays of light, smashed its three remaining claws into the ground, desperate to hold on.

Kira, unable to hold on herself, realized that she would have to cut the connection. She looked at Naruto, who stood perfectly still and calm, Tsuwabuki by his side, and decided that she needed to trust him. Without a word, she vanished, returning to her own body.

The Kyuubi thrashed and screamed. The rays of light had become solid, glowing blue chains, which were wrapping around it, binding every limb and tail. It screamed and roared as almost every bit of its chakra was pulled back into the gate, and bound by the ethereal chains.

But still it clung on. It would not go. It could not!

Naruto was staring at it. His fierce glare, unshakeable even facing one of the greatest demons, was too much like _his _glare.

The chains continued to bind and pull the demon back towards the gate. It roared, snapping at Naruto, hoping to at least take him with it. Even if the brat died, even if it died, the demon no longer cared. It was losing its last chance at freedom.

But suddenly, the demon stopped. It saw a figure standing next to the brat, tall and blonde and so terribly familiar that the Kyuubi was struck dumb. The figure flashed it an arrogant smirk, and his eyes were the exact same shade of blue as the brat's; and they showed everything that Naruto's did.

'**YOU!' **the demon snarled, snapping out at the figure with its burning jaws.

The figure just smiled. He spoke no words. Naruto didn't seem to even notice him. The blonde was staring at the Kyuubi, his arms crossed. He did not look at the shade of his hero behind him. If he noticed the figure, then perhaps he did not need to look. He was just glad for his presence.

The Kyuubi howled. It howled with everything. This couldn't happen! It had been so close to freedom. So close! It roared and roared, in desperation and anger, as the chains finally closed around its head, drawing it back into the cage. The doors closed with a mighty crash, and the broken bars were suddenly repaired. They were now made of shining silver, and the whole cage suddenly became more ornate. Designs were etched into every bar, and great statues had appeared on either side of the cage, both of female elves clad in armor.

The remaining piece of the sealing paper burned away, and a new one appeared. The kanji were the same, but now surrounded a massive metal plague, with a crescent moon emblazoned upon it. The entire cage seemed to shine, as if forged from the moon itself.

Naruto stared calmly at the new sealed doors, seeing nothing but the glowing chains that bound the Kyuubi behind it. The figure behind him watched with him, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder.

It vanished, just as Naruto looked back.

But, he had felt him there with him. He smiled, as he fell backwards into darkness, Tsuwabuki by his side.

--------------------------------

It was over.

Tyrande watched as the Kyuubi's chakra receded from the boy's body. The dark red chakra melted away, and the wooden spikes immediately retracted into the ground, allowing the charred body to fall. Almost every layer of skin had been burned away, and without the Kyuubi's chakra to keep it back, blood began to flow. What was left was little more than a bleeding mummy, hairless and naked.

Tyrande stumbled over. She could feel that he was alive. He was covered in blood and but he still lived. When she reached him, she fell to her knees and began to heal. She paid no attention to anything but her work.

Neera fell in beside her, and then Shandris, and then other Priestesses as well. They reached out and began to heal the blonde too.

Kira stumbled over, unheeding of Kylia's sudden protests, and joined the circle.

Naruto would live.

Tears of joy joined the mass of healing chakra, as the people rejoiced.

They had their precious friend back.

Tyrande smiled, and as she gazed down at the boy's repaired flesh, she knew exactly what her feelings were for him.

She couldn't wait to tell Malfurion that they had a son.

------------------------------------

Illidan sat upon his throne of dark iron, high in his Citadel in Outland and brooded.

"What isss wrong, dear Illidan?" hissed a voice to his left, high-pitched and feminine.

_"She still loves him,"_ he said, dully. He couldn't believe it. He had even offered to help find Malfurion! Why didn't he see her as trustworthy? It didn't make sense! What had he ever done to hurt her?

"That issss obvious, Illidan," the voice hissed, as something slithered from the darkness, up to his throne, and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You didn't honestly expect her to give in ssssoo easily, did you?"

Illidan said nothing.

"My word, Vashj, with friends like you, who needs enemies?" another voice said, pompous and arrogant from Illidan's right. "Why don't you give him comfort? Can you not see that his feelings are hurt?" His tone was almost mocking.

The woman, Vashj, hissed in fury. Her eyes were a terrible yellow, with cat-like slits in the middle. Her face was that of a pretty elvish woman, but was covered in horrible green and purple scales. Her hair was black, and bound back in two long braids that looked like snakes. Her body was covered in scales, too, and instead of legs, she had a long snake-like tail. She glared at the man who had spoken to her.

"Sssshut up, Kael! I am not the comforting type! You do it, if you're sssso inclined. I'm sssimply ssssaying that the harpy he sssseeks to win the favor of will not go quietly."

Kael chuckled. He had long, shining blond hair, and his face would have been incredibly handsome had it not been split in half by a psychotic grin. His eyes glowed with a venomous green light, and he was clad in blood red armor. He crossed his arms, smiling impetuously at Vashj.

"That duty falls to the roll of the woman, my dear girl. But nonetheless, I don't feel that I'm tolerant for another pity party." He looked at Illidan. "What happened?"

Illidan leaned back. _"She told me never to come back. She told me that if I did, she'd kill me herself."_

"You can't take women's words at face value, my friend. What they say is usually what the opposite of what they really mean. I imagine she really meant, 'Come back and see me some time,'" said Kael, adopting a feminine voice for the last part.

Illidan looked at him, his head tilted to the side. _"Really?"_

"No," snapped Vashj. "Kael isss an idiot. The woman meant what sssshe ssssaid. Forget about her."

Illidan didn't chastise or respond to her. He suddenly smiled.

_"But I met a very interesting boy."_

"I didn't know you played on that side of the fence, Illidan," quipped Kael, raising two well-trimmed eyebrows.

_"I didn't mean that,"_ said Illidan, glaring at Kael through the piece of cloth over his eyes. _"He was very strong. He was like me, too."_ He looked thoughtful. _"He comes from that Konoha place, too."_

Both Kael and Vashj looked at him in surprise. "Is that so?" said Kael. He grinned wider. " That sounds interesting indeed. Why do you suppose he's in Teldrassil, then?"

_"Making an alliance," _said Illidan. _"With Tyrande."_

"Oh? So he is the one who started it all? I wonder what a traveler from the Land of Fire in the World Beyond is doing here?" Kael grinned. "And if he's like you, then isn't it possible he is our enemy's target? _Their_ target?"

Illidan cocked his head to the side. "_I suppose."_ He didn't seem to think much more on it. _"I'm hungry."_

"Then let ussss dine, Illidan. Thissss talk issss getting old," hissed Vashj, turning and slithering back into the darkness.

Illidan nodded, standing. He smiled again.

_"I'm so glad I got to see her. Tyrande is even more beautiful than ever."_ Then he paused, frowning suddenly.

"_...I think."_

----------------------------------

Done.

Not much to say today in author's notes. I hope the battle was enjoyable, and that it is somewhat believable as well. The five-tailed Kyuubi has access to the elemental attacks, or at least some of them. I thought that appropriate.

The ramifications of the sealing will be shown next chapter, don't worry. Just don't get your hopes up about Naruto suddenly turning into half-demon. That isn't going to happen. Too overdone, and I want Naruto human. It makes it cooler that way.

But rest assured, it will be awesome!

By the way, here's a quick Omake about Illidan that I just had to put in, since it would be too wierd, even if it is true, to put in the actual story.

--------------------------------

**Omake- Punny Situations with Illidan and Naruto**

Magni's Pride flicked up just in time to block one of Illidan's wicked blades. With a grunt, Naruto pushed the elf back, and leapt away, drawing a handful of shuriken as he did. With a cry, he let them fly, only to have Illidan raise on blade and deflect them with ease.

However, emblazoned upon his right blade, Naruto spotted something very odd, and very out of place, especially on a weapon as deadly-looking as Illidan's.

"What the hell is that?" Naruto said, pointing.

Illidan frowned, cocking his head to the side. He looked where Naruto was pointing. _"What?"_

"That!" Naruto said, jabbing his finger for emphasis. "On your blade thingy."

Illidan frowned again, not liking his weapon to be called a "thingy" but looking anyways. He smiled when he saw it, and looked at Naruto again.

_"A panda,"_ he said, cheerfully.

And indeed it was. The head of a panda, etched into the metal, was staring cutely at Naruto.

Naruto gaped. "Why the hell do you have a panda on your weapon?"

Illidan frowned. Wasn't it obvious? He held it up, grinning.

_"For unleashing panda-monium of course!"_

Naruto face-faulted so hard that had he been on Earth and in America, his head would've popped up in China.

-----------------------------------

The joke isn't mine. It was on the World of Warcraft Wiki Wikipedia article for Illidan Stormrage. But I had to put it in.

Again, thanks to my brother for proof-reading!

Seeya later! Fast chapter, huh? There should be at least one, but hopefully two in the next week. **Next** **Thursday**, however, I am leaving for Scotland, where I will be attending college at the prestigious University of St. Andrews. Or Hogwarts. Whatever is cooler. During that time and Orientation week, it is unlikely I will be doing any writing. Though we will have to wait and see.

Seeya!

General Grievous


	54. The Sun and the Sending

**Disclaimer: In response to the insinuation that I have run out of ideas, I put forth this: **

"**Hey Bob.'**

"**Yo Ted."**

"**EAT SHIT AND DIE! I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR WORLD OF WARCRAFT!"**

"**This had absolutely nothing to do with lawyers or legal matters."**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_------------------------------------------------_

It was bright when Naruto awoke.

Too bright.

It came as a blinding flash as soon as Naruto regained consciousness. He hadn't even opened his eyes. The light pounded his tightly shut eyelids with the force of a rampaging demon, making Naruto groan, and turn over. It didn't help. Plus, his body ached: tiny rivulets of pain running constantly through his limbs and chest, though mostly centered around his stomach. Listening to his arm's tormented screams, he rolled over onto his back.

The movement must have attracted someone's attention, because there was a sudden bustle of footsteps, and Naruto felt the light dim as someone leaned over him.

"Ah!" came a voice from above, clearly female. "You're awake!"

Naruto then felt something cool touch his forehead. A cloth. Naruto relaxed a little at the feeling, and was happy to find that the towel also shaded his eyes from the bright sun. A moment later, he groaned again, and decided to try and sit up.

"I wouldn't do that," the voice came, softly. "You've been asleep for some time. At least open your eyes first. You're completely healed, but you've yet to regain much of your stamina. We had to re-grow a fair amount of your skin, and all of your hair, so please take it easy, okay?"

Deciding to heed the voice's better judgment, and thoroughly disgusted by her last comment, Naruto lay back down. The wet cloth was lifted, and dabbed across his face a bit, before it was replaced.

"I'll close the blinds…Hah! I never thought I'd hear myself say that!" the voice chuckled, moving away from the bed. A second later, the brightness dimmed, and Naruto sighed in relief. The woman came back, dabbed his face again, and asked, "Is that better?"

Naruto mumbled a groggy "yes" and slowly began to open his eyes. The room was dim, and looked like a proper night elf room: grassy floor, leaf-covered ceiling and vine covered walls; a small globe of light hanging from the ceiling, dimmed; and numerous wisps bobbing to and fro in the air. It had the same earthy smell, and seemed as alive and pristine as any path of forest.

Even so, as Naruto sat up, he could see at once that something was different.

For one, the windows, which before had just been holes in the wall, and served no purpose other than to circulate fresh air into the room, now had blinds covering them. They were little more than strips of a fine, heavy cloth hung quickly in front of the window, which of all things, had sunlight streaming out into the room. Naruto stared at the window, mystified, not noticing the pretty elf next to him.

"Amazing, isn't it?" she said, making him jump and look quickly at her. She smiled. "It has been many years since the sun has shined here."

Naruto didn't recognize the elf, and it must have shown on her face, because she smiled, and said, "Lady Tyrande has been watching over you personally the past four days. She appointed me, however, to stay here while she and Lady Kira tend to the other wounded."

Naruto nodded. At the word "wounded" his mind suddenly turned. His eyes widened, and his heart plummeted. He began to remember.

He remembered the pain. The Kyuubi's taunts and jeers and horrible laughter came next. The repeated promises that it'd take everything he cared about filled his mind, and for a moment he couldn't breathe. The weight of what he had done, a veritable Hokage monument, settled down on him with the force of a meteor.

But then his mind stopped working. He stopped thinking altogether, holding back the tide of emotion with a will of tempered steel. But, his posture slumped, his eyes became clouded, and it appeared as if he had gone into a trance. The elf opened her mouth to voice her concern, but in an instant, the blonde looked up at her with a strange smile. It was not strange in that it looked unnatural; instead it seemed too natural. It had appeared suddenly, and was in stark contrast to the look he had had just before. She could see that he was covering that emotion. The boy was used to smiling like that.

"Is there anything you need?" she asked, deciding not to pry. The boy shook his head, and she nodded.

"I'll inform Lady Tyrande and Lady Kira that you are awake. They would like to speak with you." She departed.

Naruto sat a little while longer. The smile had long faded from his face. He then threw off his covers, and with his eyes glazed over as before, he slowly stood, and began to walk away from his bed. His legs shook when he walked. But by the time he reached the window, his legs, though still achy, were solid and strong. He gazed out the window a moment, and then he grabbed the ledge, hauled himself up and out.

He landed deftly, years of ninja training kicking in, despite his clouded mind. As soon as his feet touched the soft grass, he began to walk. He didn't think about where he was going, because he knew that his legs would take him there. He was doing as little thinking as possible. It was something that Naruto had learned a long time ago. He found, that after a particularly bad experience, of which he had had many, that he could stay the rush of emotions that would likely embarrass him (were he to reveal them in public) by simply not thinking. On numerous occasions, it had allowed him to return to the safety and sanctity of his room, before allowing his emotions to run free.

Naruto rarely used that technique anymore. He had had little bad experiences in the past few years that had been so traumatic. Naruto hadn't even had to use it after Sasuke's departure. Then, his determination had stopped the emotions from coming, and still did.

But when he finally reached the edge of the forest and the massive clearing, which he had seen from the window, the technique failed him.

He slumped the ground. He didn't cry. Crying, as he had told Inari so long ago, did nothing. But his face was so torn with anguish and sorrow that he might as well have been. He closed his eyes, wishing the scene away from him. It was too terrible. Though the voice of the Kyuubi could not reach him any longer, it still haunted his memories. Each time he opened his eyes, he heard the Kyuubi's laughing roar, and saw its grinning face.

Though he had seen none of it, he knew exactly what had happened on this field. Though he had seen none of them die, he knew that had. He could smell it, and in the silence of the forest, he could hear them too. He saw the blood stained on the ground, long faded, but still there, dim black marks that would last forever.

He had done this.

The horror and disgust that welled up in him made him want to retch. He had done all of this. His body! He had killed so many people. He had destroyed this pristine land. Because he had been weak! He had lost to the demon inside of him.

And he knew what was going to come of it.

It was going to be the same. The demon was sealed again, but it still lived. Inside of him. And the people of Darnassus would know that. Fear that it would return to like it had been in his youth: the terribly cold eyes, the biting words, the palpable hatred for simply existing. It would all come back. He would lose the bonds he had made here. He would lose the friends, the allies, and even the family. It was too terrible to think.

The lady in the Temple had been nice enough. But any number of factors could have played a part in that. Perhaps she didn't know. Perhaps Tyrande had not yet told everyone. Maybe the nurse had hidden it. She might have been very old, and even with his eyes, Naruto sometimes couldn't decipher what people were thinking or feeling. His mind had been groggy. Maybe he just hadn't seen what was in her eyes.

It scared him. His heart pumped fast, and his eyes closed hard. He fell forwards, gripping the sand covered ground, and pain filled him again. But this was not the pain he had felt while trapped by the Kyuubi. It was worse. Far worse. It hurt the one place that he used the most.

His heart.

He didn't want it to happen. He didn't want them to look at him like that.

He didn't want Tyrande to look at him like that. It would hurt too much. He couldn't bear to think of Tyrande, the kind, motherly elf who had been his friend since they had arrived in Darnassus, looking at him with those icy, brittle, hateful eyes.

And then another thought came to him. Because of him, the night elves would never join. They would shun the alliance, and Kira, and because of Naruto, Kira's dream would not be fulfilled. All the work they had done would be in vain. Kira would hate him for it; if she didn't already fear him. Fear what he could do.

He began to shake. He didn't want any of it to happen. He might have sounded childish, wishing for something like that, but he had grown so accustomed to being treated as an equal; as someone who mattered. He had gotten used to the feeling of being part of a village, even if he was different. The feeling of loss that he would experience would be too great to imagine.

Perhaps he had grown soft. Perhaps he shouldn't have felt like this. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions. He should have been able to laugh it off. He was thinking too poorly. He was an optimist. They would listen, wouldn't they?

He didn't know. That's what scared him. But that fear was preferable to the pain he would feel if he saw the cold looks in their eyes. He wanted to know, and yet he feared too much what the result would be.

He didn't notice the footsteps. He didn't notice the figure standing next to him, an instant later. But he heard her voice. Soft and beautiful and ethereal, each word carried by wisps; but at the same time it was hard, filled with command and dignity and strength, the words of a battle goddess.

"A demon did this."

Naruto didn't look up. He didn't want to see Tyrande's face.

"A demon did this, Uzumaki Naruto," she repeated. "A demon obliterated this forest. A demon killed and injured the many night elves that faced it. A demon did all that you see here. It tore the land asunder. It poisoned the trees with its awful power. It melted the earth beneath it. It caused pain and anguish to all those who faced it. Physical and emotional. It was freed by another demon." Then, Naruto felt her eyes upon him. His heart was beating fast, and his mind had once again stopped working. He wanted to look. But he was scared.

Finally, Tyrande's eyes pulled his up, and he looked.

"But unless you are willing to admit that you are that demon, then you have no reason for sitting there. Unless you are willing to admit that you were behind everything that caused this, then stand up. Stand up, throw off your fear, and wear the badge of honor that you so rightly deserve. You helped stop that beast. You fought with everything you had, just like the ones that died, and the ones that lived. Stand up. Stand up, Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto stared at her. Everything he felt ebbed away, melting back into the depth of his subconscious. He stood. But he noticed that the world seemed blurry.

He was crying.

Hot tears rolled down his face. They touched his lips, and a moment later, he tasted salt. He was smiling, too. Smiling wider and truer than ever before. Crying didn't solve anything, he knew, but now he knew that it did do something. You could cry, and not be sad. He realized, for the first time in his life, that crying could show others how happy you were. And how much they meant to you. He'd cried like that before, briefly, but it had never held as much significance as it did then.

And then he hugged her. It was awkward, but her arms were there to meet him, and she hugged back. It was a strange feeling. He had never been hugged like this in his entire life. He felt warm and safe. He felt like a child, or what it should have felt like, and held no shame in it. He enjoyed it, even. He figured that this was the one time he'd be allowed to do something like this in his life. He would make it last.

And he did.

The sun was shining brightly. It was strange to feel it again. Naruto hadn't seen or felt the sun for almost a month, the thick, misty foliage of the World Tree obscuring it. Though he hadn't actively missed it, he was glad to have it back.

With great reluctance, Naruto pulled away. He was still smiling. Tyrande was too, her eyes wet with tears. The feeling they were experiencing was new to both of them. But, they silently agreed, it felt right, and they wouldn't trade anything in the world for it.

Naruto glanced up, towards the direction of the sun. He smiled wider.

"You know," he said, locking his hands behind his head, not bothering to wipe away the twin trails of tears down his face. "You're the closest thing to a mother I've ever had."

Tyrande smiled. The words made the feeling inside her swell to bursting. She wanted to hug him again, and would have done so, had he not continued.

"Actually, more like a grandmother. Or a great grandmother…or a great, great, great, great, great…"

"Okay…"

"Great, great, great, great, great, great…"

"Yes, I se—"

"Great, great, great—OW!"

Tyrande lifted her fist from the top of Naruto's head, which was throbbing painfully. Naruto rubbed the bump that was beginning to form, and glared at her petulantly.

"My first word of advice, little one: Women don't like to be reminded of their age. Remember that," Tyrande said, smiling down at him.

The blonde just smiled back.

The words of a loved one can soothe any hurt, close any wound and begin the process of healing. For hurts such as these, one can only heal if one is willing.

But even so, even as Naruto stared at that picturesque scene with the newest addition to his ever-growing family, the pain lingered on, in the back of his mind. Wounds such as that cannot heal so swiftly, even with the boy's regenerative abilities.

------------------------------------------------

"You're alright, then?" said Kira, sometime later. She had just arrived in the room, exhausted from aiding injured elves. She had been fraught with worry when she had heard that Naruto had left, but when she had returned, Naruto was back in his bed, looking far better than before.

He felt better, too. He felt happy. It was not the giddy happy that he got when he was to be taught a new jutsu, but more the contented happy he felt usually when he was devouring a bowl of ramen. Of course, the reasons were different, but he still felt it. He felt warm all over; it was an incredible feeling, one that he didn't want to go away.

"Yep," said Naruto, grinning at the girl. His fears were gone. He felt a little foolish for not believing in his friends. He promised himself, however, that that would be the last time. He'd never doubt his friends again.

Tyrande came in a minute later, looking as happy and refreshed as Naruto. Kira didn't know what had happened between them, only that when they had returned, both had looked better than they had in days. Despite all of the work she had done, Tyrande looked as if she had had a full day's rest. Both of them exuded a new confidence, too. It was a little weird, but she still found it to her liking.

Tyrande sat down beside Naruto's bed. Her face suddenly became stern.

"We need to talk about your seal."

Naruto sat up straight, and his hand immediately rested on his stomach. He looked with concern at Tyrande, but she smiled reassuringly.

"It is not bad news in the slightest, I think. While you were asleep, we've been doing some tests on the seal's nature. I must confess—most of this is probably conjecture. We know little about the seal, and how it may treat the Kyuubi's chakra. All of what I am going to tell you is based on nothing at all, only theory. Therefore, to truly see what it might do, we must have a true test. But let me tell you what I think is happening."

At Naruto's nod of agreement, Tyrande continued. "The seal should be, foremost, stronger than the previous one. You should not have any fears of the demon breaking free again. I do not believe Illidan's weapons, either, would be able to cut it. The nature of both seals has changed. From what we can gather, the Kyuubi's chakra will now obey your beck and call. Though it belongs to the demon, it cannot no longer refuse you its chakra.

"From what we can see, the seal now has connecting pathways from the Kyuubi to your body. These pathways make it seem as if the Kyuubi's chakra is now simply a second pool of your own chakra. You can access it whenever you wish, or at least that is what we believe."

Naruto stared down at his stomach, feeling elated and wary. He was glad that he no longer had to ask the Kyuubi for chakra, but wary of what the effects it would have on his body.

"However," Tyrande said, with a piercing look. "This is a double-edged sword. Though you can call it forth whenever you wish, you won't be able to control it as you did before. It needs to be molded now, just like your own chakra. Before, it was the demon that controlled it. It gave you both access, and at the same time, controlled the chakra as you used it. That is what granted you such superior abilities during battle, coupled with the healing factor and enhanced senses. The Kyuubi was consciously controlling all of that.

"Because the Kyuubi no longer has control of its own chakra, you won't either. Every time you access it, you will have to use your own abilities to wield it. It will be extremely difficult. I imagine your body will continue to use it in unconscious ways as before. Because before it got so used to accepting the demon's chakra and was always used in such a specific way, it will treat the new pathways as simply having access to the chakra. Therefore, your healing factor and enhanced senses should not be affected. In fact, the healing factor should respond faster, and with a bit of training, you can improve it.

"However, in battle, when summoning the chakra, you will have to use all you have in order to control it. It is far more volatile than your own chakra. You might have to train quite a bit more in order to use it effectively. Even then, you will not have the instinctual ferocity that the demon did.

"Finally, you shouldn't have to worry about the demon's chakra harming your own body anymore. We believe that a small portion of it remained trapped in your body after the demon was sealed. Instead of harming you, your body has already begun to absorb it. You already had an increased tolerance to it—eventually, your repeated use of it will make your body immune to its effects. Hopefully, it will even help you control the second chakra pool. Your biggest problem will no doubt be trying to stem the tide of chakra from coming out all at once. If you can manage to pull it out in small bits, and then gradually control more and more, you may be well on your way to mastering it.

"Unfortunately, it might have other effects as well. It stands to reason that because of the chakra's presence in your own body, your use of the main section might do several things: it might, for example, instead of unleashing the Kyuubi's personality, stimulate your own aggression levels to higher degrees. You will not possess the animalistic fury of the Kyuubi—that is impossible for a human to mimic, I imagine. You will still be in control of your own actions, too. It will simply make you more prone to violence and violent acts; only, of course, when the Kyuubi's chakra is being utilized to a certain degree. It will not be unlike what I have seen many orcs do in battle—stimulate themselves with certain herbs or potions to make them fiercely unstoppable; they become berserkers.

"Ah," Naruto said, after a while. It was a lot to take in. But he didn't find it too troublesome. In fact, he found it preferable to what he had been doing before. Before, he had been allowing the demon's chakra to control him, in every fight. In nearly every major battle he had been in since he had arrived, the Kyuubi had been a huge part of it. Now, it would be all Naruto. Even the prospect of increased training didn't bother him. It just opened more and more possibilities.

But he could still not help but being afraid. He had been ready to swear of the demon's chakra for good, until he realized it would be a very foolish thing to do. It was a tool, in ninja terms, and though it scared Naruto, he vowed that he'd master it. No matter how hard he had to train.

And no matter how much he feared using it.

Tyrande nodded. "We'll have to have you test it yourself for us to be sure, however. None of your own abilities should be affected. Treat attempting to control the demon's chakra as an exercise in overall control. If you can master the Kyuubi's chakra, your own should be no problem. It may easily be the most difficult undertaking you have had yet. We will help, as best we can, but it all depend upon your skill. You now have two separate wells with which to work with. No doubt, eventually, they will become one. Until then, make the most of it."

She then stood as sadness began to trickle into her smile.

"Tomorrow we will mourn those who have died. I would like you both to be there. You fought as hard as they."

Naruto nodded, his shoulders slumping. He realized he had no reason to be in such good spirits.

Kira nodded as well, her smile growing sad as well. Too many had fallen. But, as Tyrande had said, they had fallen in a just battle, against a powerful enemy. There was no shame or dishonor in their deaths.

Tyrande reached out, laying a hand on Naruto's shoulder. She smiled at him kindly, and then left, her robes billowing, her head aloft. Once again, Kira and Naruto, both future leaders-in-training, had to respect the power that she carried herself with, even at such a time.

When she was gone, Kira smiled again, looking at Naruto. "She's amazing, isn't she?"

Naruto smiled too. "Yeah. She's the best mom I could have asked for."

Kira blinked. "Mom?"

Naruto nodded. "Yep. That's what Neera said, at least. And you said she has a good influence on me." He brightened again, chuckling. "I have one screwed up family."

Kira raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. In fact, she didn't need to. If anything, Naruto deserved a family. From what she knew, he had never had one. No matter how odd it was, she figured that if they were all good people, it didn't matter what race they were. Even so, she couldn't help but feel a little envious. She had no family, not anymore. While the thought was depressing, and opened the gradually healing wounds a bit, seeing Naruto so happy made it worth it. She was glad her friend had finally found something of a family.

"You'd best get some rest, and I've got to go check on some patients," she said. "Can you believe I can honestly say that I'll see you in the morning?"

Naruto chuckled, and bade the girl goodbye.

--------------------------------------------

The ceremony took place at nightfall the following day. It was a spectacularly clear night, and Elune, but a simple sliver of light in the darkness of space, shined as brightly as if she were full. The night sky was a mystery to some of the younger elves, so used to the mystical covering that had been cleared away by the Kyuubi. But they found it fitting nonetheless. Those who could not usually see Elune, because they were not her Priestesses, found it much more suitable to put their loved ones to rest beneath her watchful eyes.

Tyrande stood on a platform of raised wood, in the very center of the great clearing. The ceremony was taking place upon the battlefield. It was to cleanse the stained earth with the ashes of the dead, and to repair the ruined earth. One day, they hoped, the trees would grow back and the land would heal. Their dead friends would help that along.

Many great pyres had been set up around it, over thirty in all. Atop them lay those who had fallen—Sentinels, druids, warriors and others—their eyes closed, their faces set in peace and death.

There was no speaking to be done. Tyrande stood with the other Priestesses, chanting softly to their goddess and protector. Naruto, Kira, and Kylia stood a little ways away, with Neera and Shandris. Fandral, The Keeper of the Grove who had saved Kira, whose name was Remulos, and the other druids stood very near the forest. They too were praying, but not to Elune, but the earth. Wisps answered their prayers, illuminating the clearing, glowing brighter than ever before.

Next to the pyres stood night elves—family of the dead—clutching burning torches, their heads bowed in mourning. They listened to the unearthly chanting of their leaders, becoming lost in it and seeking comfort in it too. To those who had never heard it before, it was a magnificent song, more beautiful than they had ever imagined; soft and ethereal, like the speech of Darnassus, but ringing with sadness and despair and loss. But even burdened with such heavy things, they did not fall, but rose high and drifted across the entire city.

Kira felt as though the words they spoke were not words at all. They were feelings, emotions, in their purest form. She could feel the loss and sadness of the elves in addition to her own despair. But she did not cry, no matter how much she wanted to. Tyrande would not cry, and she realized that it was because she was the pillar for everyone else. She was what allowed them to cry.

She had to be that too.

When the singing ended, the pyres were lit. They burst into flame at once, lighting the area with purifying, warm light. The light was comforting, and as they watched, the night elves became soothed. They did not see the flames as devouring their loved ones—they saw it as embracing them, and freeing them from their prisons of flesh. They knew that even though their bodies would die, they would live on among them.

Tyrande stood atop her dais, her eyes closed. Her tears remained unshed for the sake of all around her. She held her head high, and her chest out, and maintained a composed exterior, so still that it was more a painting.

But it was hard. So hard. Her painting was made on tissue paper. Any moment she felt as if something would pierce through. Her tears stayed on the very edges of her eyes, blurring her vision, but never falling. Her people were dead, and she felt the pain of those who had been left behind. She knew that loss all too well.

But she remained silent and stoic. For everyone, she had to.

Naruto watched silently, his head held high. He too did not cry. He couldn't. Instead, he promised.

That it would never happen again.

He made a promise that he would show them that their death was not in vain. They had died to stop a demon, and save his life. Some of them had been his friends, ones he had trained with or talked to during his stay. They would always remain so. He would let them know that with the life he had been given, he would do everything he could to make their people grow and prosper, and to protect them as if they were his own.

That was his promise.

And he never broke his promises.

As the pyres died down, many hours later, the chanting rose again. From the ashes then, rose a great procession. Wisps, glowing azure, golden, emerald and pearl, flew into the sky, and joined those of the forest. They rose with the words of the song.

Naruto, watching them, realized what the wisps truly were. He smiled.

They truly would always be with them.

--------------------------------------------

"Oi, how you doin', stupid fox?"

'**_How dare you compare me to that oafish demon,' _**Tsuwabuki groused, rolling over in bed to glare at the blonde.

"Sorry," the blonde said, grinning. "_Princess_ fox, then."

"**_Better,"_** she said, leaning back, satisfied.

"Thanks," Naruto said, directly. He sat down in a chair beside the fox's bed, looking at her with smiling, sincere eyes. It was the first time he had seen the fox since he had awoken. He had been so wrapped up in his own problems that it wasn't until late the previous night, after the ceremony, that he remembered his spirit partner. Shame-faced, he had asked Tyrande where she was. She had been given her own room, small and dark, in which to recuperate from her bodies prolonged exposure to the Kyuubi's horrible chakra.

"**_I figured it was about time for a role reversal," _**she said, knowing what he was referring to.

The blonde laughed. But when it died down, so did the boy's smile. It became but a faint sliver on his face, and he seemed to shrink a little into himself. The light in the room was dim, the shades closed, and the overhead lamp nearly faded. The fox said that the light bothered her eyes.

"**_That isn't like you," _**Tsuwabuki muttered, seeing the blonde's look and feeling what he was feeling.

The blonde shrugged. "If you hadn't been there…"

"**_Both you and that girl would've died and everyone else," _**she said. "**_Is it that hard to understand? But stop feeling bad. You didn't do anything. And you were never so ungrateful for help…"_**

"I'm not ungrateful!" the blonde said, annoyed. "It's just…I feel like I still failed. Keepin' the Kyuubi in me was my responsibility. I was its guardian. Then I went and started using its chakra without a thought, and it started breaking free. I used it too much. I feel like that made me weak. I couldn't even stop that Illidan freak from cutting it loose." He sighed. "Guess the Fourth was wrong about me."

"**_Maybe," _**said Tsuwabuki. "**_But do you see anybody blaming you?"_**

Naruto shook his head. Though, truth be told, he had yet to venture far from the Temple of the Moon. He had not yet returned to the city. He had not seen any glares, or heard any whispered accusations yet. But he reasoned that those in the palace were likely more informed. Tyrande had likely had the time and energy to speak to all of them about it, and reveal the truth of the events.

"**_Stop worrying. When did my spirit partner become such a daisy? I liked it better when you glared at and made fun of everyone, and didn't care what they really thought. Nobody blames you. Buck up, and just get stronger, like you always do. Stop whining." _**She glared at him. "**_That Naruto is still in there, isn't he?"_**

Naruto grinned. "Yeah. He'll be back soon, I guess." The blonde looked up at the ceiling. Once again, he felt a little better. She was right. He was being stupid. It was just like Tyrande had said. And he wasn't usually one to dwell on it, anyways. He had long ago learned to deal with the cold looks and silent sneers. He could do it again.

He was smiling wider now. It didn't matter what everyone else thought. He didn't care if just a few blamed him. His precious people didn't. They cared for him, and would stick by him. They had already proved that much.

Then, something occurred to him.

"Wait, did you just call me a daisy, you dumb furball?"

"**_There he is."_**

-----------------------------------------

The next day, Naruto felt much better. Kira had woken him early, saying that they were to meet Tyrande at the moonwell, and then they were to meet the council once again. She had no idea what they intended to say—she had seen little of Fandral Staghelm since the attack, and had spoken nothing to him. He had called the meeting, however. The small kindle of hope in her burned a little bit brighter knowing that.

Naruto had been surprised that they were even agreeing to see them at all. He had said this with a shamed face, knowing that if they refused again, than it would likely be his fault.

Kira had smiled, and shaken her head.

"You're wrong. It isn't just me, Kylia, Tyrande, Shandris and Neera that don't blame you. Nobody does. Tyrande even spoke to them of what happened. They're putting the blame where it rightfully falls—Illidan and the Kyuubi. They know you too well, Naruto. Why do you think they went through so much trouble to save you?"

Naruto didn't stop smiling the whole way down to the moonwell. He knew it would take some getting used to. He vowed that he would trust his friends with everything from then on.

He had no reason, anymore, to hide anything.

They met Tyrande and Shandris where they had before the first meeting. The moonwell was transformed at the presence of the sun. The bright blue light that had rained down on the statue before was now bright yellow, and the glowing waters of the well had become a shining emerald green in the presence of this new light.

"What's the meeting going to be about?" asked Naruto.

Tyrande shook her head. "I do not know. It was called and organized by the Cenarion Circle alone. I imagine Remulos had a talk with them, and the battle no doubt changed more than few views on the subject of this alliance." She smiled at Kira, sharing the hope shining in her eyes. "We can only hope."

"Who's Remulos?" Naruto asked, as they started towards the stairs.

"A member of the Cenarion Circle, a Keeper of the Grove, and a close confidant of Malfurion. He is one of the many sons of Cenarius, the demi-god of the Forest. He aided us in the final stretch of the battle. Though he and Staghelm have had their disagreements, they are still our allies."

They reached the council meeting a moment later, discovering it almost completely full. It was no surprise to Naruto that nearly all of the council members had survived. Two were missing, and Tyrande whispered that they were still healing.

But it was far fuller than before. There were many more druids that Naruto hadn't seen before, and in the back a monstrous being towered over the rest, the tops of his antlers nearly touching the ceiling. Naruto openly gaped at the being, half fascinated by and half jealous of his size. There was little doubt that the giant half-stag creature was Remulos.

"_We are gathered." _The giant said, his voice surprisingly elegant. It was not deep or booming, but soft and misty, like the sound of leaves ruffled by the breeze.

Fandral stood, as soon as Tyrande and Shandris took their customary seats, while Naruto, Kira, Kylia and Neera stood behind them.

"The reason we have gathered," Fandral said calmly, his face solid and stony. "Is that we who represent the Cenarion Circle have felt the need to amend our decisions. Recent events have led us to believe that our decision was made…hastily. There will be no vote for this." His eyes went to Tyrande. "Is that satisfactory?"

Tyrande answered with a nod and a small smile. She had a feeling what was to occur.

Fandral sighed deeply, and at once turned to Kira, boring holes into her eyes with his gaze.

"We have, through much deliberation, decided to retract our final decision on the finality of your proposed alliance," he said.

Kira's heart seemed to stop, and her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened, and a smile exploded into being, so great that it lit her whole body with joy and shock. Her mind couldn't even begin to process the words necessary to speak what she had so hoped would come true. What she had been seeking for so long, was now right there, in front of her.

And just as quickly, it vanished. Snatched away by the Arch-Druid's quick words and steady, rumbling voice.

"But that is not to say we accept it as it is."

Kira did not allow her spirits to plummet. She held on, immediately speaking, not caring if she sounded rude.

"As it is?" she said in a soft whisper.

Fandral nodded.

"This battle has demonstrated two things to us. It has shown us that no matter how strong we are, there will always come a time when our forces alone are not able to win. In those times," he gritted his teeth, "it is clear that we need aid. Aid from those who have strength equal to ours. Not just aid in battle, but aid in our economy, in our healing practices and other abilities." He looked calmly at Naruto and Kira. "You have demonstrated that there is much for us to learn. And learn we shall.

"But it has also demonstrated that we are weaker than we have ever been. As I said before, this has not changed. Because of this weakness, we cannot join you in battle. We have decided this: until we have strengthened our own forces, we cannot stand by your side in your fight with the Lich King and his Scourge."

The elf's words seemed as final as an ax-blow to the neck.

Kira did not allow herself to fall into despair again. Not when she was this close. Her heart beat faster, and quickly she said, "But—"

"_His words are harsh," _said Remulos suddenly, stopping her. The giant loomed behind her, and when she turned to look up at him, his eyes were kind and full of wisdom. "_But they are not final. We cannot aid you yet in your fight. We will offer all that we can; medical aid and supplies, as well as whatever weapons that we might have. In turn, we ask that until we believe we have a strong enough standing army, strong enough to be of worth in this battle that threatens all of us, then let us remain outside of this battle. We will aid, and we will join, but we will not fight just yet. But we will fight, in time. Is this acceptable?"_

Kira's answer was a smile, and the sudden presence of tears in her bright purple eyes.

Naruto, who had experienced a similar feeling not a few days ago, smiled at the sight of them. They were the eyes of someone whose dream had come true. Eyes, Naruto realized, that he had seen only once before, with the dying breathes of a boy named Haku. Eyes that one day, he hoped to have, too.

Her dream had come true.

Her dream had come true! The mere thought sent the welled tears spilling down her face. She was laughing suddenly, so happy that she couldn't contain herself. It was a foolish thing, she would see later, to laugh in the presence of so many important people, but she couldn't help it. It wasn't funny; she just couldn't believe it had happened. Laughing seemed like the only thing she could do. Her spirits were so great, soaring so high, that the whole world seemed open to her in that instant. She felt that she could feel anything. Do anything. She had achieved what she had set out to achieve.

It was better than any gift she had received. It was a feeling that she would never forget, no matter what would happen in the future. She would treasure that feeling for as long as she lived.

Kylia took the laughing fountain in her arms, giving her a big hug and a bright grin. Words would shame the feeling of joy she felt for her mistress. They had waited for this day. It had seemed so far away for so long, and then it had returned, faster and faster. And now it had come upon them, suddenly, and a little anticlimactically. It had taken but a few words.

And then, like a wish made upon a genie's lamp, it was so.

Those who watched the girl's triumphant laughing and tears did not speak or interrupt. Sometime in their lives, they too had experienced a similar feeling; and those who hadn't seemed to gaze longingly. But even the bitterest among them could not help but feel uplifted by the girl's glee. What she had done was worthy of it.

She had, _they _had, united the great races of the world. They had created an alliance that nobody else had in Azeroth's history; an alliance that nobody had expected a human, of all creatures, to create; a human who had the best interests in the world, and not just her own race.

None of them entertained the idea that such an alliance could be permanent. But that didn't matter. Before, none had believed it even possible. But now they had proved it was.

They had proved to all history that an alliance between eight different, completely estranged races, many of which were once enemies, was possible.

-------------------------------------------------------

Fandral cleared his throat, stemming Kira's glee and turning everyone's attention back to him. His face had not changed during the princess's exclamations of glee.

"But that is only one of the reasons that this meeting has been called." He looked at Tyrande. "The other is Illidan's reappearance. Since it is he who unleashed such a terror upon us, I must know what his intentions may be."

Tyrande's eyes narrowed, and she at once she assumed her role as High Priestess. "Illidan, at this moment, is no threat to us," she said, calmly.

"Oh?" said Fandral, raising a mocking eyebrow. "All evidence to the contrary. If he meant us no harm, then he would not have unsealed the demon inside the boy."

Tyrande shook her head. She could tell that an argument would be on the horizon.

"His mind is shattered. His fight with Arthas, and the continuing exposure to the chaotic power that flows through him has shattered his sanity. His actions, I don't think, show anything but the simple delusions of a madman. His reasons for unleashing the Kyuubi were purely selfish. He wanted to see it up close." She looked disgusted at the very thought. "Power is what is on his mind. He claims to have no goal, other than to continue gaining strength. I am not foolish enough to believe that, but I don't believe that his plans include us at the moment. I think that his goal might be revenge—against Arthas and the Lich King. He hates them, at the moment, more than anything."

"I see." The Arch-Druid laced his finger together in front of him.

"Good," she retorted sharply. "Illidan is a threat, make no mistake—but at the moment, I don't believe he intends us harm. He came for the simple reason, or so he says, of seeing me." She looked disgusted again. "But Kira's alliance will aid us in this respect, too. We will grow stronger with their help, and give us protection from Illidan and his cohorts." She sighed softly. "But we must be vigilant. Illidan is insane—he is unpredictable, and therefore we cannot afford to make any final decisions regarding him. His plans could change at the drop of a hat; he might not have any at all, as he himself said. Whatever the case, we must wait and see."

Fandral gazed at her a moment. The Arch-Druid's face was closed and gaunt; not even Naruto could see what was beneath it, what he was thinking or feeling.

"Very well. Do what you need to do," he said.

He noticed Tyrande's obvious shock at his lack of protest, but didn't comment. He stood. He then stared directly at the group of humans.

"This decision was made out of the best interests of our people. You have shown us that our time of isolation has come to an end. But I warn you," his eyes grew cold. "Should this alliance harm our people in any way; should we be betrayed, or cheated, or attacked know that you will be responsible. You have our trust now; but if you do anything to break that trust, then know you will have made an enemy of every one of us."

It was Naruto who answered. The blonde was smirking at him, and staring with the determined blue suns that not even the Kyuubi had never been able to shake.

"You won't regret it, old man."

Fandral glared at him.

"I should hope so."

He then turned, and strode from the room, never looking back.

His druids got up and followed a moment later, as did the other members of the Cenarion Circle. The Council was over.

Neera, still full of glee over their victory, grabbed Naruto, Kira and Kylia in a fierce hug, and with a loud shout, cried that they needed to celebrate. Then, without giving any of them a chance to protest, she dragged them from the room, singing a loud celebratory song in Darnassian, which was marred by Naruto's occasion shouts of protest at being manhandled in such a fashion.

As Tyrande, shaking her head, stood and prepared to follow, Remulos leaned down and touched her shoulder, stopping her.

"_A word, Lady Tyrande."_

Tyrande turned. "What is it, Keeper Remulos?"

The Keeper of the Grove smiled at her. "_I was asked to deliver a message. He told me 'I am alive, and though I continue to fight, I miss you more and more each passing moment. I shall return to you soon, my love, so please hold out a little longer.'"_

Tyrande's eyes were wide. "Y-you mean…?"

"_Yes,"_ responded Remulos, bowing his head. "_And I have never known Malfurion to lie_."

Tears were already streaming down Tyrande's face.

"Nor have I."

----------------------------------------------

Naruto stood in front of the shining cage, staring through the bars into the swallowing darkness beyond. Despite the shining light of the chains, Naruto couldn't see the majority of the Kyuubi's body. He could make the outline of some fur, and saw the occasional flick of one of its long tails, unbound by the chains. But its eyes were perfectly visible: hate-filled orbs of red that burned in the darkness and stood out from the shining purity of the rest of the cage.

'**YOU HAVE RETURNED,' **it said.

"Yeah."

'**COME TO KICK ME WHILE I'M DOWN? IT WILL DO NOTHING. I HAVE LOST. YOU HAVE WON. IT IS, IRONICALLY, THE SAME SITUATION I FACED FOURTEEN YEARS AGO WITH THAT DAMNABLE FOURTH. YOU HAVE DEFEATED ME.'**

Naruto nodded, glaring at the demon, which was as unimpressed as ever.

'**KNOW, HOWEVER, THAT I REGRET NOTHING. IF THE CHANCE EVER ARISES AGAIN, I WILL DO THE VERY SAME THING. THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE.'**

"Heh," Naruto said, folding his arms out in front of him. "I wouldn't expect any less from the damn fox who helped me get this far." His eyes turned cold and hard, and his next words were similarly frigid. "But I'll be there to stop you, every time, fox. I've got a family to protect now, and I'm gonna make sure that your chakra doesn't go to waste. I'm gonna use it until it becomes my own."

The demon laughed maliciously, its voice ringing throughout the massive chamber. '**GOOD. USE MY CHAKRA TO DESTROY EVERYTHING IN YOUR WAY. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE COME TO EXPECT OF YOU. YOU WILL USE IT TO PROTECT AND TO FIGHT FOR THOSE YOU LOVE. AS DISGUSTING AS THAT IS, I NO LONGER CARE. USE MY CHAKRA TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT. YOU ARE USELESS WITHOUT IT.'**

Naruto's glare grew hot. "You're wrong and you know it. You may have helped me get this far, but it was all me. You know that, and that's why you're so bitter. You need me to use your chakra to know that you still have a connection with the outside world. Too bad. It's my chakra now, fox. You lost, I won." He smirked, and stood up straighter, puffing out his chest, and looking as impudent as he could. "But if you're lucky, I'll stop by and chat with you once and a while, so you don't get lonely."

'**I'D RATHER BE NEUTERED. PERMANENTLY.' **The Kyuubi's eyes shown a second later, brighter than before. '**THIS IS THE SAME DAMN TALK I HAD WITH THAT BASTARD. RIGHT HERE, JUST AFTER HE SEALED ME. JUST BEFORE HE DIED. YOU'RE JUST LIKE HIM. NO, YOU'RE WORSE, FAR WORSE.'** He cackled again. '**YOU WIN THIS ROUND, BRAT. BUT THE WAR IS NOT OVER.'**

"Then bring it on, fox. I won't lose to anybody. Not anymore," said the brat, with a roguish grin.

---------------------------------------------

"Ahh!" said Neera, inhaling her last bit of _en'mara_. When the last bit of sapphire-colored noodle disappeared into her mouth, she turned to Naruto who was already polishing off his third bowl.

"You guys," she said, slowly and emphatically, "are my best friends!"

Kira blinked at the outburst. "Oh?" She was on her second bowl.

"Yep," said Neera, leaning back slightly, smiling. "We haven't known each other long, comparatively, but I still feel like I know you better than anybody else." She grinned childishly, and pointed at Kira.

"I like you because you say what must be said, and you pursued your dream all the way to the end, accepting help from anybody who offered. You're smart, too, and funny. You're so easy to get along with that I know that you will definitely be a great leader. If anyone can make this alliance work, its you!"

Kira blushed. "Thank you," she said.

Her gaze and extended finger swept to Kylia. "I like you 'cause even though you don't say much, and you don't stand out much, and though I sometimes forget you even exist, I know you'll always be there. You're a great friend to have 'cause you're so reliable, and cool too. Silent types are always cool."

Kylia was unsure whether to take offense, or blush and thank her like Kira. She decided the latter, adding a small bow as well. She made a mental note to speak more often. She hadn't had a single line in the past several chapters!

Naruto, wasn't sure that Kylia was the type of silent type Neera was referring to. She was more like a Hinata silent type. Of course, he reasoned that that could be cool as well, as she had demonstrated in the Chuunin Exams.

Her hand went at last to Naruto. "And you." She smiled, almost catlike. "I like you because you never stop doing what you want to do. You put your all into everything, and you're a lot like me. You can relate to me, and you can keep up with me in a spar, too. You've also done so much for all of us. Lady Tyrande has never looked happier, lately, and I know its all 'cause of you. You've given us all hope, Naruto." Then, to add even more color to Naruto's burning face, she said, "And you're really handsome. Or maybe sexy is the word. Like in training, when you take off your—"

"Okay!" said Kira, her right eye twitching slightly.

Neera giggled, wrapping her hand around Kira, and then grabbing Kylia and Naruto as well.

"You guys are the best. I'm so glad that you came here. I'm so glad that you're all my friends."

The trio of humans smiled widely at this, before Neera shouted, "Okay, let's hit those hot springs! Naruto, you can join us this time!"

"I can?"

"NO!" the other two girls shouted, breaking Kylia's night elf arc silence.

-------------------------------------------

Fandral stared up at the bright sun. He did not know whether he hated it, or loved it.

The sun gave life. He was no stranger to that. It gave life to everything in the world. It made the giant rock inhabitable, allowed the plants and animals to grow and prosper beneath it. It was also a symbol of hope for those beneath it. It would always be there, as long as they were. It even gave light to their goddess, the great Elune.

But he had never looked upon the sun as it was. He had never seen it so clearly. It was too bright, and it hurt his eyes and burned his skin. It made him feel weak and insignificant, like the sky that it hung in, and he hated that. It did not help, either, that the sun was the symbol of those who had long ago broken away from them—the High Elves, and the Blood Elves. Those who even now craved the power of the Well of Eternity.

So he scowled up at it, his dark hair shading his sensitive eyes from its light. What was this light to him?

"You will hurt your eyes, doing that."

"You concern touches me," Fandral retorted, not turning to meet the High Priestess as she walked up beside him.

"I am not concerned. I am simply enlightening you," the woman responded.

"Then you have served your purpose. Why are you here?"

Tyrande didn't answer for a second. She too was now staring into the sky. "It is not in your nature to not fight."

"Fighting always comes second to our people," he said calmly, "You should know that."

"And I do," she retorted. "But do they? Already, I have had many requests from the younger generation for extra training. Those who stopped fighting, and settled down, are now wishing to take up arms again. The blacksmith shops are starting up again. The alchemists and apothecaries are beginning to produce poisons for the Rogues Guild again, as well as take on new apprentices to develop new ways of fighting. The young Sentinels are training harder than ever, and many wish to become Priestesses. There are even those, I imagine, who wish to take upon the mantle of the forest, and become druids. I know that they will be ready when time comes to fight. Will you?"

Fandral didn't answer.

"That brat," he muttered, reaching up to shade his eyes. "I cannot believe that brat convinced me. I cannot believe that we are joining an alliance forged by children."

Tyrande smiled. "They are not children. What they have done shows it." She gave a little laugh. "And that boy, I know, will grow up to be great."

"He is too much like Malfurion," rumbled Fandral.

"I wouldn't say that," said Tyrande, shaking her head. "He is Naruto. That is all he will ever be."

A breeze swept past them, ruffling their hair and clothes. All around them, the sounds of the forest had returned. The birds chirped and the critters chattered. The deer loped through the brush, watched by nightsabers and bears. Insects crawled and buzzed, and wisps, every present, glowed and flittered. The great clearing was no longer dead, and both could see that life was slowly returning.

But to Fandral, the forest had never seemed so alive. He looked up, and stared at the giant burning orb again.

"The sun," said Tyrande softly, "has finally come to us. Perhaps we should live in it for a while."

-----------------------------------------------

Done.

Well, I changed it around a bit. I hope this is better, and explains things a bit more clearly.

The Tsuwabuki and Neera scenes I added because I realized that they were already featured so little. Tsuwabuki is a main character, or at least I'm trying to make her one. She, regrettably, slips my mind on occasion, and though it is shameful, I am doing my best to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Thank you all who reviewed to help me rewrite this chapter. I hope I made the Kyuubi situation clearer (he is anything but all powerful, as you will find out) and less cliché. I also hope I was able to make his emotions seem more real. Some asked me to drag it out a few chapters, but I think that's stretching it. Naruto doesn't angst. It isn't his thing. He might have angsted a while if nobody had talked to him, but Tyrande, Tsuwabuki, and Kira all made sure that it wasn't his fault.

There will likely be repercussions involving those who do blame Naruto for the attack (though they are few and far between, and likely of the younger generation).

Some disapproved at my final depiction of Illidan—that he was just insane and I won't show him again. You're quite wrong. Illidan is going to be playing a huge part in this story. For now he is insane because it is right for him to be. Time will tell if that changes.

Okay. Next chapter will be a semi-filler arc. I figure that I'm allowed one or two, right? I haven't shown in detail what it going on in Konoha for a while. This is going to be my chance. It will probably be only a chapter or so long. Maybe more. It will be _in media res_, so I won't bore you with the whole process, or make you revolt against me for not continuing immediately with the Naruto situation. I will likely have time to write it during Orientation Week.

Thanks again for all those who reviewed! You're praise was too kind, and you're nitpicking was brutal and truthful. I need more of it! Slay me with your criticisms and harsh truths (no bad words, please, they make my ears bleed…mostly)!

P.S. Forgive my two fourth wall breakings. I just realized that, as the story has gone on, Kylia has spoken less and less. That will have to change, won't it?

Seeya later!

General Grievous


	55. The Chuunin Exams: Redux

**Disclaimer: It's the leprechauns! They tell me to NOT OWN NARUTO OR WORLD OF WARCRAFT!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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Sakura coughed, her throat burning with each dry heave. Her mouth was beyond arid, feeling as dry as dirt and made of sand, and her lips had more cracks than an old sidewalk. She produced no saliva and little sweat, which she knew was a bad sign. Her eyes hurt and itched, and she had to constantly cover them with her hand, to ward off the sudden gusts of sand. Her mind was hazy, and she had to fight to stay conscious and coherent, lest she drift off and die from heatstroke, which wasn't far, she guessed.

In short, she was hot.

Behind her, Ino slouched along after her, looking as bad as Sakura felt. The blonde girl's hair was a mess of split ends, and she constantly had to blow or move it out of her face, as her forehead protector was in an unusual place around her waist ("I'd die if I kept it on my head!") The girl's fair skin was sunburned to an obscene degree, which Sakura also knew was a bad sign. Her own skin was painful and almost bright red.

Even further behind her lurked Chouji. The big-boned shinobi lumbered after them at near a snail's pace. Sweat made his hair fall down, and made his clothes stick to his large body. The boy looked like he was at his end; an elephant heading towards its final resting grounds.

Sakura stared at the boy worriedly. Out of all of them, she worried about her husky teammate the most. They had rationed a little bit more of their remaining water sources to him, seeing as how he needed it far more than they. But it didn't seem to be enough.

This, Sakura decided, was truly worthy of its ominous name. The Forest of Death had certainly been deadly, but compared to the Desert of the Underworld, it was nothing. She suddenly missed it, even. She longingly thought of running water, and plentiful things to eat, and a chance to rest and relax, in the shade of a large tree. Sure there had been a lot of dangerous things, but those things had been fightable.

How, exactly, did one fight unbearable heat without shade or water?

One didn't, of course. It was impossible. Unless you were a member of the Hidden Mist or Rain. Or the Hidden Sand. But the Hidden Leaf, apparently, had nothing to counteract the horrors of this endless march of death and famine. No special techniques, no special medicines or items; just toughness and a good leader who could ration properly. While Sakura thought she had done a fair job, they were already running low, and it was only the third day!

"We're going to die, aren't we forehead girl?" Ino said behind her.

Sakura grunted. Whether it was agreement or not, neither girl knew. Sakura just didn't want to talk. It hurt to talk, quite a bit.

When the three and their team sensei, Sarutobi Asuma, had shown up at the Sand for the _Chuunin Exams_, meant first and foremost to reestablish ties between the Leaf and the Sand, officially, none of them had been expecting what it was to be like. Asuma claimed that his own Chuunin Exam had been in Konoha. He had no idea how they ran theirs. Asuma had assured them, however, that it was nothing like the Hidden Mist's. They were thankful for that much.

The Sand had welcomed them with open arms. When they had first arrived, Sakura had been surprised to find both Temari and her brother, Kankuro, waiting for them. The two Sand-nin seemed unnaturally friendly to Sakura and her team, something that she was still wondering about. Gaara, the semi-psychotic nin that had nearly killed her last time they had met, was absent. Neither Kankuro nor Temari had commented on that.

They had shown her and the rest of the Konoha shinobi around the village. They had pointed out interesting landmarks, giving them a dry and apathetic history of each one. They had then shown them the best restaurants, shopping centers and weapon smiths the village possessed. It hadn't been the best tour, and from what Sakura could gather, they had only done it because they had been ordered too. Temari seemed particularly bored. Ino had whispered snidely to Sakura later that it was because Shikamaru wasn't there. Sakura could clearly see that Ino was jealous, and made no comment.

After the tour, Asuma had left them, saying that he had to report them in at the Kazekage's tower. The team had wanderer for a while, satisfying Chouji's usual hunger pains, before retiring to their hotel.

The actual test had begun just a day later. Like the one that they had last taken part in, even before the test had begun there had been plenty of tricks to weed out the weaker teams from even competing. There had been a genjutsu woven around the entire testing facility. It first appeared to be nothing more than an apartment complex. The genjutsu hadn't been very good, but illusions weren't specialties of the Sand. It had, however, succeeded in throwing several teams off, a shameful feat in Sakura's eyes.

Inside, they had been immediately subjected to the first test. Upon entering the testing center, Asuma had come forwards, telling them to follow him. He was to deliver them to the first test.

But even before they had started off with him, Sakura saw that something was amiss. For one thing, Asuma wasn't smoking. For as long as she had known the jounin, he had always smoked. As soon as he finished one cigarette, he'd move onto another, even in the midst of training. She thought it was a little like Kakashi's fixation with perverted books. He only stopped when eating, and as they walked down the hall, Sakura could clearly see that he was consuming nothing. But even so, it was odd. She could still smell tobacco, which clung to Asuma's clothes, and it was exactly the same smell as his normal cigarettes.

"Finally quit smoking, Asuma-sensei?" she had commented, innocently. Both Ino and Chouji, who had also noticed the lack of the cancer-causing item, looked alert as she said this.

The man had smiled. "Nope, they don't sell my type here. And could you believe that I forgot to bring more than two packs?"

"Oh?"

"Yep, why, you suspicious or something?"

"More than a little," the girl had said, flexing her muscles a bit. "This is part of the test, isn't it?"

Asuma had laughed. "This is the test, Leaf girl." He reached into his weapon's pouch, but before he could retrieve what he needed, the pink-haired girl had caught him in a death-grip by the wrist. Ino stood on his other side, a kunai pressed into his side. Chouji was in front, staring coldly at the imposter, his hands balled into fists.

"Easy," the man said, chuckling. "You passed. The first part at least. I'm to take you to the second test now."

Sakura had raised an eyebrow. "That's it? That's the whole test?"

The man chuckled, as the henge melted away from him. Sakura's eyes widened when he saw the familiar, one-eyed jounin, Baki, before them.

"You expected more, I suppose? Well, there are two reasons for why it was so simple. If you hadn't acted so quickly, you would have failed. You noticed right away that I was not your sensei. That is essential for a ninja. They must constantly take stock of their surroundings, even among supposed friends, especially in a foreign place. The minimum time for noticing the trick was ten seconds. You would have failed had you reacted even a second after that. And besides, you don't deserve to be a ninja if you can't recognize that there is something wrong with your own sensei."

Sakura nodded absently. "It seems like you wouldn't eliminate many teams doing this," she said.

Baki smirked. "You're right. Not many teams lose to this."

"What's the second reason that you made it so short?" asked Ino.

Baki gave them all a truly devilish grin.

"Because the second part of test will eliminate well over ninety percent of the teams that made it through this one."

He was without a doubt, right.

The principals of the second test were exactly the same as the one for the Konoha second test. Survive as long as possible in a place called the Desert of the Underworld, and collect two different scrolls from opposing genin teams, before heading to an oasis somewhere near the middle of the monstrous area. Unlike the Forest of Death, however, there was nothing stopping them from leaving the area. But none of them had even seen anything resembling an exit to the desert, or even a sign of civilization. They had been taken to the Desert by way of a special transportation jutsu, which dropped them at a random spot in the massive training grounds. She guessed there was a jutsu of some sort surrounding the area. They had been traveling for three days, and not once had they found anything. The Wind Country couldn't be that big, could it?

They had encountered two genin teams so far. Both had been without a scroll, and both had been near dead from dehydration and exhaustion. Thankfully they had been from opposing villages: Stone and Grass. Sakura had honestly wanted to help them, but she knew that she couldn't without sacrificing her own team's water reserves. So they had reluctantly walked on, hoping that the Sand village was constantly sending out teams to recover fallen shinobi.

So on they walked.

Many times their hopes had been raised in seeing something in distance. They would see a flash of a tree, or the distant glimmer of sun reflecting off water. But they had ended up expending extra energy running towards them, only to find nothing.

No genjutsu, Sakura had decided, could be as cruel as those created by the world.

"We're going to die out here," mumbled Ino, somewhere behind Sakura.

Sakura didn't respond. It hurt too much to talk. Chouji made an affirmative grunting sound, trailing farther and farther behind the two girls.

Sakura didn't want to agree. In fact, she had long learned that agreeing, or giving up, was just sign of how weak one was. No, she had learned from the best that even when the situation was this dire, if one still had confidence that they would succeed then they would.

Besides, she had things to do before she died, and she certainly wasn't going to break the promise she and Naruto had made: to bring Sasuke back.

And so she trudged on, thinking nothing of their situation. She just looked ahead.

Then, Sakura stopped.

In the haze in front of her, three figures had materialized. At first Sakura thought they were nothing more than mere mirages, having seen many similar things in the past three days. But as they neared them, Sakura realized that they weren't mirages at all. They were real.

"Lucky…"

Sakura's eyes widened at the voice.

Emerging from the dust and the heat, three Rain-nins, the very same three that she had encountered on her last Chuunin Exam, stood before her and her team. They remained largely unchanged from before. Their leader, with his fuzzy long hair and slumping posture, seemed a little taller, but he wore the same strange jumpsuit and mask. His companions, who stood about his height, one with a single eye exposed beneath his mask and no hair exposed; and the other blind, with broom-shaped dark hair. They too seemed to have changed in various small ways, but at the moment, Sakura was too exhausted to care.

The one in front grinned beneath his mask. "We meet again, eh? Your teammates have changed, however. It doesn't matter." He held out a hand. "Give us your scroll, and we'll give you a bit of our water."

Sakura blinked. "What?"

The Rain-nin chuckled. So did his companions. "I said give me your scroll. We need it. We have plenty water to spare, you see." To prove his point, he reached behind him and produced a scroll. He quickly unfurled it, revealing many winding and curling seals beneath. He touched the center, causing an explosion of white, which upon clearing, revealed a large, clear tank of what only could be water.

Cool, delicious, refreshing water.

Sakura was mesmerized by it. She watched the water run down the sides as it sloshed about in his hands. She could almost taste it, her tongue showing the first signs of life since they had arrived, as it hung out her mouth. If she had saliva to spare, she would have drooled. The water seemed more glorious than anything in the world at that point. Better than money or an extremely hot boyfriend.

Both Ino and Chouji were similarly spellbound. Neither took their eyes off the glorious bottle filled with heaven and dreams and life.

The Rain-nin chuckled. "Hehe, we have plenty, you see. Now, give us the scroll. You can't possibly fight back, can you?"

Sakura didn't respond. She just nodded. She waved to Chouji, who came forwards and handed her the scroll. She walked towards them.

The Rain-nin were growing more and more confident with every step. They had won! Why fight, they reasoned, when the enemy was already beaten? It seemed unnecessary. Besides, they had what the other wanted. It was clear the girl and her teammates would not survive another day without more water, and they would be saving their lives, to compete in another Chuunin Exam.

By the time she reached him, he was almost giddy. Lucky, lucky, lucky!

His mind came to an abrupt halt, however, when he suddenly felt something snugly bury itself in his stomach. Hard. It drove the air from his lungs, and came with so much force that he went flying backwards, the water tank slipping from his grasp. He soared away, in far too much pain to register what happened next.

His two teammates reacted as quickly as they could. One of them reached for a weapon, the other began to make a seal. Neither finished their actions.

Sakura grabbed one, crushing his hand, making him drop the kunai. He began to cry out, but it was violently cut short when Sakura lifted him up and swung him into his partner with the force of a speeding train. There was a series of loud cracks as the two connected and flew from her.

By the time they landed, Sakura had lost all interest in them. She, Ino and Chouji were ravenously attacking the water tank that she had retrieved. It was beyond anything they had ever experienced. Never had they thought such a simple thing, something they had always had in spades, could be so valuable and refreshing. For minutes they simply sat and drank. It didn't take long for them to finish. Their thirst, for the moment, was satiated.

"I'm so glad you did that Sakura," mumbled Ino, wiping excessive water from her mouth and licking it from her dirty fingers without a care for her health. "I don't know where you got the energy, but I don't care at the moment."

Sakura smiled. "Desperation makes us do many things."

Ino snorted. "I can't believe they fell for that, though. It seems pretty stupid that they'd fall for such an obvious trick. They should have been more on their guard, don't you think?"

Sakura snickered and looked over at the fallen Rain-nin, who had yet to recover. Their leader was on his back, clutching his stomach, his body unable to move.

"Yes, well, I'm sure they'll learn from their mistake, won't you guys? That's what this exam is about, isn't it?"

The Rain-nin mumbled something that sounded vaguely like "Unlucky…."

-------------------------------------------

It didn't take them long after that.

Newly energized by the water, they retrieved the Rain-nins' scroll and started off again. Now able to think clearly, Sakura began using her compass and the knowledge she had learned in lessons with Kakashi, Tsunade and Asuma on how to navigate in wilderness settings. By the time the sun went down, and the cold air that came with it descended upon them, they had arrived at the oasis, their final destination.

It consisted of nothing more than a small patch of tropical trees surrounding a small, dirty pool of water. But it was heartening to find, especially since a Sand jounin stood off to the side, watching them as they came up. He nodded to them.

"Open your scrolls," he said simply.

Carefully removing them from her pack, Sakura glanced at the other two, who nodded and crowded close, before she slowly unfurled both scrolls. She expected someone to appear as Iruka had done last time. Instead, she and her teammates were suddenly surrounded in a large swirling cloud of smoke, which obscured their vision of the desert. Following this, there was a rush of fresh, cool air and a sudden moment of complete senselessness, in which Sakura could see, hear, feel or smell nothing, and felt almost weightless. The feeling disappeared a second later, and then she felt hard ground beneath her, so suddenly that she stumbled, knocking into Chouji who in turn fell into Ino and sent her sprawling on the floor, Chouji's face buried between the shapely cheeks of her behind.

The scene that Asuma was greeted to when the smoke cleared was that of Ino sitting on top of Chouji, repeatedly smashing her fist into the chubby boy's protesting face.

"Sorry Ino! I couldn't see!"

"No excuses! Take your punishment like a man, Chouji!"

Sakura sat next to the two, still dazed from the transportation jutsu, and unsure of whether she should risk drawing Ino's wrath onto herself. Besides, she wasn't worried about Chouji. He could take a punch, and Ino wasn't the strongest fighter he had faced.

"Ahem," Asuma said, removing his cigarette and raising an eyebrow at the two.

Ino stopped hitting the boy, who looked relatively unharmed save for a slight trickle of blood running from his nose, the cause of which was rather debatable.

"Good job," chuckled Asuma. "I was getting a bit worried."

"Well," said Sakura, smiling at him, "your worries were unfounded. We got through. Now where's the water?"

Asuma chuckled again. "Hold on. I'm to explain what's to happen next. The next portion of the Chuunin Exams is to occur in a week's time."

"Only a week?" said Ino, as she lifted up and gazed in disgust and horror at a strand of her limp, dry hair. "That's all?"

Asuma nodded, taking a drag on his cigarette. "Yeah. They want to get things started a bit faster this time, and want to leave less time for sabotage. Everyone's still a little bit antsy, and the Sand wants to prove that they are still are our allies."

Sakura frowned. "But the second test isn't over yet. They've still got a couple more days, don't they?"

Asuma smiled.

"Unfortunately, the Sand doesn't have that confidence. Usually, the ones that end up passing this portion of the test are those that will show up during the first two or three days. After the third day, there's a very slim chance of anyone else coming out."

Sakura's eyes widened. "Did Hinata's team…?"

Asuma nodded. "They came out an hour or so before you guys. They're already resting." Seeing Sakura relax, he continued. "Since they don't want to ignite many conflicts, the Sand is going easy this year and has been sending out patrols into the Desert every so often. Any team that appears unable to move, or nearly dead, are taken out and sent to the hospital. They can't do it for everyone, but it cuts down the casualties by half usually."

The three genin shivered as they looked at each other. It was a humbling thought to know that no matter how much one trained physically, or prepared mentally, the elements and Nature could also find ways of defeating you. It was a nigh unconquerable enemy, that no matter how many jutsu or how long you have lived, could always beat you in the right circumstances.

"And," said Asuma, "They don't want to lose the few Sand teams that didn't pass this time around. They only had a few enter this year, even though it was their own village that was hosting the exams. I can't say why, because truthfully I don't know."

Sakura posed a question. "So what's the third test?"

"Tournament, like last time," said Asuma. "There won't be any preliminaries. Not enough teams. In two days you'll return and find out whom you're fighting. Then you only have a few more days to rest up and train."

"That hardly seems like enough," said Ino, crossing her arms.

Asuma chuckled. "Just remember that Shikamaru didn't win his fight, and still became Chuunin, Ino. I'm sure you'll all do fine. Now, I assume you'll be wanting that water, hmm?"

The three nodded in perfect unison, making Asuma laugh again, before he turned and walked away.

Ino and Chouji immediately followed, Chouji's mind on food and Ino's on water and bath products. Sakura followed slowly behind them, a smile gracing her face.

She hadn't once given up. She knew now, why Naruto thought the way he did. It felt so much better, knowing that she had never given up on succeeding. She had always had hope. And that, she believed, was what had gotten her through the awful desert.

-------------------------------------------------------

The streets were dry and dusty as Sakura walked from stall to stall, gazing idly at the items displayed for purchase. There were so many things, some familiar, some completely foreign, and each cheaper than the last.

She was in a massive market, called a _bazaar_, which sold everything, according to Temari, one could possibly want. It was where most people of the Sand did their shopping. Most of the items were cheap, and the merchants also loved to haggle. One didn't have to be rich in order to get the basic necessities for life in this place.

Sakura and her team still had five days before the beginning of the final test. They had spent two days recuperating from their trek through the endless desert, and as Asuma had predicted, no more had shown up. That left four teams of three to compete in the final exam.

They had returned on the designated day, and found out whom they were to be fighting. Ino would be up against at Grass-nin named Sajino: a tall, dark-haired, terribly handsome boy who wore a large, dark green and brown coat and similarly colored cargo pants. He had a roguish grin on his face the moment he heard the announcement, and smiled a handsome smile towards Ino. The girl had smiled back, though Sakura hadn't been able to tell what it meant.

Sakura would be fighting a Stone-nin named Kazara, a diminutive girl with sandy-blonde hair and a scowling face. The moment it had been announced, Kazara had sent Sakura a terribly cold look, which promised that she wouldn't lose. Sakura had matched the glare firmly. She knew that it would be a difficult fight, as out of the Stone-nins, she seemed to be the leader of the group.

And Chouji himself would be going to battle with none other than Inuzuka Kiba.

Kiba had let out a great whoop upon finding that out, and had promised Chouji then and there that he would not lose. The large boy had just laughed, and wished Kiba the best. This had put off Kiba a bit, and thinking that he was being mocked, had rushed off to train with Akamaru.

Both Hinata and Shino apologized for the boy's behavior. He was quite excited, especially in knowing that he might become a Chuunin before Naruto.

Hinata would be fighting a Grass-nin like Ino, while Shino had been stuck with a Stone-nin. They had all wished the other the best of luck, before they had parted to train individually.

Sakura was excited. Not having taken part in the past tournament, she found the prospect of potentially fighting her own teammates or friends as appealing as fighting people she had never met before. She was particularly hoping to face someone from Hinata's team. She had seen little of them save for the meetings called by a message from Naruto. She was interested in seeing how far they had come, just as much as she was hoping to test how far she had come.

The group had parted ways after that. Kurenai took her team for some last minute training, hoping to hone their individual abilities as well as possible.

But for the week, aside from daily training, she resolved to take it easy. She would think and plot, but enjoy the little time she had in the Sand as well. Despite being arid and hot, it was a very beautiful place, and Sakura was finding the people interesting and inviting. They were very friendly, and seemed to do everything they could to make her feel at home. She couldn't remember how many times people simply smiled at her as she walked by them on the street, or as she browsed shop items.

Sakura felt a strange twinge of guilt with each smile. She felt as though they should be smiling at Naruto, not her. He deserved those smiles far more than she.

Banishing that thought, she stopped at a small booth that sold all manner of knickknacks and baubles. One of the owners, and old woman with few teeth and kind, squinted eyes, smiled at her and bade her to take her time and find what she liked.

Beside the old woman, and old man was arguing with a group of very short people wrapped in desert clothes and wearing tinted goggles. She couldn't see their faces, but she decided that they simply must have been children playing dress-up. The old man had a very thick accent, making it hard to understand him, and Sakura was only half listening, so she caught little of what they were saying.

Their presence completely left her mind when a voice sounded behind her, soft and calm and very familiar. Almost immediately, the din of the bazaar seemed to quiet, as Sakura turned and found herself staring into the pale, bloodshot green eyes of Sabaku no Gaara.

"Sakura-san," he said softly.

It took but these words, and Gaara's unnatural appearance to silence nearly everyone in the area. Some stared at him with obvious shock and familiarity, and others in confusion, most likely visitors who did not know of his reputation. But none, she noticed, had an ounce of disgust on their face. They seemed only surprised.

But Sakura was surprised most of all to see him. It was so surprising, indeed, that she found herself at a loss for words. Brief flashes of his horrifying transformed appearance came to her as she looked at him, but oddly, they did not seem to fit. Gaara had changed.

He was taller, for one thing. Not by much, but tall enough for her to look slightly up to meet his eyes. His hair was the same blood-red color, but it was longer. He wore a different outfit, as well. It was still red, but resembled a trench coat. The monstrous gourd of living sand was still strapped to his back.

But it was his eyes that had changed the most. Once murderous and horrifying, cruel and unforgiving, Sakura could now see actual emotion showing. They seemed shy, confused, and though his face was perfectly composed, he refused to meet her eyes.

"Gaara…" she said, swallowing. It was probably the wrong thing to do, as Gaara seemed to withdraw even further, and shifted a little at her slight fear. She had not forgotten what he had been like. But at the same time, she somehow knew that it would be wrong to treat him with fear and revulsion. Naruto respected him quite a bit, from what she remembered, so she smiled and said, "You surprised me. How are you?"

The young man relaxed a little at her soothing tone, and said in the same soft monotone. "I am well."

"Good," Sakura said. The situation was rapidly growing more and more awkward, but she could sense that Gaara had not approached her simply to make small talk. So with a smile, she said, "I was actually about to find a place to eat. Would you like to join me? Maybe you know some good ones."

Gaara looked at her a moment, expressionless, before giving a small nod and spinning around. He led Sakura away from the bazaar, through the winding and crowded streets of the Hidden Sand, eventually coming to a small, quiet area near the edge of the city. There he took her to a small, shabby looking food cart that sold everything from takoyoki to ramen. Despite its poor appearance, it seemed very cozy, and very fitting for someone like Gaara. Two pretty, young women manned the cart, smiling at Gaara as he arrived.

"Gaara-kun!" one of them said. She was a good deal older than the two, probably around twenty-five, with long brown hair and a pretty, smiling face. Her partner was somewhat younger, with short light blonde hair and pretty green eyes. She was blushing madly and avoiding eye contact with the red-haired Sand-nin.

"Good afternoon, Taki-san, Moriki-san," the boy intoned, giving a slight bow to both.

The older girl, Taki, made a swatting gesture with her hand, and blushed. "No need to act so formal, Gaara-kun! You're here almost every day, so by now you should at least be calling me Taki, or Taki-neechan!"

The boy didn't respond, and seemed a little uncomfortable with the woman's words. Seeing this, she immediately looked at Sakura, and smiled.

"And you've brought a girl this time! I didn't know you had it in you!"

This brought a reaction as well. Gaara's cheeks were tinged with pink for a moment, and to the reaction seemed so foreign to Sakura that she had to stop herself from gaping at the action.

Had Gaara just blushed?

"It's not like that," said Sakura, shaking her head. "We're just friends."

Gaara's head turned to Sakura quickly, and he stared at her in silent surprise for a moment.

Friends?

"Well," said Taki, smiling at Gaara's reactions, "any friend of Gaara-kun's is a friend of ours. Welcome to our shop, how may we serve you?"

"A bowl of pork ramen," said Sakura, smiling.

"And the usual for you Gaara-kun?" said Taki, jotting down Sakura's order.

"Yes," the boy said.

Taki nodded, and gestured to the silent girl beside her. "Well you heard them, Moriki-chan! Whip up a pork ramen and a Gaara Special!"

As the two ladies set about to cook their food, Sakura and Gaara took seats at one of the small tables in front of the cart. Gaara was completely silent, and once again avoiding eye contact. Sakura wasn't entirely sure what to say. She wanted particularly to know why Gaara had sought her out.

"I didn't see you when we first arrived. Where you on a mission?" she asked, deciding to try a conversation.

Gaara nodded softly. "Yes. A very special mission." He paused. "Forgive me."

Sakura smiled and waved it off. "It doesn't matter, it must have been more import—"

"No," Gaara said quickly, cutting her off. "Forgive me for before. For the last time we met." He lowered his gaze and head, slumping.

Sakura blinked. '_So that's what this is about,'_ she thought. He wanted to apologize.

The idea was so strange and remarkable that Sakura didn't answer at first. The person who had nearly crippled Rock Lee and almost killed Sasuke, Naruto and herself; who had acted with the viciousness and killing intent of a wild animal from the moment she had laid eyes on him, was coming to her to ask forgiveness for what he had done. But there was nothing of the former Gaara in him, she saw with surprise. He was genuinely sorry, and was having extreme difficulty expressing that. He had likely never done such a thing before.

"Like I said, it doesn't matter," she said with a smile. "I haven't held a grudge. And it's clear that you are sorry." When Gaara didn't react, she continued by saying, "besides, Naruto respects you a lot, I think. He asks about you often in his messages."

Gaara blinked. "Does he?" He considered this a moment. Then, he stood and bowed.

"Thank you," he said.

She smiled in response. "No problem."

As the boy took his seat again, Sakura could see the relief in his eyes, even though his expression remained the same as always. She wondered how long he had been agonizing over it, and how long it had taken him to work of the courage to talk to her. She wondered, too, if he had actually had a special mission. He seemed terribly shy, and almost as meek as a puppy. She knew that could change in a heartbeat, but it was almost impossible not to like this Gaara. He was like a silent and obedient child.

"Has he contacted you recently?" he suddenly asked. Sakura knew immediately whom he was talking about.

She shook her head, looking a little depressed. "No, he hasn't. I'm hoping there will be another when we get back. I've been a bit worried about him recently, truth be told."

Gaara was silent again for a moment. "He is growing stronger, no doubt."

"Yes," said Sakura. "Amazingly so. Though it has to be taken with a grain of salt, I suppose. Naruto's always had a penchant for exaggerating." She chuckled at little as she remembered. "But up until now, he's been fine, or so he says. He's helped the world he's been in quite a bit."

"But he hasn't mentioned anything of returning, has he?" Gaara asked softly.

Sakura lowered her head a bit, and shook it. "I know he intends to return. I just don't know when. Or how."

"He will find a way," he said.

She blinked.

"He will find a way," Gaara repeated. "I have not known him for very long. But I know that he will find a way, no matter what." As he said this, he saw in his mind Naruto crawling towards him. After fighting him at his fullest, Naruto had still crawled towards him with the last of his strength. Naruto had more determination than anyone he had ever met. Naruto was stronger in mind and body than anyone he had ever heard of. Naruto wouldn't let anything get in his way. Not even the walls between two worlds. That much he knew.

Sakura smiled at Gaara. Naruto had worked his magic again. She couldn't fathom how her goofy, annoying teammate could have such a profound effect on those he met. She had to reason that this was the biggest yet. Naruto had changed a bloodthirsty killing machine into a docile boy, shy and peaceful.

"You're right," she said. "I know him better than you, and I was worrying every day. Thanks, Gaara-san."

Gaara nodded, but didn't respond, as by this time the food had come. Moriki walked out, carrying two bowls that she set in front of the two shinobi, blushing as she quietly asked Gaara whether he wanted anything else.

Sakura grinned a little when she saw what Gaara had ordered. It was as simple bowl of ramen, filled with a smattering of meats and vegetables to make it unique. Gaara began to eat it slowly, with reverence. He tasted each bite, savoring it, because it had been made especially for him. She could only imagine how good Gaara must have felt in knowing that. Knowing that Taki had created something just for him. It was clear how much the woman cared for him.

How happy, Sakura thought, Naruto would be in seeing his friend like this.

"I am going to become Kazekage," Gaara suddenly said, as he swallowed.

Sakura's blinked. "What?"

"I would like to become Kazekage," he repeated. "If I do that, then I will be able to use the power that I once used to kill to protect. I realized that having something to protect, having loved ones to cherish and be with, brings more joy and peace than killing ever did. I would like to form a connection with this village, even the one that once shunned me and feared me, so that I might gain their respect in time. If I can protect them all, then I might be able to become as good a ninja as Uzumaki Naruto. He taught me all of this. This is the only way that I think I can truly atone for what I have done. For bringing nothing but fear to these people, for being nothing more than a horrible weapon, I want to be able to show them that I can protect them. I want to gain their trust and admiration. So, I aim to be Kazekage."

Sakura stared at Gaara a moment. Her face appeared unreadable, but that was only due to sheer shock. But once that wore off, she reacted as she felt she had to.

"If that is your aim," said Sakura, a wide, pretty smile on her face. She glanced over at Taki and Moriki, who waved to the two.

"Then I think you're off to a fantastic start. I bet that by the time Naruto gets back, you'll already be Kazekage. Then you might be able to teach him a few things, too."

Gaara ducked his head, but Sakura didn't need to see his face to know the smile on it.

"Thank you, Sakura-san."

"No problem, Gaara-kun."

-----------------------------------------

The day of the tournament arrived swiftly. In the days between Gaara and Sakura's meeting, the girl had thrown herself into training. She worked on improving her taijutsu techniques, imagining Lee and Gai's loud, obnoxious voices in her ears whenever she messed up, or Tsunade's harsh reprimands for doing something even slightly wrong. She mostly trained on chakra control, so that in a split second, she'd be able to call healing chakra to repair minor wounds or ease the pain of broken bones. She did not intend to lose against her Stone opponent, whom she had seen nothing of the entire week.

Ino and Chouji worked similarly as hard, also alone. About three days before the tournament, a procession from Konoha had arrived, and Shikamaru had joined his former teammates, helping them in various little ways, mostly in strategy (though it was likely that Ino had forced him into this). Ino and Sakura rarely saw each other, and their interactions were even fewer. Sakura wondered if she would end up fighting Ino again. The prospect thrilled her, mostly because she had the confidence that she could beat Ino this time.

However, remembering the chart, if she won her first fight, she'd end up facing either Hinata or her Grass-nin opponent. The prospect of that was less thrilling and more worrisome, mostly because though she knew Hinata was rather docile, the techniques of the Hyuuga clan were not to be underestimated. She knew nothing of how the girl had changed through her training, since the only times she saw Hinata were in meetings about Naruto.

However, having seen Hinata fight so well against Neji in the last Chuunin Exams, Sakura knew better than to assume she was weak.

Sakura got a few tips from Tsunade as well, as she had arrived along with Shikamaru and a few other Jounin and Chuunin. The woman hadn't said much, only that she should use her head, and not her power. Being a Chuunin was more than just being skilled in a fight. One had to think calmly and clearly, especially in a battle against another ninja.

"You'll do fine," the woman had said, at the end of her warnings. "You're my student, after all."

And so after nearly five days of training, Sakura, Ino and Chouji made their way to the center of the city. It was a massive structure, probably twice as large as the Konoha Arena, and easily more ancient and ornate. It was called Sunakagure Coliseum.

Being the contestants, they entered through a much smaller side door, which led up to a separate set of seats especially for them. It not only gave them a great view of the entire arena, but also had easy access to the ring, using not but a simple flight of stairs down onto the sandy ground.

The other contestants were already there.

"Good a-afternoon, Sakura-san, Ino-san, Chouji-san," whispered Hinata, who was standing near the edge of the railing, looking down.

"Hello, Hinata," said Sakura, smiling at the shy girl. Hinata too had changed. Her hair was now much longer, almost near the point where Sakura's had been when she had grown it out. She had also begun to grow in other ways, though the bulky jacket hid most of it. She still had the same shy smile, but she stuttered less, and Sakura wondered if by the time Naruto got back, it would be gone.

She didn't know why that bothered her.

"Yo! We haven't seen much of you guys," grinned Kiba, suddenly appearing at Sakura's side. Next to the dog boy stood Akamaru, who had grown greatly in the past few months. He now stood nearly up to his master's thighs, and was covered in thicker, shaggier fur. His tongue lolled out, making him look goofy and harmless, but Sakura could see that his eyes were always darting about.

"True," said Ino, smirking, "but if we had seen each other, you'd probably try to wheedle out some information on Chouji's techniques. Wouldn't you?"

Kiba looked affronted. "We'd never!"

"I seem to recall you saying different," said a soft voice from behind, causing the three to jump. For the life of her, Sakura couldn't tell just how Shino had changed. The boy now wore two jackets: one long, form-fitting black beneath a lighter, puffier hooded jacket. Now all that could be seen of him was a slim bit of flesh next to his goggle-covered eyes. She shook her head, amazed that he wasn't dying of heat stroke in such an outfit.

Kiba glared at his friend hotly. "Geez, some teammate you are."

Shino didn't respond.

Chouji, however, laughed, and said, "You pretty much know my techniques anyways. They haven't changed much. I'm looking forward to the fight, though. I've always wanted to fight you, Kiba."

Kiba's face split into a canine grin. "Heh, me too. After hearing about how you took that Sound-nin guy down, I was pretty impressed that such a fat— OW!"

Kiba grabbed his shin, hopping up and down, moaning in pain from where Sakura had kicked him. Chouji blinked, but shrugged it off. Sakura was always kicking something for some reason.

"You should know by now not to call him that, Kiba," Shino admonished.

"Dammit! You nearly broke my leg! What the hell is wrong with you?" Kiba screamed, glaring at Sakura, who shook her head in exasperation.

"Buck up, you baby," she said, smirking.

Kiba glared at her angrily for a moment, but cowered away when she raised a clenched fist in his direction, and flashed him a frighteningly menacing glare.

"U-um, I think we should stop. It is about to b-begin," Hinata suddenly said.

They crowded near the railing that overlooked the rest of the coliseum, and saw that it was indeed true. The crowd's din was gradually subsiding, and a man had stepped down onto the floor of the arena. The jounin wore a mask to cover most of his face, and from the box Sakura couldn't identify him. He wore the Sand's typical jounin outfit.

"Welcome to the Third Part of the Chuunin Exams," he called. His voice echoed throughout the area, making it easy to hear him. "I am Kazaguno Himeda. I will be refereeing this tournament, on behalf of the Sand. The tournament will consist of six matches, followed by the quarterfinals, consisting of three, then the semi-finals, which will consist of only one, before the final round. There are only two rules. Lethal force cannot be employed, and any use of techniques that can harm the audience is strictly forbidden." He turned and bowed to the far end of the coliseum, straight across from the booth that Sakura and the others were in. "We of the Sand also thank the Lady Hokage, Tsunade-sama, for traveling all this way. We also thank her for her kind heart, and her willingness to repair the damage done to the relationship between our villages. We wish nothing more than to restore the alliance between our two villages."

In the Kage's platform, Tsunade gave the barest of nods. Beside her sat a very old woman who didn't looked at all pleased to be sitting next to the Hokage.

"Then we will begin. Will the first contestants, Yamanaka Ino and Garashi Sajino, come down to the arena."

"Good luck, Ino," said Chouji, smiling at the blonde girl.

"Don't lose Ino-pig," Sakura said, also smiling.

"Thanks Chouji, Forehead-girl," said Ino, giving a strained smile at Sakura and a true one to Chouji. She sauntered down the stairs, smirking.

Sakura noticed, as Ino walked away, just how much the girl had changed. She was taller, her hair had grown out long again, and she wore a much tighter, darker outfit. She had grown more beautiful that Sakura had ever imagined, and carried that beauty effortlessly. It was almost enviable.

Sajino, the Grass-nin, followed her swiftly. Though Sakura could only see the back of his head as the two walked away, she was sure that he was looking down slightly. She rolled her eyes. It was just Ino's luck.

When both Ino and Sajino stood on the arena floor, the referee, Himeda, walked in between them.

"Follow what I said before. No killing or techniques that may cause collateral. Everything else is free range. Do your best."

With that, he turned and walked away to a safe distance from the fighters. He raised a hand, and bellowed.

"Fight!"

Ino snatched a kunai immediately from its holster on her thigh, and threw it at the Grass-nin. Sajino raised a kunai of his own, and deflected the hit, smirking a little as he did.

"So, your name's Ino, eh?" he said, eyeing her appreciatively. He had a cocky grin on his face, and he was slowly lowering his kunai.

Ino stopped, her hand inches away from her weapons pouch. She frowned.

"Yeah, so?"

Sajino gave her another roguish grin. "You're kinda cute, if you don't mind my saying."

Ino, to everyone's surprise and Sakura's dismay, suddenly giggled and blushed. "Really?"

"Sure," said Sajino, relaxing slightly. "A definite hottie, in my opinion. I know we're from different villages, but supposing we went out some time before we both headed back?"

"Well," said Ino, also relaxing. "It might be possible, I suppose. When are you free?"

Sakura clapped a hand to her forehead. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, INO?" she screamed.

The girl ignored her completely. Instead, she was focusing all of her attention on Sajino. She was smiling cutely, and had brushed the lock of hair that usually fell in front of one of her eyes back. Her eyes were solidly fixed on Sajino, showing nothing but interest in him.

"Anytime after this tournament, actually," said Sajino, smirking again. He could see the girl's interest. It was unbelievable. He knew he'd make her angry once he had defeated her, but he wanted to do it with as little trouble as possible. Maybe she'd forgive him, even. She was really cute, and did seem a little ditzy…

"Oh. Really? I wouldn't have expected so."

Sajino blinked. "Why's that?"

"Because," said Ino, forming a complex seal with her hands. The look on her face had completely changed. There was no more flirtatious smile or inviting gestures. Her eyes were cold, and her face was framed by a victorious, mocking smirk.

"I imagine you'll be in for the reaming of a lifetime from your teammates after losing this tournament without hardly a fight. **_Shinranshin no jutsu_!"**

Sajino jerked back, his eyes wide with a sudden look of fear. His hand, still gripping the kunai, suddenly came up and placed the deadly knife across the exposed flesh of his throat. He let out a scream of dismay and shock.

"W-what the hell? M-my body w-won't work! S-stop!" He attempted to pull his hand away, but it remained held at his throat, so close that blood was beginning to trickle out. The rest of his body shook madly, as if it too was trying to move, but couldn't.

Ino walked forwards. Calmly, she leaned forwards and whispered into his ear.

"That's what you get for staring at my ass, hot stuff." Then, she reached up and chopped the boy in the back of the head, knocking him out. He crumpled forwards, releasing the kunai.

The crowd exploded into a frenzy of cheering and whistles as Ino turned and held up to fingers in a "v" formation, smirking. Sakura and Chouji cheered loudest of all, amazed that their friend had handled it so well. It was quite an Ino way to end a battle, too.

From her box, Tsunade let out a burst of laughter, duly impressed by the blonde girl's tactics. They had been unconventional, to be sure, but she had handled it flawlessly, and as a kunoichi. She'd have to remember that girl in the future. She definitely had promise.

Shikamaru, who was standing near the back of the Kage's box, shook his head, smirking. Temari, who stood beside him, chuckled at the girl's flawless use of her beauty. It helped that her opponent had been stupid, too.

"Hmm, she's not too bad, that girlfriend of yours," said Temari, lazily.

Shikamaru made an annoyed sound. "She's troublesome. Though I admit she's a good kunoichi. She's changed a lot." He then glared at her. "She's not my girlfriend, by the way."

Temari smirked.

Shikamaru stared back, a slight smile on his face. '_Hmph, she really has changed. A year ago she would've fallen for that pretty boy's act easily. But I guess with everyone training, and Naruto's constant updates on how strong he has gotten has motivated her. She doesn't want to be left behind any more than the rest.' _He shook his head again. '_Too bad she's so damn troublesome to deal with.'_

Asuma, who was sitting in the back of the audience with Kurenai, let out a booming laugh at Ino's performance. Kurenai chuckled.

"You've taught her well," the woman commented lightly.

Asuma chuckled. "You think I could've taught her something like that? She's got talent." He lifted another cigarette to his lips. "She's got what it means to be a kunoichi ingrained in her. Not many can balance the feminine beauty she had with the effectiveness and deadliness of a true shinobi." He glanced at Kurenai, chuckling. "Like yourself."

Kurenai rolled her eyes. "Thank you. She is definitely off to a great start."

Sajino's teammates, in turn, glared darkly at the fallen form of their ally. The girl, who had lime green hair and similarly colored eyes, scowled and spoke to the other, a larger boy with cropped brown hair and wearing as similar outfit that Sajino had worn.

"That idiot's off the team, agreed?"

"Agreed," her teammate muttered, shaking his head.

'_I won!' _Ino cheered to herself, a wide smile on her face as she mounted the steps to the contestant's box. It had been so easy, too! Everything she had wanted to say had just come to her, unbidden. She had not only kicked the pretty boy's ass, but she had done it in a spectacularly cool way, too. And she had done it doing something she did best. She hadn't handled it like that macho chick Temari.

'_See that, Shikamaru?' _she thought, smirking.

When she reached the box, Sakura and Chouji walked over to her. Chouji gave her a big smile and a pat on the shoulder, while Sakura just shook her head.

"Honestly, I thought you were really interested," said Sakura, smirking.

Ino rolled her eyes. "Thanks. I like flirting, but not on the battlefield; what am I, ten?"

"Not anymore, I suppose."

Ino's eye twitched, and she leaned forwards, readying to attack the pink-haired girl. Sakura danced away, smiling.

"Good job, Ino. I'm glad you won."

Ino blinked a few times, unsure of the truth of Sakura's words; but the smile on her former best friend's face told her the sincerity of it. She smiled back.

"Thanks Sakura."

The pink-haired girl grinned.

Hinata, Kiba and Shino walked over to congratulate their friend as well. Kiba was howling with laughter at the boy's defeat, finding it quite hilarious that he had been so stupid to fall for such an obvious trick. Shino's comment, however, had sobered the boy sufficiently.

"Would you have acted any different if she had used her charm on you, Kiba?" the bug-boy had asked.

Kiba had opened his mouth to respond, only to have Ino flash him an incredibly sultry look that had caused any sort of argument to die on his lips. He shuddered, turning away, and ignored Sakura and Hinata's giggles, and Chouji's good-natured laugh.

A few minutes later, the announcer's voice filled the air, catching everyone's attention.

"Will Akimichi Chouji and Inuzuka Kiba please come to the ring now."

"Woo yeah!" roared Kiba. "Come on, Akamaru!" He and the dog instantly hurtled down the stairs, not bothering to hear Hinata's quiet wishes for luck, and Shino's monotonous admonishment not to get too excited.

Chouji nodded, and turned to follow the boy.

"Good luck Chouji!" said Sakura, smiling at the boy. "Hope you win."

Chouji smiled. "It doesn't matter if I win or lose, does it? I'll do my best, and that's all that matters."

Ino laughed. "I bet Shikamaru told you that, huh?"

The boy smiled again, but followed Kiba down the steps without another word. Sakura and Ino immediately went to the railing, eager to see their friend do his best, both of which they were sure was good enough to defeat the hotheaded Kiba.

Chouji stepped onto the sand floor of the arena, and walked to his place across from Kiba. They stood about ten feet away from each other, Kiba with a fierce smirk and Chouji with a pleasant, friendly smile.

"Yo, Chouji, let's make it a good fight, eh?" said Kiba, holding up a curled fist.

Chouji nodded. "Agreed."

Himeda, who was standing between the two, nodded. "Alright. Begin!"

Kiba and Akamaru dashed forwards suddenly. The dog-boy drew a kunai, while his partner bared his teeth and growled menacingly. It took them but a short moment to reach the large shinobi, who hadn't moved since the start of the fight. Chouji's face was carved into an intense glare, as solid as stone with eyes as bright as fire. He lifted a meaty hand, which suddenly seemed to grow larger and meatier.

Kiba, moving far too quickly and already far too close, didn't attempt to pull away. He thrust out his kunai, bracing himself, while Akamaru ducked under, aiming for Chouji's ankles. Both dog and boy struck simultaneously, and neither caused the intended damage.

Chouji's left fist was twice its normal size, and it clutched Kiba's offending arm, nearly swallowing it. Similarly, his right foot had swelled to the size of a small dog and his shin as thick as a tree trunk. Akamaru's bite did not pierce the thick, tough skin, and the dog had to let go with a yelp of pain, his jaw stretching to the point of being painful.

Chouji smirked.

"_**Bubun Baika no jutsu."**_

Chouji suddenly lifted Kiba off his feet, and swung him around, flinging him across the arena. Despite his high-speed flight, the dog boy landed on all fours, digging his hands into the ground to keep himself from skidding. At the same time, he whistled, making Akamaru leap away from Chouji's engorged foot, and return swiftly to his partner's side.

"Well, partner, we better take it up a notch, huh?" said Kiba, grinning at Chouji, whose hand and foot had returned to their normal sizes.

Akamaru barked affirmatively, and lowered himself into a crouch. Kiba did as well, and both bared their teeth at the husky shinobi. Chouji lowered himself into a fighting stance, his legs bent and wide, and his arms resting on his thighs. Kiba and Akamaru charged again, one a dark blur, the other bright white. Streaking towards Chouji, Kiba's hands came together into a seal, and he reached out and grabbed Akamaru, shouting.

"_**Yamainu Uneri no jutsu!"**_

Akamaru sucked in a deep breath, and put on a sudden burst of speed. Mere feet away from Chouji he released the built up breath, discharging a howling blast of wind, which toppled the big-boned shinobi and sent him careening backwards.

Kiba didn't waste any time. He rushed towards Chouji's fallen form, another kunai drawn.

Chouji suddenly vanished. Kiba skidded to a halt, dismayed at seeing only a block of wood lying on the ground.

Above, Sakura and Ino cheered their teammate's use of _Kawarimi no jutsu_.

Kiba sniffed the air, frowning. Chouji's scent was difficult to locate, especially amongst the hundreds of sweaty humans around him. But when Akamaru came to his side, and informed him with a few short barks that Chouji was quite near, Kiba lifted his kunai and waited.

He didn't have to wait long. In a burst of smoke, the log behind Kiba became Chouji, who lifted an engorged left arm and swung it down in a powerful hammer blow. Kiba didn't bother to turn, instead falling to all fours and leaping to the side. The monstrous fist crashed into the ground, throwing up a cloud of sand, but hitting no target.

Shikamaru smiled from behind the Kage's chair, immensely pleased with his friend's ingenuity.

'_That looks like something Naruto would've thought of,'_ the lazy Chuunin thought. He gave a rare smile. '_Good job, Chouji.'_

Twisting immediately once he was out of danger, Kiba stood up and called Akamaru to him again. Once the dog was at his side, he lifted a small pill from his weapons pouch, and tossed it to the dog. Akamaru gulped it down in a heartbeat. His fur then began to darken, turning a reddish-brown and becoming longer and wilder.

His hands coming together in a few seals, Kiba cried, "**_Jujin Bunshin no jutsu!"_ **

Smoke swirled around Akamaru, obscuring him. When it vanished, a perfect duplicate of Kiba stood on all fours, his face twisted into bestial rage. The true Kiba adopted the very same look and position, only with an added grin.

"Come on, Akamaru! Let's take him down!"

The two beasts charged. Kiba leapt up onto Akamaru's back, his arms crossed as he did. Akamaru then jumped into the air, holding his claws up in a similar fashion. The two descended towards Chouji, who raised his arms in defense.

"Won't work!" cried Kiba. "**_Rouga Juuji!"_**

Both dog and boy suddenly slashed their hands outwards, and waves of blue, cutting chakra erupted forth. Chouji's eyes grew wide, and with a muffled cry, he raised an arm, making it grow nearly as big as his entire body.

"**_Bubun Baika no jutsu: Niku Tate!"_**

The slicing chakra struck the swollen arm, shattering the enlarged arm-guard that protected it, and cutting into the flesh. Hot blood gushed from the wound, but the attack did not cut too deep. With a hiss of pain, Chouji pulled his wounded arm back, while enlarging the other. With amazing speed and force, causing the air to hum and sending gusts of sand as it soared past, he punched at Kiba with the car-sized fist.

Kiba and his dog, however, managed to leap away just in time. Both landed on all fours, smirking at their opponent.

The smirk vanished when Chouji raised both arms, and grew them to a point that seemed beyond the possibility to manage. Both arms were a thick as redwoods and their fists could have crushed small houses.

"**_Cho Bubun Baika no jutsu!"_**

It seemed as if a hurricane had suddenly descended. The air whistled and thrummed as Chouji's fists fell to the earth. The stadium seemed to explode in a massive cloud of dust, and from their positions in the contestant's box, Sakura and Ino could feel the vibrations from the attack so much that they nearly toppled, even through the sand.

From within, it was impossible to see a thing. Kiba knew that the attack hadn't hit him, because he was still conscious. But he couldn't smell, see, or hear anything but the smell of sand and sweat, the clouds of brown dust, and the cries of both the wind and the audience. He struggled to his feet, still slightly unsteady. Akamaru barked and growled, managing to get to his feet without any trouble. They both waited for the attack to resume.

As the sand settled, Chouji was revealed, standing in the very same position, now before two monstrous craters. Each crater was so cavernous that Gamabunta might have found them comfortable resting places.

Both of Chouji's hands had returned to their normal size, and the wounded one didn't seem to be bleeding anymore. The boy was gasping for breath, but his eyes remained fixated on Kiba.

Though shocked by the attack, Kiba was never one to stay down for long. He wiped the sweat from his face and said with a renewed smirk. "Pretty good. But Akamaru and I have a few more tricks up our sleeves, so—"

"That won't be necessary. I forfeit."

"Eh?" Kiba said, blinking. "Forfeit?"

In the stands, both Sakura and Ino gaped at their friend's decision.

"What is he doing?" asked Sakura.

"I don't know…" Ino mumbled, frowning. Her eyes darted across towards the Kage's box, where she knew Shikamaru would be watching from. '_Sounds like something he would do…'_

"Oi! Chouji, whaddya mean you forfeit?"

Chouji scratched the back of his head, sheepish. "Well, it doesn't make much sense to continue fighting, does it? Both of us are pretty much evenly matched, and when that happens, isn't the best thing to do just pull back, and wait for another chance?" He shrugged, and lifted both arms. "Besides, that last attack just used up almost all of my chakra, so it wouldn't be long before I gave out. You win, Kiba." He smiled. "It was a good fight, though, wouldn't you agree?"

Kiba stared a moment, his eyes wandering towards the two craters.

"Y-yeah. I guess it was." He shook his head, before walking forwards. "Well, thanks for the great fight then. Next time, though, you'd better not give in!"

Chouji laughed. "I'll train real hard and make sure I don't use up all my chakra in one go like that again!"

Himeda watched the two a moment, then nodded and called Kiba the winner. The crowd cheered, though it was considerably less explosive than the cheers for Ino's fight.

"He just gave up," said Temari, frowning. She turned and glared at Shikamaru. "Did you tell him to do that?"

Shikamaru shook his head. "Of course not. That's just like Chouji, though." He caught Temari's questioning glance, and said. "Chouji's too kind of a person to fight against those he considers friends, even in such a situation as this. That's one of his best traits, I think." Shikamaru glanced back towards his friend. "Besides, that's one thing people look at. Chouji has shown everyone that he's one of the best teammates possible. He gets along with everyone, and for a Chuunin, that's a good trait to have, wouldn't you say?"

Temari nodded, still frowning. "I still think you put him up to it. It's the same thing you did in our fight."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Maybe."

Tsunade, who had caught the conversation, chuckled softly. '_That's wrong. He didn't just show how good of a comrade he could be. He's incredibly powerful, and though that dog boy won technically, it's clear to just about everyone who the real winner would have been if Chouji weren't so kind. Good job.'_

"Jeez! Just because he's your best friend, doesn't mean you can act like Shikamaru!" growled Ino, when Chouji returned to the box with Kiba.

"Sorry Ino," said Chouji, scratching the back of his head. "I just couldn't do it. I guess there's always next year, right? I can do it with Naruto, anyways, so it won't be too bad."

Ino opened her mouth to rail at the boy more, but Sakura cut in. "You said it yourself, Chouji, it doesn't matter if you win or lose. You definitely did your best, and I think Tsunade-shishou saw that."

Chouji smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah. Besides, if you act like Shikamaru a little more, than Ino might go on a date with you."

Ino puffed up, ready to explode at Sakura again. However, she was interrupted.

"Will Haruno Sakura and Tikado Kazara please come down to the arena."

Sakura glanced over at Kazara, who got up from her team and walked immediately to the stairs. She nodded and smiled at her friend's words of encouragement, and Ino's biting comment not to let her forehead get in the way too much, and slowly followed the Stone-nin.

The heat hit her hard when she stepped onto the broiling sands of the arena floor, and slowly walked towards the middle, where Kazara and Himeda were waiting. The Stone girl glared at Sakura, while Himeda gazed patiently.

When Sakura had taken her place, Himeda informed them again of the rules, before raising a hand.

"Begin!"

Sakura fell into a fighting stance almost immediately. She clenched her fists, and began to channel chakra into them.

"Don't even try," said Kazara coldly. "Nothing you do with be of any use against me. I will defeat you without you even touching me, Leaf."

Sakura scoffed. "Let's see it then."

Kazara smiled. "You will be sorry." She slapped her hands together, making a swift and accurate seal.

"_**Tsuchi no Senkin: Kai!" **_

The girl's postures suddenly changed. She stood upright, swiftly, almost as if some invisible force had dragged her up. Then, she moved.

Sakura didn't quite know how many times Kazara's punched her, but she would've guessed around a dozen or so, in the span of a few seconds. Each punch felt like a sledgehammer in her gut, causing pain to blossom up her chest. The air was blasted from her lungs, and she suddenly found herself airborne. Her return to the ground was painful, but she could barely feel it. Her senses were dulled and her mind hazy. She tasted blood.

As she struggled to regain her wits, a shadow descended upon her. Kazara.

"That's it? I'm not impressed Leaf. You people are supposed to be one of the strongest villages. I want to see the type of ninja that killed my grandfather in the last war."

Sakura managed to push herself into a sitting position, but before she could fully regain her wits, Kazara had hit her again. Three kicks, strong enough to shatter stone, slammed into her stomach again, sending her flying. She skidded across the boiling sand, each bounce causing the rough sand to rip away her skin with burst of hot pain.

Ino, Chouji, Hinata, Shino and Kiba stared dumbly at the scene.

"How the hell is she able to move so fast? She's a Stone-nin!"

"I-it was that technique…" gulped Hinata. "I-I am n-not sure what it does, b-but it seems to h-have made her faster."

Sakura got up again. She wiped the blood that had formed in her mouth. The pain in her stomach was nearly crippling, but she was able to soothe it with healing chakra from both of the hands that were clutching it.

"Weight training," Sakura muttered under her breath.

Kazara heard the mutter as she slowly walked towards her opponent. "Smart. Didn't take you long to get it."

"The name of the attack was pretty much a dead giveaway," Sakura stated, straightening. Though she was far from fully healed, she could move properly again. Kazara, despite her obvious superiority in speed, seemed to be taking her time in defeating Sakura. It was a stupid mistake. She was underestimating Sakura.

"So it was," Kazara said, smirking. She blurred, moving towards Sakura again with that frightening speed.

Sakura raised a foot, and with a cry, slammed it hard into the ground. The sand exploded around her, stopping Kazara before she could reach Sakura.

Emerging from the cloud, Sakura swung her fist at Kazara's head. The Stone-nin ducked under the blow, and punched Sakura in the ribs, with four, lightning-fast strikes. Sakura flew backwards, stunned again.

Tsunade shook her head. This wasn't good. There was a clear difference in strength between the two. Maybe Sakura wasn't as ready as she had thought.

But…

Tsunade smiled. It meant that Sakura would be forced into using what she probably hadn't expected to use right off the bat.

Sakura pulled herself to her feet again. He vision was slightly hazy, and she believed that the last attack might have broken a rib or two. She stifled any attempt to cough or otherwise move her mouth, as it hurt immensely to even breathe. She once again took advantage of Kazara's foolishness and raked her hand over her chest a few times, lessening the pain and healing the minor wounds.

"It won't be any fun if you don't fight back anymore, Leaf," said Kazara. "I was always told that you guys were to be feared. You're supposed to be some of the strongest ninjas in the world. I think this is pathetic. I came here hoping to fight a Leaf-nin with some strength, and instead I get a weak little girl with stupid-colored hair and an annoyingly large forehead." She shook her head, disgusted. "I'm disappointed."

Sakura straightened again, wheezing. Her fists were clenched. She looked up with fierce emerald eyes, like those of a wild animal, temporarily making Kazara freeze.

"My forehead may be big, but there's a good reason for that, I've found," she put her hands together, making a single seal. "This technique I came up with on my own. I'll show you that the Leaf is something to be respected." She slowly sucked in breath, and closed her eyes.

"**_Nouha Sayuu! (Brainwave Domination!)"_**

-----------------------------------------

Done.

Sorry it took so long. Fresher's Week (as they call it here in St. Andrews) was busy and fun. I did find time to write, but I wanted it to be as good and non-rushed as possible.

This mini-arc will last for another chapter. Next chapter will introduce the next villain as well.

I once again thank everyone for their help and kindness. I changed the last chapter a bit according to what you guys thought of it, and hopefully it seems more real. I added scenes with Neera and Tsuwabuki as well, so that should help.

Well, that should be it. I'm only taking three classes, so I should have time to update every week or so. If I'm late a couple times, it's because I'm still getting used to the life around here. But don't worry. I don't expect any big delays.

Thanks to Frankto again, for helping me with the Japanese in this chapter. It was a bit harder to write, considering I have no idea what type of attacks the canon characters will be springing on us in the near future. I hope this was good enough.

Well, seeya next week!

General Grievous

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Rawr, congratulate my brother on a job well done. This chapter wasn't quite as riddled with mistakes as the last one was ;)

-Nozdormi

**Spellbook:**

**Shinranshin no jutsu (Mind Body Disturbance Technique)—**Makes opponent either attack themselves or their teammates. Makes them confused and unable to control their own actions. Stronger version of the Shintenshin no jutsu.

**Bubun Baika no jutsu (Partial Multi-Size Technique)—**Makes a part of the body much longer. Incredibly powerful if used correctly.

**Yamainu Uneri on jutsu (Wolf Howl Technique)**—Discharges a blast of sound-based chakra that can cause lots of damage depending on the size.

**Jujin Bunshin no jutsu (Man Beast Clone)- **Turns a dog into a clone of its master.

**Rouga Juuji (Wolf Fang Cross)—**Attacks opponent with cutting chakra dispelled from the claws. Can be very dangerous.

**Cho Bubun Baika no jutsu (Super Partial Multi-Size Technique)—**Greatly enhances a single portion of body. Can be extremely powerful and draining, not to mention hard to handle.

**Tsuchi no Senkin: Kai! (One Thousand Pounds of Earth: Release!)—**Releases an invisible weight training technique that makes the user far heavier than normal. Once released, the user's speed is greatly enhanced.

**Nouha Sayuu (Brainwave Domination)—**An attack that is as of yet unknown. Created by Sakura.


	56. The End of the Third Exam

**Disclaimer: It's time for the…General Grievous doesn't own Naruto or World of Warcraft show! Yay! Let's sing the theme song, and obsess about every little thing over the Interweb! WEEE!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_

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"**_Nouha Sayuu!"_**

But seconds after uttering the words, Sakura's posture changed.

Her eyes widened, and a sudden, violent seizure ran through her body for but a second. She stood perfectly straight for a moment, then hunched over, her upper torso appearing to become completely limp and lifeless. Then, she slowly rose back up, releasing a shuddering breath, and looked at her opponent again.

Kazara frowned. So far, aside from the few strange movements, nothing had changed about the girl. But her better judgment told her that whatever technique the girl had used had not failed. Something was different, that much she knew.

Sakura stood up straight again, and let out another shuddering breath. Her eyes narrowed, and she slowly moved into a fighting stance. Her arms seemed to shake with each movement, as if cold or disturbed by something around her. Kazara frowned again. Something was definitely up.

Deciding it better to end the battle while she still held the advantage, Kazara shot towards the other girl with her godly speed. It took but a second or two to reach Sakura, and yet another to realize that she had not hit her target, and yet a final second to find Sakura's fist planted firmly in her stomach.

Kazara opened her mouth, gasping out a cloud of blood as Sakura's super-strong punch smashed into her abdominal wall, and thrust her back with enough force to eject her across half the monstrous arena. The Stone-nin struck the ground with equal force, skidding for a few yards in the hard sand before coming to a swift stop, limp and stunned, from Sakura's incredibly powerful attack. Her eyes remained wide, and in the moments that she couldn't move her body from pain and breathlessness, Kazara reveled in the power and suddenness of Sakura's punch.

'_How?'_ she wondered, in her clouded mind. '_How the hell did she counter it? How did she move that fast?'_ It didn't make sense. Before, Sakura hadn't been able to lift a finger. Had the jutsu made her faster?

Sakura let out a slow breath, and then another, before running towards Kazara. Unlike the Stone-nin, she had no reason to gloat or stop. She would end this fight as swiftly as possible.

Kazara struggled to her feet. Though the punch had been strong, she wouldn't let herself get beaten yet! She would show this Leaf who was stronger yet!

The two girls met midway through the arena. Kazara had regained her speed. She would not be caught off guard again! She struck at Sakura's head, aiming for a clear, swift finishing blow.

But Sakura dodged, almost before she had begun to move her arm. In the same instant, the girl's hand shot up and clobbered Kazara in the side. It had the same explosive effect as before, and launched Kazara back again, feeling one of her ribs shattering from the hit. When the Stone-nin struck the ground again, she rolled a few times, letting out a cry of pain each time her wounded side struck the ground.

'_HOW?'_ she raged. '_HOW IS SHE SO FAST?'_

"Hmph."

Up in the Kage's box, the old woman beside Tsunade let out a snort of derision, though her face was tinged with interest. She was staring down at Sakura with shrewd, calculating eyes, though there were still traces of wonder within.

"Did that jutsu do what I think it did, Slug Woman?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes, a smirk crossing her face. "I doubt it. It's something that Sakura came up with on her own. There's no other jutsu like it on earth." Every word was laced with pride. Not even at Sakura's age had Tsunade been that good. It was a clear sign that she had chosen well in making Sakura her apprentice.

"What did it do, then?"

"Why should I tell you?" asked Tsunade, rolling her eyes at the old woman. "I was under the impression that you didn't like me."

The old woman was silent, and simply glared at Tsunade, who smirked.

"I'll tell you one thing. The human brain is a reservoir of untapped potential. You're a medical-nin, so you know that though every part is always working, we have control over very little. Well, that jutsu changes that."

The old woman was silent for a moment, before her eyes widened, and she gazed in astonishment back at the young girl with pink hair and a fiery countenance.

'_Is she really that powerful?' _The old woman wondered, stunned.

Behind her, Shikamaru heard the words said by the Hokage, and gazed back at Sakura with renewed interest. Though no medical-nin himself, he knew exactly what Tsunade had just said.

"I don't understand," said Temari, frowning, to Shikamaru. "What does she mean?"

"The brain," said Shikamaru, "despite what earlier people believed, is used in its entirety. However, we have control over almost none of the actions it undertakes. They are involuntary and happen even as we talk and fight and sleep. I think what that jutsu does is make it so Sakura has complete control over her brain's functions. That means she has completely control over her body's functions, too."

Temari nodded, though she still persisted in frowning. "So?"

"So…" Shikamaru said, almost exasperatedly. "It means that Sakura can take control, and manipulate, those processes that happen every day. She can change the flow of her blood; manipulate her endocrine system; and probably even the flow of her internal chakra. She probably has control over her own mind, too, to a much greater degree than we do. The human brain is the most powerful organ in the body. Control over it gives one the utmost control over the body." Shikamaru shook his head in amazement. "It's unbelievable."

"It's true." Both Temari and Shikamaru jumped at the voice, and looked up to see Tsunade watching them, a sly smirk on her face. Shikamaru immediately started to apologize, but Tsunade waved him off.

"It's an ingenious ability, and one that has loads of untapped potential. By using her immense control over chakra, Sakura can stimulate and assume control over parts of her brain that generally have involuntary functions. She doesn't assume complete control, or she risks a vital function not being completed, but allows herself to manipulate them gradually as she needs to. This gives her virtually complete control over her bodily functions and nervous system, and even her chakra highway."

Tsunade turned back to the fight. "It's incomplete, because so far she's just experimented with the physical aspect of things. But just that grants her incredible power, as you'll soon find out."

Up in the contestant's box, Sakura's friends and teammates were similarly impressed.

"That's amazing…" whispered Ino, her eyes bulging. "She just clobbered that girl twice! How did Sakura do that?"

"Dunno," said Chouji, "but it's working, so does it matter?"

"A-amazing…Sakura-san," whispered Hinata. Though she could not tell exactly what was happening, her Byakugan was showing an increase in the activity of the chakra highway around Sakura's brain. She didn't know what it was doing, but it was making Sakura fast enough to easily hit that Stone-nin.

Sakura was winning!

Kazara got up again, spitting blood, furious at her sudden weakness. She hadn't trained for months in using that stupid weight jutsu to lose so easily! She stood up and faced Sakura, who was walking towards her.

Her first impulse was to run at the girl again. She was furious, and could easily abandon reason and attack as before. But she remembered how Sakura had waited for her attack to come. Even now, the girl wasn't rushing to fight her. Perhaps she could only counterattack, and was counting on Kazara getting angry in order to provoke her into striking the girl.

She wouldn't play Sakura's game. Smirking coldly, Kazara began to make a string of hand seals as Sakura walked towards her. Ending on Ox, she slammed her hands into the soft sand floor of the arena and roared, "**_Daichi no Yoroi!"_**

The sand suddenly exploded up as a column of solid rock rose from the ground. But it was not ordinary earth, for just as it finished rising, it became as a liquid, and surrounded Kazara, forming a protective armor around her arms, legs, chest and head. The armor was reminiscent of pictures of ancient samurai in history books Sakura had read.

But Kazara didn't stop there. Raising her hands up, she made another seal, and plastered them to the armor.

"**_Katame no jutsu!"_**

The earthen armor suddenly began to compress and become darker, and adopted a polished, almost metallic sheen. Kazara was grinning madly.

"Try and hit me now, Leaf!"

She rushed at Sakura again, her confidence renewed. She hardly lost any of her speed, as she had trained in the use of this technique as long as she had trained with the _Tsuchi no Senkin_. She attacked the Leaf-nin again, striking out with all her might.

Sakura dodged again, ducking beneath the barrage of punches and striking upwards. Her fist caught Kazara on the chin, and though her armor protected her, it still blasted the girl upwards, depriving her of movement for a second.

Kazara landed on both feet with a boom, her excess weight dragging her back to the ground quickly. She glared coldly at Sakura, who was standing perfectly calm and composed, her eyes narrowed into daggers.

"Is that all you can do? Counterattack?"

Sakura smiled smugly. "Yes," she said simply.

And it was true. In order to counteract Kazara's extreme speed, Sakura had increased the sensitivity and speed of the synapses in her skin and muscles. The result was that not only could she react faster than Kazara could punch, but she could literally feel the punch coming, long before it could connect with any of her flesh. It allowed Sakura to fight without being hit, and it rendered Kazara's advantage useless. She had every right to be smug.

Kazara sneered. She lunged forwards suddenly, thrusting out her fists in a dozen of expertly timed and powerful taijutsu strikes. But Sakura avoided them all, moving swiftly away from each, waiting for the opportune moment to attack. She found it a moment later.

Her fist crashed into Kazara's armored stomach; but in the brief seconds before she went airborne, the Stone-nin hauled off and punched Sakura in the ribs, hard enough to crack one or two. Sakura winced, but to Kazara's surprise, did not cry out in pain.

When Kazara struck the ground, she immediately bounded to her feet, hardly winded by the attack. Her armor had protected her from every bit of the damage intended to do. She was invincible.

But as she watched Sakura ready herself for another round of battle, it was clear that despite her lucky hit, Sakura was unharmed.

Or rather, as Shikamaru had guessed, simply suppressing the pain. If she had complete control over her body, then Sakura could easily numb the nerve endings in her chest, or if that was too much, simply release extra endorphins to dull the pain that would have accompanied such a break. It was such an amazing and powerful technique that Shikamaru couldn't help but be awed by his pink-haired friend's intelligence and skill.

Sakura herself was smiling softly. She felt little pain, and the battle would end in a few minutes, that she promised. Kazara wouldn't get in another shot; the next attack Sakura would deal would be the last.

With a wild grin, Kazara mashed her hands together in a seal, and roared, "**_Tsuchi Kaiken no jutsu!"_**

The earth that clung to her arm suddenly shot out, forming a gleaming onyx blade. Leaping forwards, Kazara struck at Sakura again, but again Sakura dodged. But before Sakura could counterattack, Kazara slashed again, and again. She came at Sakura with the force of a deranged animal, swinging wildly at the girl, who was forced to back away quickly to avoid injury.

Finally, she struck! Her blade grazed across Sakura's arm, just as she was moving out of the way. The pink-haired girl looked rather fatigued, making Kazara smile viciously. She was barely breaking a sweat! Her blade struck again, also a graze, but with each strike, her confidence grew.

She would win!

Suddenly, Sakura slipped. Her leg stuck a particularly soft spot of sand, causing her to stumble backwards. With a triumphant cry, Kazara brought her weapon down on Sakura's head, grinning maniacally. It was done! She had beaten that stupid Leaf.

But a second later, she realized that she had been wrong. Sakura had grabbed her blade, clenching it so tightly that despite her strength, Kazara couldn't move it away. She struggled, more and more as Sakura pulled back a fist, smiling coldly. Within the pink-haired girl's fist, her chakra was building to a monstrous head. Her chakra veins expanded slightly to hold the extra chakra as it surged and gathered into a fine point in her fist, as Tsunade had taught her.

But Sakura didn't stop there.

She further increased its power by pouring chakra into the muscles of her arm and shoulder. They noticeably tensed, and even swelled a bit.

Finally, she struck out, smashing her fist solidly into Kazara's armored chest.

Kazara uttered a single, shortened gasp before feeling nothing at all.

The punch tore straight through the hardened stone, striking Kazara with enough force to shatter her sternum on impact. The action did not kill Kazara, but sent her whirling into unconsciousness before she even flew off the ground, sailing across the arena. The rest of her armor broke apart as she struck the far wall, creating large cracks up the side and nearly demolishing it.

Sakura's fist was numb from the effort, but she was smiling. As she lowered her fist, she released the jutsu that she had been holding. The _Nouha Sayuu_ vanished, leaving Sakura almost bereft of chakra. She slumped visibly, gasping and panting, obviously fatigued.

But this was largely unnoticed by the crowd and her friends, who were far too busy cheering and roaring with delight at the spectacular win. She smiled tiredly up at the crowd, scanning for familiar faces, and as she moved towards the Kage's box, she spotted, to her surprise and delight, Gaara.

The red-haired Sand-nin was watching her from behind a column, almost completely hidden. Their eyes met, and Gaara gave her a slight smile and a slow nod. Sakura smiled back, and returned the gesture, before moving onto Tsunade.

Though it was hard to see her teacher's face, high in her box, Sakura could guess what was on it. She would have a mixture of delight and worry on her face. That was to be expected.

And indeed, she was right. Tsunade was smiling, but her eyes were filled with worry as they gazed down on her weakened apprentice.

"Hmph, you seem worried, Slug Woman."

Tsunade turned to the old woman beside her. "Oh?"

"Yes. You have right to be, I suppose. A technique like that ought to be extremely dangerous, especially for such a young girl to have learned. One slip up could ruin her entire body's chemistry."

"I trust her," said Tsunade. "She won't use that technique unless it really is necessary. She won't misuse it."

"Perhaps not, but the dangers are there whether it is used or misused. Not only would it be difficult to maintain a technique for so long, given that it must require immense amounts of chakra in order to keep the brain active and under control, but she must have perfect control over her emotions and responses. I imagine that should she overuse the technique, or gets too excited or even tries to control too many things at once, she would risk death. She must have to control herself so that the neurons in her brain do not all fire at once, and kill or cripple her. You must have a lot of faith in that girl to let her practice such a dangerous technique."

Tsunade was silent for a moment. She gazed down on Sakura, who was trudging slowly back up the steps to the contestant's box, exhausted. But the girl's head was held high, and she was smiling in triumph.

"Yeah, I do, you old prune. She's my apprentice, after all."

"Hmph," said the old woman, scowling.

A smile lit Sakura's face as she ascended the steps, and for a moment she stopped, and peered back, over the walls of the arena, into the bright blue sky.

'_I'm not so far behind you guys now…'_ she thought.

"Great job, Sakura!" said Chouji, when she reached the top of the stairs.

"Not bad, Forehead-girl. Though you do look a bit winded, I have to say," smirked Ino.

"G-good job, Sakura-san," said Hinata, smiling and giving a slight bow to the girl.

"What the heck did you do, anyways? What type of technique was that?" asked Kiba, leaning forwards.

"None of your business, I'd imagine," said Shino, softly. "Good job, Sakura-san."

"Thanks everyone," said Sakura, smiling wearily. Brushing back a forelock of hair that had slipped down in front of her face, Sakura walked over to the wall, and sunk down, closing her eyes. The group turned back to the arena, allowing their friend to rest. She had done a lot more than any of them, and it was clear that whatever technique she had used had taken its toll on her greatly.

"Will Hyuuga Hinata and Kyoshu Katanako come to the arena, please," the announcer's voice droned again.

Hinata gulped, and shot a look back at the Grass-nin whom she was fighting. The girl looked not unlike Kazara in that she had a nasty scowl on her face; almost as if she was disgusted they were even requiring her to fight. She wore a large dark, buttoned jacket that trailed down to her knees.

She pushed past her large teammate and headed down the steps, while Hinata was bade good luck by her teammates and friends.

"You'll do great, Hinata!" said Kiba. "We've been training for months to be here. I know you'll do well." He had a kind, completely un-Kiba-like smile on his face as he said this.

"I agree," said Shino. Though his words were short, they too spoke of confidence in the small, nervous girl.

A smile lit Hinata's face at her teammates words. She gave them both a bow, and a kind, pretty smile that had both blushing slightly.

"Thank you. I will do my best."

Chouji and Ino gave Hinata similar gestures of luck, and as Hinata passed, Sakura looked up and said to the girl: "I want to have a fight with you, Hinata, okay?"

Hinata froze, blinking, and turned to Sakura, and saw the tired grin on the medic-nin apprentice's face. A second later, the quiet girl's face had blossomed into a mighty smile, and she bowed lower.

"Me too, Sakura-san. I will make sure that we fight."

"Good," said Sakura, nodding and lying back.

On the arena floor, Katanako watched her opponent keenly with her sharp, lime-green eyes, attempting to analyze the girl. She could already see that she was a pushover in personality terms, but she still had little knowledge of her fighting abilities. She had heard tales of the Hyuuga clan from her family and friends in the Grass, but when she thought about it, there had been nothing definitive other than their powerful eyes: the Byakugan.

Well, it didn't matter either way. She had long since learned not to underestimate her opponents, and she wasn't going to make the same mistake as Sajino or that Stone-nin.

Hinata took her place across from Katanako a moment later, giving her a slight bow of respect. Surprisingly, Katanako returned it, though her eyes never left Hinata's. When the announcer called for them to begin, Katanako fell straight into a fighting stance, and made a few hand seals.

Hinata, meanwhile, gathered chakra into her eyes; veins bulged around them, and the pale lavender drained away to become completely and severely white, while her face hardened into a fierce glare. With the Byakugan activated, Hinata could suddenly see all around her, no matter what object blocked her view. But more importantly, she could see deep into her opponent, and was able to gaze as she molded her chakra and wove it around herself.

Hinata struck first. She leapt forwards, her hands shooting out, and smacked the girl lightly in the stomach with her palm. The action, though slight and apparently soft, caused Katanako to double up. She stumbled back, gasping in pain. Hinata moved in again, her hands up and open, ready to deliver another choice few slaps or touches. But Katanako leapt as far away as she could, landing with a grunt of pain out of Hinata's reach. A kunai appeared in the Grass-nin's hand. She slung it at Hinata, but the dark-haired girl nimbly dodged it, and shot forwards again.

Gritting her teeth, Katanako made a seal, and whispered something under her breath. She began moving as soon as Hinata reached her, but it was too late. Hinata's palm smacked her straightly in the chest, sending hidden bolts of chakra through the girl's skin deep into her body. Her organs, specifically her lungs, suffered the brunt of the damaging chakra, and deprived Katanako of breath for a moment. She stumbled back and fell onto her back; each breath sending her into a fit of pained coughs.

Hinata hung back. She didn't want to kill the girl, and was indeed surprised it had been so effective. She had not been able to practice much on live humans, in her training, and thus it was shocking to see her attacks have such a great effect. Though she felt bad for causing her opponent such pain, especially one who had shown her respect, she could not help but feel a slight rise in confidence.

"It isn't over," rasped Katanako, breaking Hinata from her thoughts. "We're even."

Hinata frowned. Even? She couldn't see how. Katanako lay on the ground, nearly defeated, while Hinata hadn't been hit once.

"Even with those eyes, you aren't very observant, are you? Granted, I'll say that I pride myself on being able to keep my abilities hidden until my opponent is already affected, I would have thought someone with those eyes would have been able to see it right away." Katanako said this with a mocking smile. Her green eyes glinted, and for some reason, Hinata knew she wasn't bluffing.

She peered closer, her Byakugan focusing on every aspect of the girl's body. She could see every coil and _tenketsu_ on Katanako's body. Nothing but clear blue chakra flowed through them.

But, she suddenly blinked.

No, that wasn't true.

Peering closer, she spotted something wrong with the girl's _tenketsu._ They were larger, just slightly. It was only Hinata's diligent pouring over scrolls dealing with the chakra system that allowed her to notice that.

Then, she noticed yet another thing. Again, it was quite faint, but the chakra around her torso, upper thighs, and all along her arms appeared a little fainter. Only someone with a trained Byakugan could notice. But Hinata hadn't noticed it before, mainly because she had been so focused on attacking. And even now, unless one really looked, it would be difficult to see the difference. Because Katanako's coat covered so much of her body, and Hinata hadn't really been looking towards the head or shins, she hadn't noticed the miniscule difference in tone.

But as she noticed this, along with Katanako's ever-growing smile, she noticed a troubling thing.

Her left arm wasn't moving.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move her arm. Looking down, she gasped as she saw why. Surrounding the hand was a faint, greenish substance. It only covered her palm from where she had struck Katanako last. But she saw that it was visibly spreading, and already she couldn't feel the entirety of her arm.

"My special moss," she said. "Numbs the place it affects. Only a small portion needs to be affected, because it sends the numbing effects directly into the chakra system, not unlike your attack. I keep it hidden in and on my coat, which makes it invisible on every level until it touches flesh." The girl smiled grimly. "Time for round two."

Pressing her hands together, Katanako whispered something beneath her breath again so only Hinata could hear it.

"**_Oorinsei no jutsu,"_** she spoke the words calmly, and stood straight up. She remained like this for but a moment, and then attacked.

Her hand shot out, reaching for Hinata's face. Already, the Hyuuga could see dark moss massing in her palm, and began to backpedal to avoid being struck by the incapacitating fungus. Her left arm slapped against her side as she moved, completely limp. Her other arm was up and ready.

Her eyes were noting the changes in Katanako's body. This time, it was impossible not to. Hinata could see chakra beginning to flow into the girl's body, from an unknown source. The girl was gradually replenishing her supply, and from how she moved, was healing the injuries that Hinata had previously given her.

It took her a moment longer to realize where the chakra was coming from. The moss! Somehow, the moss that incapacitated her arm was somehow healing Katanako. She had an inkling how, but even knowing that, it would not help her in defeating the technique.

Katanako drew a few shuriken, and hurtled them at Hinata. The pale-eyed girl dodged and ducked, avoiding the flying weapons as best she could. One struck her, though she did not immediately feel it. It was only until she caught sight of the blood blossoming on her left arm that she knew she had been injured.

She bit her lip. Unless she did something, Katanako would win. She could already feel the numbness beginning to spread. Any longer, and she would be unable to fight. But if she got close, she would just be infected with more moss, even if she tried to attack. She knew, however, what she had to do. It had to be quick, and had to end the battle, or else Hinata felt for sure that she would lose.

Pushing chakra into her legs, she distanced herself as much as possible from the green-haired girl. She then fell into a stance, and took a deep breath, holding up her good hand palm-out.

Katanako rushed the girl. She didn't intend for the girl to finish. This had to end before Hinata could use any—

"**_Kyoushuuhakke Sanjuni Sho!" _**

Katanako's body suddenly exploded in agonizing pain. She was flung backwards, as dozens of glittering slivers; constructed of nothing but Hinata's chakra, slammed into her body, piercing straight through to her _tenketsu. _They struck her in such rapid succession that they seemed to strike all at once. Though mere needles of chakra, they threw her off her feet, and into swirling darkness. When she landed, it was quite clear that she would not be getting up again.

Hinata lowered her hand, slowly, as her breathing quickened and eventually leveled. She released her Byakugan, and looked at her arm.

The moss was receding. Apparently, only when she was awake, could Katanako keep it in a constant numbing effect. It made sense, since Hinata was sure that the moss couldn't have soaked up enough chakra to completely numb a person's body like Katanako claimed it could.

While it remained numb, she removed the shuriken as quickly as possible. She nearly stumbled in doing this, because as soon as she took hold of it, the crowd exploded into cheering, and she jumped in fright. The shuriken came out, jerked free by her frightened response to the tumult. She was quite glad for the absence of feeling, right then. She then retrieved a roll of bandages from her weapons pouch, and slowly began to bind the arm to stop the bleeding. It was difficult, especially with only one arm; but with the aid of her teeth, she was able to do it.

All around her, the crowd cheered. Her friends did most of all, and even with the other cheers all around her, she could hear them.

"Way to go Hinata!" Kiba cried, laughing.

"Nice one, girl!" shouted Ino, pumping the air with her fist.

"Great job!" boomed Chouji, smiling widely.

Neither Sakura nor Shino joined the loud cheering, for the former was nearly asleep, and the latter didn't have the emotional capacity to. But both congratulated Hinata in their hearts, and smiled as the girl took her praise with severe blushing and a few stuttering "thank yous" that no one could hear.

As she made her way back up, Hinata felt a fluttering in her heart. She had won! If only Neji-niisan or her father had been there. She wasn't weak, not anymore.

Her face turned as red as a rose when her mind moved onto what Naruto would have said after she had won. How he would have praised her! She could almost hear his laughing cheers amongst her other friends. She didn't let her mind wander down the darker path, towards the inevitable depression that would come when she thought of how Naruto wasn't here, and might not be back for some time. She would simply revel in her victory for now; and when he got back, she would show him just how much she had changed.

It brought a blush to her face, for some reason.

"You must have trained her quite a bit, that was a pretty impressive attack," said Asuma, exhaling some smoke and casting a curious eye at the woman beside him.

"I didn't help with a thing on that technique. It's a variation of one of the techniques that I helped her develop, but it's still her own attack. I'm proud of her; she's changed a lot since the last Chuunin Exams."

"They all have," chuckled Asuma, smiling fondly towards the contestant's box. The same smiled was reflected on Kurenai's face, as she watched her most improved student walk proudly up towards her friends.

When Hinata reached the top, her friends swarmed her with awed exclamations and due praises, making the girl's already red face become all the more redder. But such a smile lit her face that even Naruto would have been impressed. It was clear that it had been a long time since Hinata had received such praise, if ever. Awakened by their babblings, Sakura got to her feet and joined the others. She congratulated Hinata on her fight, and without so much as asking, began to repair the shuriken wound on her arm, to Hinata's surprise.

"I want it to be fair," said Sakura, smiling. Hinata was a little surprised, but nodded resolutely, and gave Sakura a quiet word of thanks.

When the crowd died down, the announcer, Himeda, called the penultimate fight.

"With Aburame Shino and Toshiki Koteinousha come down to the arena."

Kazara's teammate, a husky young man who towered over everyone else, even Chouji, looked over at Shino with a slightly troubled look. It was hard to say whether he was wary or simply afraid. Shino, despite his smaller stature, looked slightly frightening, covered in so much, especially in the heat. By contrast, the Leaf-nin didn't even glance in the taller boy's direction, and after nodding to his friends' wishes of luck, descended slowly to the arena. Koteinousha followed with a slow, lumbering gait. He would continually glance back at his other teammate, who would just glare at him; and then towards Sakura, whom he seemed most afraid of. He would never stare long enough at Sakura to meet her eyes, as if as afraid that they might hurt him in some way.

By the time he reached his place on the arena, Shino was already waiting. The large boy was sweating profusely, and when he stopped, he brushed his sweat-drenched brown hair out of his eyes and met his opponent's covered stare. He seemed to quail from it.

Himeda suddenly announced, "Begin!"

But neither did.

In fact, Koteinousha looked as if he would flee at any second. His whole body was rigid with fright, and he was leaning far away from Shino.

Any emotion or surprise the Leaf-nin showed was lost beneath the many layers of cloth and dark glass that obscured his face. He took a step forwards, only to have Koteinousha pull back another two.

"Are you afraid of me?" asked Shino, pushing his glasses up, and tilting his head to the side.

Koteinousha gulped. "Leaf-n-nin, s-scary!" he blurted, and then looked almost ashamed for saying the words.

Shino cocked his head to the other side, like a curious animal might. "Is it because my friend defeated your teammate?"

The Stone-nin nodded furiously. "Hurt Kazara…scary-strong bubblegum girl hurt her a lot! That's never happened before!"

"I see," said Shino. "That's disappointing. Do you wish to fight me, or do you intend to give up?"

The moronic boy thought a moment, opening his mouth to answer, then closing it and glancing around. He opened it again, and seemed about to reply when a voice split the silence.

"Koteinousha you dumb bastard! Don't you dare give up, or I'll kill you!"

Kazara, her body covered in many bandages, was glaring down at Koteinousha from where the audience sat directly in front of him. Her face, though bruised and battered, was seething in fury; her teeth open and bared like a wild animal's.

Koteinousha stared at the girl a second, before his face blossomed into a relieved smile. The smile quickly morphed when his attention returned to Shino; it became cold and he scowled in a way that was reminiscent of an angry child who had been upset in some way and refused to speak to anyone. With a brutish, snorting roar, he rushed at Shino, who flung a kunai at the charging shinobi as he leapt back.

The kunai, however, bounced off Koteinousha's shoulder, and he continued his blundering path forwards, raising his arms to grab Shino. For someone so big, he moved remarkably fast. As soon as he was in range again, he took a swipe at Shino's head with a big, rock-like hand. Shino did not dodge, and let the fist strike him in the side of the head, exploding in a suddenly black cloud.

Koteinousha blinked stupidly, a moment later realizing two things. His opponent was gone, and the black cloud that he had disappeared had covered his body and was not a cloud at all, but a large swarm of tiny black insects. He stood up straight, attempting to shake them off. When they didn't come off, he simply turned and began to search for his quarry.

"That guy…" mumbled Ino, with a twitching eye, "doesn't even care that he's covered in bugs…"

"It looks like he has some sort of protection," observed Sakura. "His skin deflected a kunai; he probably doesn't even feel them."

Sakura's judgment was indeed true. Koteinousha was in the possession of a family trait, a Bloodline Limitation called "_Hifu Ganseki." _Exactly as it was named, the ability granted all those of his family near impervious skin; they had few nerves on the first few layers, and with training could remove feeling entirely using their chakra. On a lesser note, and more interesting note, the members of the Toshiki clan were all in the possession of IQ's around 86 or 87. Koteinousha was one of the proud few to have the latter.

The moronic Stone-nin finally spotted his opponent, rather belatedly, behind him. He grinned widely, pleased with himself, and prepared to attack again, and finish this for his teammate. Shino had the same feeling, as he sucked in a deep breath. He ripped down his collar and exhaled just as Koteinousha began to attack.

A tiny black blur zipped from his open, exposed mouth, so quickly that most did not see it. It slammed into Koteinousha, right between his eyes, and toppled him. He let out a cry of pain, and another as he fell flat on his back. The miniscule black bullet turned out to be a vicious insect, which upon striking Koteinousha's forehead, had begun to burn its way through his tough skin towards his skull. The pain was unbearable, and Koteinousha shrieked and flailed as it closed in on its goal.

"Do you give up?" asked Shino, walking forwards, and looming over the idiot.

"Yes!" the giant cried, whimpering. "I give up! Give up!"

Shino nodded, and uttered a soft sound beneath his breath. The insect stopped its journey, and flew out of the small hole it had burrowed into Koteinousha's head, and returned to its master. The other insects, which had remained attached to Koteinousha's body, draining his chakra and weakening his flesh, also returned to Shino; a moving shadow across the ground, into Shino's bulky jacket.

While Himeda announced Shino as the winner, and leaving Koteinousha a feeble mess on the ground, Shino made his way back towards the contestant's box, appearing neither triumphant nor pleased, or really anything at all. But when his friends crowded around him, congratulating and expressing their general amazement (or in Ino's case disgust) at his techniques, there was a noticeable change in his features. Though his mouth was still hidden, as were his eyes, he smiled, and everyone knew it.

"He's a good kid," said Asuma. "A bit weird, but good."

"True enough," said Kurenai, beaming at the contestant's box and her victorious student.

Tsunade smiled. This was going to be a very easy decision.

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The last fight of the first round of the Chuunin Exams Tournament ended faster than anyone could realize. It had been between the last two remaining people, the teammate of Kazara and Koteinousha against the teammate of Sajino and Katanako. It was a quick and decisive battle, with the Grass-nin, the tall boy who wore similar garb to Sajino, had struck down the Stone-nin, a shorter, skinnier boy, using little more than conventional ninja techniques and a keen mind. When it had ended, Himeda had announced a short recess for about half an hour, to allow the contestants to recover sufficiently.

Sakura and the others spent it finding something to eat, and then finding and quiet place to rest. While they ate, they took the time to inquire of each other as much as they could about the new techniques they had learned and developed. Nobody was entirely forthcoming, though Sakura did explain a little about her technique, much to the amazement of every one else. Hinata blushed when everyone praised her for the invention of such an obviously powerful attack; while Kiba joked with Chouji if he could enlarge any body part he wanted.

The conversation inevitably, however, turned to Naruto.

"He's gonna be pissed," said Ino, "if we all become Chuunin before he even gets back."

"Heh," smirked Kiba, "I can't wait to rub it in."

"It won't matter," said Shino. "It is doubtless that he will be stronger than you when he gets back." Kiba glared in irritation at his friend, who matched it with an impossible-to- see stare that eventually had Kiba backing down, annoyed.

"Probably," agreed Sakura, smiling. "He's probably training right now, Kiba. By the time he gets back, he might still be a Genin, but he might be able to trounce you in a heartbeat."

"I'll show him!" roared Kiba. "As soon as we get back, Akamaru, we gotta continue work on that special technique!"

Akamaru barked, and Kiba pumped his fist into the air, nodding and cheering in response.

"W-when do you think Naruto-kun will come back?" asked Hinata, in her soft and pretty voice.

"Whenever he gets around to it, I suppose," said Chouji, smiling. "But he's probably thinking of ways every day. He definitely won't stay there for too much longer."

"Hopefully." Though Sakura said this, everyone else echoed it. They shared a moment of silence like this, before it broke down and Kiba began to boast that he'd be able to defeat Ino with one hand tied behind his back.

"I won't be affected those girly tricks!" said Kiba, smirking at Ino. "Me and Akamaru don't fall for those things!"

Ino rolled her eyes, and was about to send a scathing and suggestive retort, before a sudden gleam entered her eyes, and she changed her words.

"Hey, Kiba."

"What?" the boy answered, staring at her.

"I bet you three week's mission pay that I'll be able to beat you without you even touching me, and without using a single jutsu."

Kiba grinned widely, and ignoring Chouji and Sakura's shaking heads, responded arrogantly, "You're on!"

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"How much you want to bet Kiba loses?" asked Sakura, leaning on the railing of the contestant's box and staring down at the arena, where both Ino and Kiba now stood.

"Five hundred yen?" said Chouji, smiling.

"Why not?"

Cracking his hands together, and grinning at the prospect of a win and three weeks worth of mission pay, Kiba settled into a fighting stance, Akamaru growling at his side. Both looked the same, despite the species difference: two grinning dogs, or perhaps wolves, with eyes as sharp and cunning as their claws and teeth.

Ino, by contrast, looked the picture of a beauty queen. She stood, almost posed, each posture accentuating her growing and filling curves in the greatest of ways. One hand rested on her hip, which was thrust out to the side, and the other simply hung a little behind her. Her chest was thrust out, showing off her growing assets, and a cocky, confident smile—though sexy was no doubt a better word—rested on her lips. Neither of her hands looked to be in a position to grab a weapon, or even throw a punch. But she intended to use neither, for she had a much deadlier weapon in store for Kiba; one that did not require large amounts of chakra, or perfect control, or large muscles, or even a keen mind. It required nothing more than what she had been given at birth.

Himeda looked at the two sharply contrasted individuals, and as he raised his hand to begin the match, had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before he would announce the winner.

"Begin!"

Kiba snapped, and rushed forwards, Akamaru in tow. He bared his teeth in a great grin, and lifted a clawed hand.

Ino didn't move.

Kiba closed the distance rapidly, opening his mouth to let loose a triumphant cry, his hand coming up in preparation for its inevitable fall onto Ino's person, while Akamaru prepared to pounce upon the still blonde girl.

And it was only when Kiba was mere seconds from connecting that Ino moved, slightly and swiftly, to unleash her attack, an attack more devastating than the most powerful fire technique or summoning jutsu.

The hand on Ino's hip came up, and in the span of nearly a second, lifted her purple top to expose what nearly a year and a half of drinking vast quantities of milk and prayer had done.

The effect was predictably devastating: Kiba, upon seeing what he thought he had seen, was blasted backwards with more force than a falling meteor. He flew up, two constant streams of blood streaking forth from his nose like a pair of twin waterfalls separated by a large rock. He landed roughly, skidding for a few feet, the comical amount of blood staining the sand around him. His eyes were open and wide for a second, and then as he passed out from lack of blood, they closed. A perverted smile blossomed over his face as he went to a place where he could see what he had just seen all the time, whenever he wanted.

Akamaru, who had born witness (though was considerably less impressed) was staring back at his master with, should one have been as skilled at reading dogs as Kiba, would have been disbelief and disappointment. He shot a glare at Ino, who looked as she had done before the match had even started. Not a hair appeared out of place, and she had returned her weapon(s) back to their scabbard with such amazing speed that she might have been a samurai had they been swords.

The audience was still and silent. The same stunned, wide-mouthed face was stuck on each, as if someone who feared change had painted them there. The same went for her friends, who, despite knowing that Ino would probably have won, couldn't believe that she had just done that.

The silence shattered, however, when the Hokage, unable to bear it any longer, burst into a fit of laughter that resembled a seizure. She collapsed from her chair, laughing and clutching her stomach in pain. The action that the girl had taken had been so ingenious that she was tempted, as soon as she was able to stop laughing, to award the girl the Chuunin position right there. It just too funny!

The old woman beside her was impressed, but that was perhaps tempered by a needle of jealously, as she stared down at her own chest, which was thankfully hidden beneath her bulky robe.

Shikamaru clutched his forehead, wondering exactly how he had gotten such a crazy person as a teammate. He was both glad and disappointed (though he could not say why) that he had not seen her fearsome attack. Nobody had, in fact.

"D-doesn't that girl have any decency?" hissed Temari, though she too could not keep a little jealously from slipping into her voice. She might have been beaten by a fourteen year old!

"I swear to God," said Asuma, looking at Kurenai, "that I didn't teach her."

Kurenai raised an eyebrow. "Right."

"Did she really just do that?" mumbled Chouji. The large boy, without knowing it, was leaning dangerously over the railing, as if he might be able to get a better look at something that was no longer there.

Sakura, rolling her eyes at Chouji's obvious interest, said, "Yes…" She looked down at her own chest, a vein popping on her forehead. "She did."

"O-oh my…" mumbled Hinata, blushing furiously. "K-Kiba-kun…"

"Was both very unlucky," said Shino, pushing his glasses up, and snuggling a little more into his color to hide the blush that was creeping over his face, "and very lucky."

Ino swaggered past Akamaru, who was lying on the ground, refusing to go to his moronic partner, and up to Kiba's prone form. The boy's face was fixed in a smile of eternal bliss.

Rolling her eyes, Ino made a seal, and reached down, pressing the index and middle finger of one hand against Kiba's forehead. The smile vanished a second later, his memories of the beautiful sight leaking from his mind like water from a cracked glass.

Her mission accomplished, Ino walked in almost complete silence back across the field, past Himeda who was turned away from her in an effort to hide his burning red face, and back up the steps to the contestant's box.

-----------------------------------------------------

"You're absolutely shameless, don't you know that, Ino-pig?"

"I like to think of myself as a paramount for women everywhere," said Ino.

"Some people would call that a slu—"

"Sakura," said Chouji, interrupting her. "You and Hinata are up next."

Sakura nodded, and cast a glance at the dark-haired girl that she would be fighting. The girl returned the look, shyly, and nodded to Sakura. The two of them proceeded down the steps together.

"S-Sakura-san," Hinata said, as they walked down. The other girl glanced at her again, questioning.

"Yes?"

"Do you," the girl hesitated in saying the next, long enough so that it seemed she had decided against saying her original words. She quickly said, "That is, um, who do you think, N-Naruto-kun would root for?"

Sakura blinked. The question was seemingly innocent, and despite her feelings that it might be anything but, Sakura answered promptly, and truthfully.

"Both of us, probably. He's that type of guy to do something like that, huh?"

"O-oh!" said Hinata, seeming a little relieved, and just as much disappointed. "Y-you're right. That does s-seem like Naruto-kun."

"Why do you ask?" Sakura said, smiling a little at the girl.

Hinata blushed. "No reason!"

They took their places on the arena a little while later, after walking in complete silence. When Himeda had thoroughly composed himself, and sent warning glares to the two girls, as if they might try something similar to Ino. Finally, he raised his hand, and roared.

"Begin!"

Sakura and Hinata shot at each other, drawing weapons, ready to fight. Neither intended to lose, and they would do their best; both knew that this fight was nothing but a chance to test their skills against each other. No matter who won or who lost, they would remain friends.

And yet, as they clashed, both could hear a soft whisper, emulating a raucous cheer, in their ears.

'_Go Sakura-chan! Go Hinata-chan!'_

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Sakura awoke to the howling of winds outside her window. Sand pelted the windows, obscuring her view of the world outside. The room was light and stank of the cleanliness of a hospital, a smell she was not unfamiliar with. She lay in a small bed with crisp white sheets and a thin woolen duvet, which had a small table next to it, on which an alarm clock, and various doctoral tools (none of them, Sakura noticed with relief, were sharp or pointy) rested, as well as a vase with some pretty white flowers. There were two other beds in the room, on her right; she was the farthest bed from the door, and the closest to the window. Both of the other beds were empty.

Sakura blinked, suddenly, trying to collect herself. What seemed like moments ago, she had been in a heated battle with Hinata and—oh. She suddenly remembered.

The battle had been almost an even match. Both girls had fought with the utmost determination in everything: their movements, their looks, and their very souls. Both had shown each other their best; though Sakura had not used her _Nouha Sayuu_ technique, deciding it better that she didn't risk its deadly effects in a battle with a good friend. Sakura's strength could double as a defense as well as an offense, as could Hinata's _hakke_ techniques.

Sakura presumed it had ended when both girls had launched their final attacks: Hinata with her _Kyoushuuhakke Rokujyon Sho _technique; and Sakura simply with her Tsunadean strength and medical techniques. Sakura couldn't remember anything after that.

She glanced around the room again. '_I must have lost,' _she realized, sighing. If Hinata had been defeated, then wouldn't she be here too? Then again, Hinata had been as injured as she, so maybe she was just in a different room. Maybe they had tied.

A sudden rattling of the windows drew Sakura's attention to the outside world, where a sandstorm raged. She had never seen such a massive storm; the window might as well not have been there at all, for aside from swirling dust and sand, she could see nothing. It was an impenetrable veil of earth meeting air. She could nearly make out some buildings, mere shadows in the distance.

Her attention was once again attracted to a sound, and that was of the door opening. Her swiveled her head, and saw her master, Tsunade, standing there.

"You're up," she said, smiling.

"How long was I…?" asked Sakura.

"Only a few hours. I did most of the healing, so you should be good to go in a while. Either Hinata went easy on the Juuken thing, or you're simply made of stronger stuff, it didn't take long to repair the damage. You tied by the way," she added, seeing the next question beginning to form on Sakura's lips. The girl immediately shut her mouth.

"Oh," she said, feeling slightly better.

"Unfortunately, yours was the last fight of the tournament. A sandstorm, a really bad one, kicked up just after it, and we had to call it quits. The Chuunin Exams are officially over; we decided that it would be simply foolish to continue them any longer, especially when all of the decisions had been made."

"They had?" Sakura asked, in wonder. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," said Tsunade, leaning forwards, and smirking at the girl, "that you are now a Chuunin. Congratulations."

It took Sakura a few moments to process her master's words, and in those moments there was a shocked silence that seemed to amuse Tsunade even more. Finally:

"What?"

"You're a Chuunin; congratulations," the woman repeated, slowly, smiling even wider this time.

Sakura shook her head slight amazement. "But why? How did you already decide?"

"It wasn't hard; to tell you the truth, this Chuunin Exams was merely a technicality that had to be done in order for me to make your positions legitimate. In reality, you were all being considered, long before this even occurred." At Sakura's confused look, the woman elaborated.

"Kiba and Chouji were both responsible for eliminating, nearly, a very powerful member of Orochimaru's Sound Village. They showed outstanding skills and determination in those fights, according to Shikamaru's report. Shino demonstrated remarkable skill during the Sound attack the last Chuunin Exams, and during this one, he showed his combat skills as well as his ability to use judgment over emotion, both of which are easily Chuunin level or above.

"Ino, on the other hand, while having little prior notice, gave one of the most impressive displays of a kunoichi's spirit during this Chuunin Exam. Though technically in a real fight, there would be little effect in showing off one's body, she has demonstrated that she already has the mentality, and the potential to be an extremely powerful kunoichi in the future. She's impressed me in a lot of ways.

"Hinata too, has shown that she has more than the required skills and power to be a Chuunin. She has shown a remarkable improvement, according to her guardian, in every area possible. She too has amazing potential, one that will only grow with each rank she moves up.

"And finally, you. You're easy; that's because you're my student, and I know exactly how much you have changed. I saw exactly what I wanted to see down there in that arena. You've far surpassed my expectations, Sakura. You and your friends earned this rank, there is little doubt in that."

Sakura looked up at her master a while, seeing the pride reflected in the older woman's eyes. Tsunade was usually not one to praise overly, and indeed those words were possibly the most praising she had uttered to Sakura in the past year. It made Sakura realize just how much she had grown and changed since she had become Tsunade's apprentice; since she had endured hours of stern lectures and sharp rebukes at the hands of the eternally young Hokage.

Since resolving that the next time she met Naruto, she would be ready to go alongside him, to fulfill the promise that they had made to each other.

"T-thank you, Tsunade-shishou," she stuttered, bowing her head to the woman.

"Your friends will probably be by later; I've told most of them the news, but Kiba's still out cold, so make sure someone tells him."

"Okay," said Sakura, nodding to her master. The woman returned the gesture along with a proud smile, before leaving the room.

When Sakura was alone, she laid back, her head hitting the soft down pillow with a muffled thump. She stared up at the ceiling, and smiled contentedly at the stark, clean, white tile. She could feel elation slowly building up in her. But it did not make her want to scream and dance for joy. She simply felt content, and perhaps even a bit freer, knowing that she was now stronger. It served, she thought, as a marking point. She had reached a new plateau, and from it, she could only go up. With hard work and diligence, she could gain the strength and skill that her teachers had achieved.

And when _he_ got back, he'd have to be impressed. They would finally be equals, and she wouldn't have to look at his, or anyone else's, back again.

'_I'll be right there with you, Naruto. We'll definitely get Sasuke-kun back. I swear it.'_

_---------------------------------------------------_

Worlds away, among the cold stonewalls of Stormwind Castle, huddled over an aged book was an equally aged man, whose mind was on far different, and more troubling things. Archbishop Benedictus sat upon a soft, cushioned leather chair in front of the podium in a small chapel; the very same place where he had trained Kira Wrynn for many years.

The old man was hunched over a book, but he was not reading it. Beside him, a cold cup of tea rested, still completely full, along with a candle, which was nearly spent. Aside from the candle, the room was not lit. It was dark and cold, and would continually grow colder as winter began to arrive. But if you had asked Benedictus, he would have said that this place had long since grown dark and cold since Kira had left.

Benedictus had once though of the chapel as his most favorite room in the whole castle. Back then it had been warm and inviting. Whenever he had gone there, it would be to meet the young daughter of his king—a girl whom he thought of as his own. Kira had made the chapel as it had been. She had filled it with life and warmth and that mischievous air that had gotten her into trouble with everyone at one point or another. Back then Benedictus had not recognized this. He had believed that it would always be like that.

But with her departure, the room had changed. The life had been slowly bled from it, the warmth had been snuffed out, and what replaced it was darkness and ice. It brought now not feelings of joy or warmth, but feelings of depression and memories long gone. It had become his least favorite place in the entire castle; aside from the council room, that is.

But it was quiet, and Benedictus felt drawn to it anyways. He wished to remember, everything that had happened back then, because they had been happy and innocent. Now, the world around him seemed bleak and oppressive; the fighting was continuing, and there didn't seem an end to it.

There had been little good news in the past few weeks. The biggest one had been the courier of the Argent Dawn, who had informed him that a large number of refugees had fled from the Scarlet Monastery, which now lay in ruins, and had apparently been freed by a boy and two girls. It was the first news he had ever had of Kira since she had left, and for nearly a week, he had slept peacefully and dreamed good dreams. A bit of the light and warmth had returned for a while, before the fighting and hate had sucked it away.

And what was worse was that he felt something was going to happen. Something big. But he did not need any sort of precognition to know that, for he had been suspecting it for some time before the feelings hit. And unlike other times, he knew the outcome of this event would not be good. It would bring pain and death; that was what he felt. He knew too, who would be responsible for this event occurring. And again, he had not needed any sort of confirmation from his power to know that it would be the fault of that damnable woman, Lady Katrana Prestor.

The woman was as mysterious as ever. Benedictus had been suspecting her of something for quite a while. Though once it had been his mere distrust of the female species, it had blossomed and developed: flowering into a certainty that she was a traitor to the crown. That he knew, without a doubt.

There were many reasons for it, but none conclusive, or even enough to call her out on it. Only his intuition, and his sharp eyes and good memory had let him to this conclusion. Though intuition was merely a feeling, a gut instinct in which there was nothing to say whether it was true or not, he trusted it. Lady Prestor was a traitor; but he could discern the reason why.

His first true inkling had come the very moment he had mentioned Theramore, many weeks ago, when he had first told the Council of his regency. The flicker of emotion in her eyes; that lightening flash of pain, fury, sadness, and many other terrible emotions, illuminating in the span of a few fractions of a second the woman's face and eyes. He had not imagined that.

What was her reason? Many had lost people in Theramore—maybe she had lost a family member, or even a lover.

But the problem was that the Prestor family was a clan of nobles. They did not fight in wars, and were mainly of those who experimented with jutsu and power—mages. And more to the point, Benedictus had not remembered anyone bearing the name Prestor who had been sent over. There was a monument, bearing the names of all who had perished in that battle, on the way to the Cathedral of Stormwind; Benedictus passed it every day, and knew all of the names on it by heart. Prestor was not one of them.

And another thing: it was not uncommon for those in nobility to have lovers and not marry. In fact, it was so commonplace that one hardly went a day without hearing of a scandal involving a noble with another man or woman. Nobody, nowadays, did much about it. In fact, it was almost tolerable for the wealthy to have one or two mistresses or suitors. Word got around so quickly, too, that one had but to listen to the local gossip on the streets of the city to find out exactly who had taken who to bed and other things of that nature. Benedictus had always been a horrible gossip; even back before Anduin had been king. And since then, only a handful of people had not made the gossip meters: the late King, Benedictus himself, Captain Reinhardt Schaun, and Lady Katrana Prestor.

Now, this was not to say that she did not have any suitors or had taken any lovers; she could simply be very good at hiding it. So if that was true, and her lover had gone off and perished in the fight, then her betrayal might have been simply revenge against the man who had sent her lover off to die.

But Lady Prestor did not seem like that type of person. When you looked at her, you saw one of two things: a beautiful, enchanting young woman who could charm almost any man with but a look and a smile; or a powerful, silent, and guarded woman who placed her emotions behind a mask of diamond, beautiful and durable. She had an air around her of class, of nobility, but most of all, of ambition. She felt more like the type to abandon those she loved and cared for to achieve that ambition, whatever it was. He did not believe her at all the loving type.

The next suspicion had come from her long absence during the first few weeks of the sudden uprising and separation of the population. She had given no ideas as to where she had gone, and though Benedictus had not pried, there was something behind that absence. Her only reason had been "family business." The words had been said in such a way that was almost mocking, as if she were part of an inside joke that nobody else was, and she was delighting in it. What sort of "family business" had she been attending to?

To think of it, Lady Katrana was the only Prestor to have ever set foot in Stormwind, to Benedictus' knowledge. The only other Prestor Benedictus had ever heard of had lived in Alterac, before vanishing under extremely mysterious circumstances. He had no idea what relation Lord Daval Prestor had to Lady Katrana, but he believed it might have been father and daughter.

Finally, the last suspicion, which was as slight as the other, had been Reinhardt Schaun's response to his petty insult of the woman. It hadn't been much; a simple flash of rage within the eyes, and a tensing of the body, which suggested that had Benedictus been anyone else, the man would have struck him.

The reaction suggested two possibilities: that he was in love with Lady Katrana, as so many thought they were, or he was bound in some way to her will. If the latter was true, then Benedictus knew there were more. In fact, he had produced similar reactions in three more guards around the castle, simply by starting a conversation, and twisting it so they eventually ended up speaking of his distaste for her. There was no telling how many more there were, especially if the Captain of the Stormwind Guard was under her thrall. That was a troubling notion, and Benedictus hoped that it was the former of the two choices. Love could come and go, but as long as they were bound, they would be terribly dangerous enemies.

All of these things were enough, in Benedictus eyes, to suggest that she was not loyal; that in some way she was plotting to do something terrible and tremendous very soon.

He sighed, and to distract himself from his thoughts, picked up and sipped the cold tea by his arm. He wrinkled his nose in distaste at the cold beverage, but swallowed it anyways, and set the cup down. He wiped some sweat from his wrinkled forehead, and brushed some long hair from his sharp eyes. He stood with a creak, slowly, hearing his joints pop and crack like dry twigs being trodden on in the forest.

Perhaps he was thinking too much.

Perhaps he was over-thinking everything, and Lady Katrana was not the opponent that he was seeking. He did not even know a motive, or even what she was behind. Was she behind the death of the King? Was she responsible for igniting the hatred in every person in the city, and setting them against each other?

Benedictus was still of the opinion that the fighting now taking place among the people of the city was unnatural. What were the fighting for, now, that could not be achieved through peace and diplomacy? Everyday there were new attacks or stories of increasingly bloody brawls happening all over the city. Was it the product of simple circumstances, and the people were fighting because they could do nothing else and had no true leader to guide them; or was it because this woman was somehow twisting their thoughts, and spreading rumors and breeding distrust between them. If things kept going the way they were, then there would come a time when no dark seeds needed to be planted, and the fighting would be sustained simply because they had become used to it, and they no longer knew what they fought for.

It seemed foolish, even now because he didn't know why she would do such a thing. Revenge? For what? How had she been wronged that would lead her to turn a nation against itself?

For power? If she destroyed the entire nation, then what power could she hold? What was the good of ruling a country of bones and dust?

No matter how he thought of it, he couldn't tell why. But he knew. He knew it was she. That was clear, and would always remain clear.

There was one last thing, which he realized he continued to gloss over in his thoughts. It was the woman herself, the one thing that one noticed about her immediately.

Her body; beautiful, curved and full, with long black hair and scintillating purple eyes; full red lips and incredible assets that no man could resist; but most of all, young, pretty, and fit.

And yet, contrasting to this appearance, she had served as King Anduin's advisor since even before his coronation, and yet she had never changed. Never once had her face wrinkled, had her hair lost its silken sheen, or had she lost any of her most endearing aesthetic qualities. She had remained, if one could call it, perfect in body, the entire time Benedictus had known her.

It was not unheard of for those of power to hide their true form with a powerful illusion to make them seem young. But such a thing only the vain would consider, only those who cared more about their appearance than anyone else.

Yet, Lady Prestor was not vain. If anything, she wore her beauty as one might a brightly colored, exquisitely woven dress, inlaid with diamonds and rubies and shining as brightly as the sun.

But a dress was still a dress, and it could be removed.

Benedictus grit his teeth, and sat once more.

'_Yes,'_ he thought, '_it's about time that dress was removed, you old snake. I want to see what you hide beneath. I want to see what you truly are.'_

----------------------------------------------------

Done.

Again, apologize for lateness and if this chapter sucked, general suckiness. I'm still getting used to classes, and try to write when I have the time.

For those who were disappointed in the Hinata/Sakura fight, then please tell me. In reality, I thought that the fight was superfluous, and would only serve to lengthen the chapter unnecessarily. The Kiba/Ino fight was before it, so I needed a slight transition from the first rounds to Sakura and Hinata's fight, and it would look weird if I cut it out. I thought what Ino did was funny, as well as effective.

I hope the chapter was up to par. Tell me if it isn't.

Next chapter: Naruto's departure from Teldrassil, and Lady Prestor's secret is revealed!

Again, thank you Frankto for the marvelous help with jutsu names.

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Kek.

-Nozdormi

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_**Spellbook**_

**_Daichi no Yoroi (Armor of Earth):_ **Creates a protective layer of rock and earth around the person, grafted to them by chakra.

**_Katame no jutsu (Hardening Technique):_ **Hardens and compresses the rock of the Daichi no Yoroi.

**_Tsuchi Kaiken no jutsu (Rock Dagger Technique):_ **Creates a rock dagger from the arm of the Daichi no Yoroi.

**_Oorinsei no jutsu (Soul of the Ancient Woods Technique): _**Using her moss, Katanako can generate, using photosynthesis, a near infinite amount of chakra, which can gradually replenish her own and fuel her numbing moss effect. Very powerful and effective, lasts as long as sunlight does.

**_Kyoushuuhakke Sanjuni Sho (Assault of the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two palms): _**Uses only one hand, a version and spin-off of Hinata's _Shugohakke Rokujyon Sho _which she created in the anime version of Naruto. Instead of being used as a protective jutsu, this is an offensive attack, which can pierce through solid iron if need by, or can simply stun and incapacitate people.


	57. The Dress Removed

**Disclaimer: Wheesht ye' eejit! Ah don' own Nar'to or Wahld o' Wahrcraf't**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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"Gah!"

With this loud utterance, Uzumaki Naruto collapsed to backwards onto the soft mossy ground of the forest, gasping for breath. Pain, like liquid fire, surged through his body with each beat of his heart, making his gasps even more strained and pained, and the looks on Kira, Neera and Tyrande's faces all the more distraught. But, being who he was, this did not stop him from getting up and trying it again; "it" being his so far unsuccessful attempts to pull a thread of the Kyuubi's chakra from its source without overloading his body with it.

"Naruto, maybe you should stop," said Kira, worried for her friend.

"Yeah," said Neera, half horrified and half amazed that Naruto was still alive, much less still move, especially after letting enough demonic chakra to kill a dozen or so elves rush through his chakra pathways.

"Nah," the blonde said, gasping, and throwing both the three concerned watchers (for Tsuwabuki had long stopped watching) a weakened, yet still Naruto-esque smile. "I can't stop now. I've almost got the hang of it!"

It was a barefaced lie, and everyone present knew it. It had been nearly a week since Naruto had recovered enough to start training with his new abilities, and during that time, Naruto had discovered just how much help the Kyuubi had given him in manipulating it's chakra. The demon had been the control behind each of his uses of it, allowing it so that he had just enough for his body to handle, without ripping it to shreds; which Naruto felt like he might be doing now. He could hardly grasp even a bit of the chakra without pulling out a monstrous amount of it out, which nearly drove him to unconsciousness a few times.

Though he had improved. The first time Naruto had tried to manipulate the chakra, he had passed out from pulling enough to kill a normal man out. Thankfully Naruto's body was far more resistant, so he was able to recover in about a day. One would think that would have put him off it, even someone with Naruto's stubbornness, it only served to make Naruto try again; and when that failed, again, and again, and so on until they had reached this very point, a week later, where Naruto had made very little progress, but progress nonetheless, in his training with the Kyuubi's chakra.

But, not all was bad news. Naruto's own chakra was still quite easy to manipulate; in fact, it seemed even easier. The Rasengan seemed to come to him with a mere flick of the wrist now, and though he lamented the loss of its Kyuubi chakra counterpart, the Oodama Rasengan, it only served to make him more determined to recapture control of its power. His jutsu too, seemed easier to manipulate, and Naruto took great relief in the fact that he was not totally weakened. He just had to learn in a different way from now on.

Flexing his wrists and taking a solid stance, Naruto prepared to call the chakra again. Tyrande, however, laid a hand on his shoulder and said calmly:

"Let's take a break for now, Naruto. There are things we must discuss."

Naruto sighed, before frowning at his new mother. "Such as?"

Tyrande smiled. "Your training, among other things."

Naruto hesitated a moment, about to reply that he still had a few more tries left in him, but stopped when he saw the concern in Tyrande's eyes. It was still a learning process for him, having a mother.

"Okay," he said, slouching suddenly, his arms falling, dead, to his sides and his eyelids drooping nearly closed. He swayed, looking as if he was about to fall, but instead simply stumbled forwards towards the edge of the clearing, where they had entered.

'**_Good,'_** said Tsuwabuki, padding up behind the boy. She was now big enough to allow him to place a hand on her for support, which he did so gratefully. '**_As much as I like your annoying personality, there is a limit even for you, moron.'_**

"I'm not annoying, you dumb fox."

'**_That isn't usually something you decide for yourself.'_**

While they bickered, Kira, Tyrande, Kylia and Neera followed behind the two. Kira looked a mix between grateful that he had given up, and worried at his weakness. Neera appeared, and was, simply relieved that Naruto was still alive. Kylia remained as impassive as possible, though she too had a little worry for the boy that her mistress held in such high regard. Tyrande was far more controlled, and while she worried, she saw less of the pain in the boy, and more of the determination. He really worked hard; a trait like that was like a diamond to Tyrande's eyes.

They left the grove that Naruto had been training in for the past week, and headed back towards the sunlit city of the night elves. The city, just two weeks before, had been silent and peaceful; almost like it had been a city trapped in an eternal sleep. But now, it bustled and sung like a true city. The streets were full of pedestrians, all of which now wandered with a purpose in mind. A great majority moved towards the Warrior's Terrace, where they planned to train, or retrain, in the arts of battle; others moved towards the groves, where they planned to study the arts of nature; or deep beneath the grove, where they hoped to learn the arts of the rogues.

Their spirits, Tyrande had said, had been reawakened from the same deep sleep that had arrested the city. They now had a reason once more to fight. But now it was not to preserve their way of life, but to change it, change it with the age and their new mortality. They would no longer stand to waste away in a corner of the world. Now they had to help, because they believed that it was right, and only by doing so could they re-attain their former glory as night elves.

Of course, Tyrande would not tell Naruto or Kira about the others. Not all had been motivated in such a way, which was not surprising. There was a group, a very small group, who had made their presence known just after the memorial service for the fallen night elves. They did not adhere to the Council's decision about the alliance, and while at the moment their presence was small, Tyrande could quickly see that they might become a problem.

But she would deal with it as it came. That was all she could do at the moment.

They crossed the shorter bridge to the Temple Gardens, heading towards the looming Temple of the Moon, which seemed to glow even brighter in the natural light of the sun. At night, as if using the captured sunlight, it shined as bright as a fragment of the moon, fallen to the earth. Naruto was of the belief that it appeared even more beautiful, cast in sunlight, just because it created such an amazing sight at night.

Inside, which was as busier than ever, for the Sisters were slowly taking on new apprentices to school and culture in their arts. Even the youngest of elves were starting their training, so that one day they might rise to the level of their idols: Tyrande and Shandris. They walked and weaved through groups of Sisters, dressed in white, who were leading groups of two or three younger elves around. The elflings were wide-eyed with curiosity in seeing the three humans and the silver fox.

It made Tyrande smile to see their fascination. If that was fostered, then a new generation of elves could be born, without the isolationist beliefs that had been fostered in elves since the Sundering of the World.

They arrived at the Moonwell room, where Tyrande held all her council now. She bade her charges, including Neera, to sit around the edge of the pool, while she remained standing, watching them impassively. When they were seated, she began.

"First, I want to talk about a solution to your recent problems," Tyrande said, looking at Naruto.

"A solution?" the blonde parroted, frowning.

"Yes," said Tyrande. "One that we have been developing this past week, while you were training. It wasn't difficult—we merely needed to adapt a currently existing technique to suit your unique case, as well as work alongside your seal. We have found a solution to your chakra manipulation problem; at least, for now."

Naruto leaned in, suddenly all ears. Though he would never admit it, he had been growing increasingly frustrated with his training. He new it foolish to think that he might master such a powerful ability in such a short time, but he had hardly made any progress at all! And Uzumaki wasn't the type to wait, either.

"What is it?"

"A training seal," the High Priestess said.

"A what?"

Tyrande sighed. She wondered, briefly, how many others had been in this same situation of explaining something to the blonde that both in words and context seemed obvious.

A world a way, two men with varying shades of white hair sneezed in the midst of their strangely similar hobbies; an Orcish chieftain, known to Tyrande, interrupted a speech made by his advisor with a booming sneeze that sprayed the other orc with a wave of mucus; and an undead elf released a delicate sneeze that froze everyone in her presence with heart-stopping fear. Had Tyrande been aware of all this, she would've stopped wondering.

"A training seal," said Tyrande, again. "It's rather basic; the seal was created to originally help those who had trouble with their chakra control it to the level required of most Sentinels and Priestesses. It takes quite a while, even with this, but it will certainly aid you, and help you learn to use the Kyuubi's chakra more effectively a lot quicker.

"It works like this: the seal places a gate of sorts around your chakra. Now, this is not unlike what keeps the Kyuubi's chakra at bay, but there is a special property to this that makes it so useful. It requires you to pull the chakra, with all of your will, through the 'gate' and into use. If you release your grip, it will immediately return to the seal. This will eliminate your problem of pulling to much chakra out; you will need to force it out, instead of trying to stop a flood of it from coming out."

"But won't it just make it harder to control?" Naruto asked.

Tyrande smiled. Perhaps he wasn't completely hopeless. "Yes, for a while anyways. But it will get you used to working with small amounts of the chakra. If you can control and mold a small amount, then, as you get better in controlling the demon's chaotic power, you will be able to draw out more and more of it. Eventually, you might not even need the seal."

Naruto nodded, his arms crossed. He did understand (a bit), and it did seem quite useful. He wouldn't have to learn about nearly passing out in training anymore!

"But there is a catch."

Naruto looked up. "What kind of catch?"

Tyrande stared directly into Naruto's eyes. "In battle, your body will, as it always has been, try to use the Kyuubi's chakra to heal yourself. With the training seal in place, your body will not be able to use it like that. Nor will you be able to enhance your senses. You will be totally cut-off, save for your conscious efforts, from the Kyuubi's chakra."

Naruto blinked. He looked like he might ask a question, but he held it in, and waited for her to continue.

"That is why I believe you might have to take it off if you want to fight. As long as you don't try to use it, you will receive the enhancements the Kyuubi's chakra naturally gives to your body, which is so accustomed to using it. We have already worked out the mechanics of the seal, and it will be easy to seal and release. I will spend the next few days teaching you that, and Kira as well, so you might have a back-up plan."

Naruto nodded, approving of the idea. Kira, however, detected that Tyrande had more to say, and listened closely.

"As soon as you have learned it, then I believe you should leave."

Naruto, as if he did not understand the words, tilted his head to the side and looked at Tyrande. For a moment, the words did not register. But as a look of shock impacted onto Naruto's features, Tyrande was already speaking again, her eyes focused straight on him.

"It is time for all of you to return to Stormwind," she said. "You have completed what you set out to do; you've done an incredible thing, and now it is time to tell your people, and to teach them how to accept it. It is time that Princess Kira Wrynn returned to her kingdom." She smiled at Naruto, with love in each inch of her pretty face. "You too, Naruto. You have journeyed far from that place, and now it's time you accompanied her back. I know that you will be an incredible asset in helping her people understand what a great thing you have done. You, Naruto, have been the cornerstone of this alliance for some time—now you just need to finish the cementing, and with hope, the alliance will last for years to come."

Naruto didn't respond. The boy's eyes were downcast and glazed. He scrunched up his face a little, as if still trying to understand that he was going to leave this place.

"Right," he said morosely. His voice was dull, lifeless.

Tyrande surprised everyone by bending down, pushing Naruto's goggles up onto the top of his head, and planting a soft kiss on his forehead. The gesture made Naruto look up, blinking, into Tyrande's eyes. The woman who he come to think of as motherly, as someone he could talk to about anything and not be judged, stared back at him with such kindness and love that Naruto was frozen for a moment by simply the sight. Never before had anyone looked at him in that way, with such intensity and sincerity.

"You will never truly leave this place, Naruto. You have already made your mark upon this place, and it will remain in our hearts forevermore. And you are always welcome here—you are one of us, no matter the color of your skin, or your height. You are part of my family. You will always remain so. So don't give me that look, okay? Call Matthias today, and spend the time he takes in getting here to learn the training seal. Then, depart this place with that same smile that we have come to love on your face. That is what you should do, okay?"

She had hardly finished before Naruto burst out loudly, "Okay! Let's start right away!"

Kira giggled at her friend's renewed enthusiasm, and cast a thankful look in Tyrande's direction. Neera laughed, clapping Naruto on the back. Kylia gave a small smile, but otherwise did not move.

And Tyrande gazed at them all with a bright, sunlit smile.

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The next few days became a blur.

The training seal worked out splendidly, as Tyrande had predicted. Though it was immensely difficult to pull such a dense chakra through the "gate" of the seal, it easily eliminated Naruto's problem of trying to pull too much out at once. Naruto's training sessions no longer became painful for his friends to watch, for he now looked not as if he were about to die of exhaustion, but rather as if he might be extremely constipated (and hence, they became almost a source of amusement for the group, much to Naruto's annoyance).

The seal learning lessons provided by Tyrande were straightforward enough, yet because of the relative complexity of the seal, Naruto had a little trouble. It was nothing like making explosive seals, and had to be made with the utmost care, as a castle of cards might. One wrong move or poorly placed card could cause the entire thing to collapse.

For Naruto, it was only the prospect of furthering his abilities with the Kyuubi's chakra (and his feelings for Tyrande) that kept him attentive. The work was tedious and incredibly frustrating, especially for someone like Naruto, who had little experience with seals, and was naturally impatient with techniques that weren't flashy or incredibly powerful.

But on he worked, nonetheless, in the days before he would leave Teldrassil.

But it was not all training. On the second day, Naruto summoned Gamakichi, with the intention of sending a rather delayed message to his friends, hoping that they weren't too worried by his lack of responses. What he learned, however, was that Sakura and the others were not present in Konoha. They had gone to the Sand, to take part in the Chuunin Exams once more.

The news cheered Naruto up considerably. But at the same time, it was a little distressing. Would they all become _chuunin_? What if he got back and he was the only _genin_ left? Would he have to join a team of _genin_ just in order to pass the exam and reach the same level as his friends?

_That_ was an annoying thought.

But he did not let it bother him too much. He was happy, though, that his friends were getting stronger. He couldn't wait to see how they had changed, when he got back. Little did he know that he too had changed.

His free time, when not training or learning the seal; was occupied by his friends. Neera, who acted as though he would leave in a few minutes, every day, would drag him around the city, with Kira and Kylia tagging along (Tsuwabuki would generally forsake them to "romp in the forest with her furry friends" as Naruto called it, or as she thought of it, hunting). Neera wanted to spend as much time as possible with them before they returned.

Since Tyrande had mentioned it, Kira's mind was fixated, at every passing moment, on her kingdom at its people. She was anxious to return, to know what was becoming of the city she had left so long ago; but also was she distressed to leave this peaceful place. She knew she would miss the endless sea of trees, the calming orchestra of the forest, and the friendly, accepting disposition of the people of Darnassus.

But she could not wait.

Since she had left, she had been waiting for the day she could return, triumphant in her pursuits, to Stormwind. How proud Benedictus would be! He had been a supporter, and had even given her the means to realize this dream, all by simply putting his faith in it, and her. She could not wait to return, to show him that his faith was well put; that his hope was not unfounded in her and the dream that they had both longed to see realized.

And how happy, she thought, would her mother and father be had they lived to see the day their daughter and her friends create a means for peace in this darkening world.

She spent her last days in Teldrassil in this cloud made of memories, but still took the time to duck out of it, and enjoy the present. She would miss everyone terribly, especially Tyrande. Kira had so much respect for the woman; she was a true leader to her people, strong and fair, and knew exactly how to rule. She had also made Naruto one of the happiest people in the world, by accepting a position that Naruto had never before known in a family—a mother.

The days passed swiftly.

Naruto joked and laughed and was teased by Neera. He struggled in learning the training seal, and even more in learning how to manipulate the demon's wicked chakra using it. He ate his fill each day in the strange-colored _en'mara_ noodles alongside Neera, Kira and Kylia. He trained and bickered with Tsuwabuki. He enjoyed many walks and long, comforting talks with Tyrande. He explored each nook and cranny of the city, courtesy of Neera. He sparred each day with the Sentinels he had become friends with in the last month. In his final days in Darnassus, Naruto solidified his place in the hearts of the night elves. It became a daily event to see the blonde, who had entered their lives so swiftly, and yet had established a firm place in their memories and affections. They would not forget Uzumaki Naruto. That was assured.

And all too soon, that time came, when a messenger came from the forest and told Tyrande that the mighty airship of Matthias Hindenborough had landed, and was waiting for their passengers on the very beach they had left them on.

The day was as sunny as ever. When Matthias Hindenborough stepped off his zeppelin, expecting to see Naruto and the two (or three if the fox was counted) girls, he saw instead what had to be at least the largest gathering of night elves he had ever laid eyes on. They came from the trees, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dark, misty shapes that solidified as they touched the sun. It was a startling sight, especially because at the head of the procession of ghosts was Naruto, Kira, Kylia and Tsuwabuki, standing alongside the woman he claimed was the most beautiful to have graced this fair world.

"I win the bet!" Naruto said, with a playful smirk.

Matthias gaped a moment, staring in astonishment at all of the elves around him. He saw, not the ageless beings of fame, but a people of all different ages and sizes; he saw the young and the old, the small and the tall, the men, the women, and the children. He saw them not cast in shadows, as he had always seen them before, but illuminated in the brightness of the sun.

He gave a roguish grin to the boy. "Guess ye did, brat. Guess ye did."

He directed his crew to start preparing to set off, and after another longing glance towards Tyrande, he returned to the deck of the zeppelin to help.

Tyrande turned to Naruto, giving him the gentle, yet sad smile of a mother who is watching her child leave home for the first time. She reached into her luminous white robes, and produced something, which she pressed into Naruto's hands.

"A Hearthstone," she said, with a smile. "So you can return whenever you wish."

Naruto took the stone, staring at it oddly for a moment. When he looked up into Tyrande's eyes, once again a feeling of complete disbelief froze him in place. The love he saw reflected was strange and new, yet it felt completely natural. This, he knew, was what it truly meant to have a mother. His frozen body melted, and without a second thought, then threw his arms around the elf, hugging her tightly. Tyrande hugged back, with all her might. The entire population of Teldrassil watched as their leader hugged the human boy with everything she had.

To the side, Shandris smiled warmly at the two, glad for both. In the back, Fandral regarded the scene with nothing in his eyes or on his face. But even with this difference, they saw the reaction that Naruto's gesture had produced in Tyrande. They saw the tears trickling down her face like miniature waterfalls. Tyrande needed this as much as Naruto.

Kira had tears in her eyes as well. She gave a little sniffle and buried her head in Kylia's shirt; so happy was she for her friend. Kylia blushed at the gesture, but patted the girl on the head. Neera was openly wailing, both at the beauty of the scene, and the prospect that this was her last meeting with Naruto and his friends for some time.

When Naruto and Tyrande released their holds upon each other, Tyrande stood and took a step back. She turned to the rest of the elves, and gave a simple nod.

The elves began to sing.

It was in their own mysterious language, beautiful and ghostly. It was laden with emotion, not sadness, but hope and happiness. They sung not for the tears of their parting, but for the joy of their future meetings. The song made the sun brighten and the trees sway with the tune, and the creatures of the island sing alongside the night elves.

As Naruto gave Neera a final hug, and Shandris a formal salute; and Kira gave Tyrande a deep bow, acknowledging the formality of their status, and afterwards a powerful hug for their friendship, and then a fierce tearful hug to Neera; they boarded the zeppelin.

And as they rose away from Teldrassil, the sunken tree, where the beautiful, immortal night elves once lived, and now the true and mortal night elves lived, they listened to the song of the forest, the everlasting song of the world.

They heard the song long after they rose into the sky; and even when the clouds obscured their view of the island, they heard it it's beautiful words, and felt the joy of knowing how important they had become to these people.

Naruto smiled the entire time, with tears running freely down his face.

----------------------------------------------------

"Ah," said Benedictus, raking his eyes over the seated members of the Council of Stormwind. "We have arrived."

"Yes," said the harsh, sarcastic sneer of Lord Sevenius Coutrend, the city's keeper of history. "You seemed particularly excited to call this meeting, Lord Regent. Has something happened that deviates from the normal humdrum of violence that is sweeping this city?"

Benedictus was unfazed by the sarcasm. "No," he said. "I have not come to you to preach solutions today. I have not come to speak of what is happening in the city, for that is all too clear, isn't it? No, I have other things to talk about today. Things that are far more pressing, in my opinion."

His hawk-gaze swept the room. He was met with the distrustful stares of those who did not agree with him, and the questioning ones of those who did.

And, of course, with the completely impassive look of Lady Katrana Prestor, with her silky, jet-colored hair, and arresting purple gaze. Had he been anyone else, he would have lost himself in those eyes. But now, he merely moved on.

He had decided, not two days ago, that he would expose Lady Prestor to the rest of the Council. It hadn't taken him long to think of a good way to do it. He could, when the occasion arose, be extremely clever and shrewd. And it would take all of that guile to prove to the morons in his presence, at that very moment, exactly what she was guilty of.

"There is a traitor amongst our ranks."

The words, simple and direct, had the desired effect. An explosion of denials and inquiries, which raised a great clamor that was sure to have aroused the attention of the rest of the castle, possibly even beyond. Benedictus did nothing to stop them at first. He merely glanced at the pretty, soft features of Lady Prestor, whose lips had curved into a slight smile at the statement. Once again, she appeared an island amongst a torrential hurricane.

When he had had enough, Benedictus raised a hand. The gesture brought an end to the squabbling, and when he had everyone's full attention he said, with another sweep of his eyes, "I do know who it is. If they do not come forward at this point, then I will simply have to expose them." He looked around. "Will you admit the deed?"

There was silence, which Benedictus had expected. He glanced at Prestor—no reaction, save for a slight widening of the smile.

'_I wonder if you will be smiling in a minute, my dear,'_ he thought. But he was a little worried. She appeared confident. Too confident. He looked around.

Though made of nobles, the Council was comprised of some of the strongest magi and warriors in Stormwind. Should she attempt anything, Benedictus had no doubt that they would be able to subdue her before she could cause too much trouble. He did not know her full strength, but it was highly unlikely that it would be enough to stop a large group of powerful people all gathered in the same area.

But he would not be a fool. He would play this carefully.

"Then, I shall begin," he said. He gazed at everyone in the room, his golden eyes like spotlights, exposing truths in the dark. He stroked his beard, and left his chair, slowly pacing back and forth at the head of the table.

"There are many reasons why I suggest a traitor to the cause, rather than simple bad luck. The first, and clearly the most obvious, is the prolonged violence in this city, which apparently had little reason for starting, and now seems to have little reason for ending. But I ask, why do they fight?"

"Because they are stupid," said Coutrend. "Isn't that obvious?"

"They are not stupid," said Benedictus, directing his raptor gaze to the man. "They are merely easily led. Gullible, if you will, especially when facing those stronger than them. But how did it start in the first place, I ask?"

"The death of the King," rumbled Reinhardt Schaun, "we all know that, Lord Regent. There is no hidden motive, and no traitor could have sparked the violence that his happening every day now."

"Why not?"

The simple question silenced the room a moment. In that time, Benedictus pressed on.

"Yes, I agree it is possible that it could have happened naturally. I agree that due to the death of the king, the people could have been lost, and my own weaknesses in this office could have contributed to it. But what if there was another reason? After all, if they are as stupid as Coutrend believes them to be, then why have those who oppose the crown and kingdom developed this strange ideology, this democracy? What gave them the idea? More to the point, why do they continue to fight, like barbarians, for something that they are not sure they want, or will work? What is sustaining this violence that we haven't been able to identify and reason with?

"We have made several attempts at compromise, have we not? We have acquiesced to many of their demands, and yet violence breaks out anew everyday. Something is sparking it. Those loyal to us would not do it, because they knew our intentions. I have heard talk that some of the Stormwind guard members have been at the scene of battles before they have even begun." He looked sharply at Schaun, who seemed frozen by the old man's words. He didn't give him a chance to deny.

"What I am saying is that no matter what compromises we make, no matter how much we try to stop this fighting, it continues."

"And you think that constitutes a betrayer?" growled a grizzled-looking council member, Rickard Kingsley, who had dark brown hair and beard, and was a battle master; the one responsible for training many of the new recruits in the army. "That is foolish, Lord Regent! Why make such a grave accusation for something that is not definite?"

Benedictus gave the man a thin smile. "But of course; it _would_ be foolish to base my entire argument on this. I have other reasons."

He glanced swiftly towards Lady Prestor. She was unchanged.

"The second reason is the break-up of the First Alliance."

"What?" said Coutrend, giving a snort of laughter. "How do you know that?"

"Simple," Benedictus said calmly. "It is odd, is it not, that the Alliance broke apart with such rapidity? One right after the other—first the gnomes, the elves, and finally the dwarves. Why so closely?"

"Coincidence, I'm sure," said Coutrend, rolling his eyes. "And if I recall, it was our king himself who drove off the dwarves, with his foolish demands, wouldn't that be correct?"

"King Anduin's behavior before his death was exceedingly strange," the Archbishop said. "Prone to fits of anger. Restless sleep. A hidden prejudice that he had never exhibited before. What caused these things to emerge in an otherwise kind and gentle man?"

"The death of his wife," said Schaun, bowing a little as he mentioned the name. Others around the room followed suit. Kira's mother had been highly respected by every member of the council.

"Possibly," said Benedictus. "And I would agree that Lady Demi's death did unbalance him, but I identified several of these traits in King Anduin even before she was lost. He has always been a very restless man, but it was only after she died, and the gnomes left, that he began to change, wouldn't you say?"

There was a smattering of agreement around the room. Benedictus pressed on.

"Anduin was never an impulsive man. He was wise and kind. But he exhibited no foresight in banishing the dwarves, and acted apparently on complete emotion. He would have never done such a thing. His wife's death may have caused him to despair a great deal, but what caused such a radical change in a man, especially one who had a daughter that he wished to protect above all else? King Anduin, in my opinion, always made decisions that would benefit his people, and more importantly, his loved ones, and made them with the greatest care and foresight. I do not believe that his wife's death would cause such a change, especially when Princess Kira was always by his side, and in complete agreement with him. Something else changed him.

"But what? A spell? Perhaps someone was slowly manipulating him, toying with his thoughts and mind? It is not hard to believe, is it? You control the king's actions, and you control the fate of that kingdom."

"A bold statement," said Coutrend. "You have obviously given this a lot of thought, Lord Regent. But you argument is again obscured by facts and other possibilities, equally as likely as what you suggest. Maybe his wife's death unbalanced him to a point that he simply changed without noticing. Perhaps his guilt, and despair simply overwhelmed him. That is as likely as someone controlling his thoughts. As such, you have no real way of proving what you say is true."

"Ahh," said Benedictus. "Putting aside that I knew the King when he was but a child, and watched him grow, and knew how he thought, and I might add, was in possession of empathic abilities that let me feel what he did, I will accept you skepticism. After all, I am old, and I could simply be basing all of this on mere conjecture. I could simply want a scapegoat, someone I can blame the recent problems on.

"But I can prove it, can I not, if the betrayer admits the deed, yes? Those last two points were merely observations; possible motives, even. But if the admission comes from the one who I believe is the traitor's own mouth, then you cannot deny anything, can you not?"

Before Coutrend, or anyone else, could respond, Benedictus swung his raptor gaze to Lady Prestor.

"Lady Prestor, may I ask you where you went for your family 'business' not two months ago, when Stormwind was at the height of its despair and violence? What made you abandon, might I ask, your post as a member of the Council of Stormwind?"

"You can't…are you saying that Lady Prestor is your traitor?" roared Schaun, standing in a flash. "Preposterous!"

"Agreed!" roared another, Marcus Trenillias, a noble from an old and wealthy family of hunters. "Lady Prestor has been a part of Stormwind's affairs since King Anduin's youth! She has been nothing but loyal to us!"

"Answer the question, if you please, Lady Prestor," Benedictus said, ignoring these and every other fierce argument.

"My brother called me back," she said simply. "I returned to our ancestral home in Alterac. Is that so wrong?" The woman followed the words with a cultured, gorgeous smile that would have made any other man melt on the spot. Benedictus remained firm.

"You are lying," he said, calmly. "I received, several weeks ago, around the very time you were supposedly in Alterac, from a dwarfish scouting party near the Badlands, of a figure very much matching your description, moving towards the Burning Steppes. Care to explain that?"

And it was true. The report had come rather unexpectedly, forwarded from Magni himself. Though the report had not mentioned anything other than "a figure dressed in back that carried itself like a woman, heading towards the Burning Steppes" he had simply filled in the blanks. He had no idea what she was doing there, and no matter how hard he thought; he could not make a connection. What was in such a desolate place that interested her?

Lady Prestor raised an eyebrow in response, but was not able to respond, for nearly every other male in the room had.

"I won't believe it!"

"It's foolish! Lady Prestor is more loyal to the crown than anybody!"

"Preposterous!"

"Unbelievable!"

The only other man who had not spoken out, Lord Coutrend, frowned at Benedictus. Though cynical and sometimes difficult to deal with, Coutrend was as loyal as Benedictus was to the crown. He loved Stormwind with all of his heart. He questioned constantly, due to his nature as a skeptic, but he had never known Benedictus to lie without reason. He leaned forwards and said, "Compelling evidence, yet it proves nothing, Lord Regent. Perhaps she simply wanted to take a route that did not involve braving the blistering cold of Dun Morogh, in order to get to Alterac."

"Perhaps," agreed Benedictus, "but in such a dangerous place? The Burning Steppes are wrought with dangers of all kind; they are no place for a woman."

"They must have been mistaken," said Lady Prestor. "I traveled nowhere near such a horrible place. I traveled by zeppelin, as I always have."

"I see," said Benedictus. "Perhaps I was mistaken. But there is one last thing that interests me, Lady Prestor. If it comes to nothing, then I will concede, and will humbly apologize for making such a grievous error." He turned his back to the woman for a moment, gazing out the window into the sunny sky.

"In my musings, I wondered why someone would betray the crown, especially after years upon years of faithful service. I mean this not as a disrespect, Lady Prestor. I am merely concerned with the state of our kingdom. If you truly have nothing to be guilty about, then I will step down, and do anything in order to convey my extreme apologies for accusing you.

"After much musing, I decided upon what might have caused someone to betray. It seems the most likely thing, for emotions can drive even the kindest of men to beat their wives to death, or murder their children. So why could they not drive someone to betray their very country?"

He turned, and snapped his razor-gaze onto Lady Prestor's glittering violet gaze.

"How many of your family perished in the Theramore disaster?"

The room exploded at once. Insults and accusations and furious rebuttals were thrown at Benedictus like a hail of stones. The room became chaotic. But Benedictus heard none of it. His eyes were fixated on Prestor, who had shown the first sign of shock since Benedictus had known her. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth hung slightly open. She looked nothing less than stunned.

Then, the shock melted away. Her eyes lowered, and her mouth closed, and she seemed to draw into herself. Benedictus thought at first that she might cry, for she certainly looked like she would. She reached up and held her eyes and her long hair obscured the rest of her face.

He had come to the conclusion that the only thing that could have caused her to exhibit such a flash of emotion, if only for a second, that day months ago when the King had perished, was the loss of a family member. Benedictus could read emotions like a book. There had been pain in her eyes, pain of loss.

But his earlier words had carried not only the meaning he had intended them to. And it was unfortunate for him, and all the rest, that she heard that second meaning, and would react accordingly.

"All of them."

The words, softly spoken, stopped the storm of words that had been raging for the past few minutes in the room. It went dead silent, and drew everyone's attention to her. Some stared in shock, others in sympathy, others with the last vestiges of anger on their faces, before it slowly began to melt off, replaced with one of the latter two reactions.

She continued.

"All of them were killed. Destroyed," she said, a touch of sadness in her words, "before they even had the chance to be born. They had their heads crushed, their bodies burned; they were hacked to pieces before they could even hatch…all of them were butchered by the attacking force.

"I was tricked," she said. "They led me out. They were led by that damned fool of a nephew of yours, Lord Regent. When I returned; they were dead. They were all dead, Lord Regent. I can still smell their blood. It was everywhere. Do you know how painful that is? The pain of losing every child you have ever conceived? Of course not. You never will."

Benedictus had gone white as snow. His hands, hold and wrinkled, began to shake fiercely, and his eyes were wide. In their apparent light, Lady Prestor looked up. There was a cruel, monstrous smile on her face, and she was no longer the beautiful siren she had been before. She looked a demon in human form.

"I got him back, however," she said. "He was a bit bony, but revenge was sweet. I can still taste his blood and flesh, Lord Regent. But I knew that it wasn't enough. So I returned here, and I plotted. I drove the gnomes off by making the fool Thermaplugg betray his people. The elves followed quickly, drawn by their own problems. The dwarves were simple. I just slowly drove your king insane. He did the rest. Things just fell into place after that. The Scarlet Crusade played their part. So did your king, and even you. You have surprised me by finding out. Well done, Lord Regent.

"Well done."

Benedictus reacted without a second thought. He made a hand seal, and cried, "**_Purifying Bolt!"_**

A piercing blade of light-colored chakra smashed into Lady Prestor before she could react. She flew back from her seat, and smashed into the wall, a golden sword pinning her to the wall through the breast.

The other Council members were up. They did not react. Benedictus raised a hand, ready to deliver another strike, before someone grabbed it, wrenching it down.

He stared into the eyes of Captain Reinhardt Schaun, who was staring with eyes of stone at the old man. His hand gripped hard, and seemed to engulf Benedictus' entire arm. It was hot and clammy, and felt hard like armor, as if it were made of scales.

"There is no need to hide anymore," said Prestor. She was looking up. Staring at Benedictus with that same cruel smile. "**_I LOOK FORWARDS TO TASTING YOU, LORD REGENT. I MISS THE TASTE OF REVENGE TERRIBLY."_**

'_No…this can't be,' _Benedictus thought. He had miscalculated. He hadn't foreseen this. How could he have? But the answer seemed to glaringly obvious! Why had he not seen it before?

He suddenly knew what the event he had sensed was. He now knew that he was its cause.

Lady Prestor was changing. Purple lightning crackled over her body, morphing her from lady to nightmare. She grew massive, her skin becoming blacker than night and scaly as a snake. Bony spines erupted forth along her back and her face became elongated and reptilian; her mouth became filled with horribly long, dagger-like teeth, and horns pushed through on either side of her head, curved and wicked. Her hands and feet were claws, suddenly, and a massive tail appeared, that was studded with spines all the way to the end, where they became as long as swords. A spiny, purple frill unfolded upon the top of her head, and her neck was covered in light purple scales and spines that hung like a sack. Her eyes became massive, snake-like; but were the enchanting violet of before.

Benedictus looked upon the creature with horror in his eyes. Never before had he made such a grave mistake.

It was Lord Coutrend, recognizing the frill and the coloring from countless books and scrolls. He recognized her as the queen of the black dragons that had attacked Theramore, which had been responsible for the deaths of so many fellow humans; the daughter of the Black Dragon Aspect, the Earth Warder: Neltharion—Deathwing, to some; and the brood-mother of the last vestiges of the Black Dragonflight.

"_Onyxia_…" he whispered.

The dread dragon Onyxia let out a bellowing roar that shook the castle. It echoed throughout the city, and the fighting and hate suddenly stopped, as the people listened.

Listened to their doom.

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I know that some people will not be as affected as others due to this revelation. Sadly, it does lose much of its effect unless you know exactly who Onyxia is. Refer to Chapter 28 if you wish to find out about the Theramore incident (for that was when I introduced it), and for more mention of Onyxia. There are smatterings of her involvement in other chapters, as well—Philosophy of a King; Darkmoone Faire; Stories, Suspicion and Sayonaras; and of course, the previous chapter.

I am ashamed I even had to do that. Honestly, I know that I have done a poor job in keeping your attention on this issue. Forgive me.

On the other hand, even with this little information that you have, I hope it creates an effect of confusion (and shock to those who know who Onyxia is), just like it is causing confusion for the characters. This is what I intended. Lady Prestor was lurking in the background for this entire time, with but mere mentions or hints of what she might be. But to those who have read closely, even if you did not know who Onyxia was, I hope you got the impression that she was evil from the moment she was introduced.

You can't blame Benedictus for his overlooking this. He had little reason to believe what she was. He made a tactical error—and yes, it will cost him.

Let me know if I can do anything to change this chapter to better affect those who do not know who Onyxia is.

More of course, will be revealed soon enough.

Next week: Kira's return to Stormwind…a not so joyous occasion.

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Nozdormi is battling the effects of an oncoming hangover. Rasengan proves ineffective. We require more minerals.

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**Bestiary:**

**Onyxia (Dragonkin)(Boss)- **The daughter of the corrupt Aspect, Deathwing, Onyxia is a horrible monster of extreme power and many abilities, none of which have been revealed yet. She is cunning and clever, and has been manipulating the humans in Stormwind for generations. She is hateful towards them all, for they destroyed her children. Now, she intends to get revenge.


	58. A Dark Homecoming

**Disclaimer: A haiku:**

**I do not possess**

**Naruto or the World of**

**Warcraft. That is sweet.**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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Naruto shivered as the air around him, like gaseous ice, whipped and blew high above the mighty ocean of Azeroth. He could not see the water, however, due to the layer of clouds, thick and dark, that obscured it. He couldn't hear it either, for the sound of the blasting wind and roaring engines of the zeppelin prevented that. But it was there, far below him, that much he knew. He liked flying over the ocean the most, he thought, because the smell of the sea could reach him, even so far up. Combined with the wind, no matter how chilly, the sounds, no matter how loud, and the feeling, Naruto could honestly say that flying was his favorite thing to do; more than eating ramen, and almost on par with spending time with his friends. No matter how annoying they were the goblins had done this world a service by inventing a way for people without wings to fly.

This world…

He wondered why he still called it that.

He had been in this world for a long time. Months and months, and had done so much and seen so many places; had made so many friends and even gotten a family. Yet, no matter how much he loved this place, he always continually referred to it, both in his words and thoughts, as _this_ world. No matter how many connections to it he had; it was still _this_ world.

Never _his_.

He supposed it was because no matter how much he looked at it, he would always be separate from this world. He could not honestly call it his own—for if he did, what would _his_ world be? Would it be _that_ world, instead of _his_? He didn't want that. No, he couldn't even think of that.

Konoha was in _his_ world—he had too many connections to it to ever abandon it. He had too many promises, too many ties that bound in that world; not physically, but there was hardly a time when he did not think of it. Konoha and its people were always on his mind. Whether it was conscious or unconscious—he always thought of the deep green forests; the chattering of the birds—_his_ birds, whose sounds he could identify at the drop of a hat; the crowded, peaceful streets of the village itself, where it was rare for him to feel anything but at ease. He remembered all of that, and he would not—could not, let that go. Not while he still had things to do.

Not while he still had a dream, which would forever be based in that distant place that he now so desperately missed.

He sighed. He wondered how long it would take for him to return to his home. Sure, he had a promise still to keep—and he would keep it—but after everything was said and done, would Naruto be able to get home? Would there be a way for him to see his friends again?

Would he be able to keep his other promise—to take back the first person he had ever called family? Would he be able to stop Orochimaru from usurping his body? Would he be able to see Sakura-chan again?

The fact that he was so questioning of himself was troubling. He was thinking less on if he would be able to accomplish those goals, and more on if we would even be in the same world in order to contemplate accomplishing them. But that was not how Uzumaki Naruto thought. He shook himself.

He _would_ get home. He _would_ take back Sasuke and stop Orochimaru.

He _would_ see Sakura-chan again.

But _when?_

The agony of that question plagued him constantly. It had for quite a while. He was perfectly happy to help the people of this world. They had given him a lot, and because of them, his family had grown. He was happier than he had been in a long time, because he now had people to share that happiness with. But those thoughts were still a constant. Even when he had fought The Bloodsail Buccaneers in Stranglethorn; even when he had fought off Rend Blackhand and his ghastly army; even when he had fought the Scarlet Crusade; and even when he had spent his time walking with Tyrande, simply talking and laughing with the woman he could call his mother. The thoughts never left him.

When would he go home? When would he taste Ichiraku's ramen? See Kakashi's stupidly grinning, yet mostly masked face, or hear Jiraiya's annoying introductions and see his perverted smiles and furious blushes? See Tsunade's smirk (and though he would never admit it, her prodigious chest), and hear her loudly thrashing some incompetent moron (more often than not, himself or Jiraiya)? See all of his friends: Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, Lee, Neji, Hinata, Ino, Shino, and Tenten?

Or see Sakura? Hear her verbal beatings, directed at him; see her glare at him, or smile at him, or anything else?

He honestly didn't know.

And it was in the midst of these gloomier-than-normal thoughts that Kira made her presence known, popping up behind him with a loud greeting. So distracted was he, that when she announced herself, Naruto jumped, nearly toppling over the railing.

"Don't scare me like that!" the boy said, clutching his chest and gasping.

Kira rolled her eyes. "You must have been thinking pretty hard about something." She smiled at him. "Care to talk about it?"

Naruto frowned a moment, then shook his head. "Nah…it's nothing."

Kira looked at him, her head tilted to the side. "I seem to recall a situation very similar to this, though. When I was troubled, a long time ago, on a zeppelin, you came and comforted me, right?" She leaned forwards. "Let me do the same for you."

Naruto blinked at the girl a moment. Then, with a sigh, he said:

"I was thinking about home."

Kira stood a little straighter, a little startled by the words. He was thinking about home? She had known Naruto for some time now, and so she immediately thought of several different places—each of which she believed Naruto would call home. One was Orgrimmar, where he had spent many months amongst the green-skinned denizens; another was Teldrassil, the place they had just left. While either could be true, she somehow knew he was talking about the last place—his world, Konoha.

"Oh," she finally said, her former enthusiasm a little tempered, though it was difficult for her to say why. "What about it?"

The blonde shrugged a little, and scratched the back of his head.

"Just that…I wonder when I'm gonna see it again."

Kira knew before they boy had even begun to speak his answer, though. It should have been obvious; after all, he had been away from his home for a long time, taken to a place where everything seemed foreign and strange, and it was only natural to miss one's proper home.

But she had thought Naruto different.

Since she had met him, she had gotten the feeling that Naruto had been destined to come to this place. After all, had he not accepted her request, and gone off to risk his life more than a handful of times? Had he not done this for someone he had known for all but a few hours? And had he not gone to each place in this world, plagued by dangers all the way, and made friends and allies and even family in the strangest places? Didn't, after all of this, he have a connection to this world: an unbreakable bond through all of those who loved him and knew him as friend?

And yet as she asked herself that question, she found that she knew exactly the reason, as it was the same as hers for going on this journey.

He had a dream, and that dream could not be transferred to this place. It could not cross the barriers of time and space, and would forever be rooted in his world. Therefore, no matter how much he loved this world, no matter how many people he had touched, or how many friends, or even the family he had, he would someday, when the chance came, return to his own. That thought was horribly depressing.

She looked again at Naruto, who was staring back at the dark clouds beneath them, his hair whipping in every direction, his eyes slightly downcast. She knew then that she had to speak.

"You will go home," she said, smiling, "that I'm sure of. I have no doubt that you'll see your friends, and everyone you've left behind someday again." Then her eyes followed his, and became downcast. "But while you're here…don't you think you should spend time with the people you might not see again, ever? You have so many people in this world that care about you, Naruto. What will happen to them when you leave?"

Naruto gave a small shrug, and sunk down a little. "I dunno. I never really thought about that." He gave a small, sad smile. "This sucks. I wanna go home, but I don't want to leave you guys, or all the rest. That would be too painful."

Kira nodded. "So that's why you shouldn't worry about it. Your friends know exactly why you are doing this, and will wait for you. You have your promises to them, and I know that you intend to keep them, but you also have promises here." She gave him a slightly hard look, which drew his attention directly to her. "You can't abandon us either, okay?"

Naruto blinked again, staring at the girl in slight astonishment for a second, and then gave her a slight smile.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't do that. I always keep my promises! I'll follow this to the end, don't you worry!"

Kira gave him a smile in return, and nodded in satisfaction. But while she smiled on the outside, she knew on the inside that despite his words and assurances, and even when everything was over, he would go. She didn't, with all her heart, want that.

But, she did want one thing, and she knew that before they returned to Stormwind, she had to let him know it.

Before he could turn his attention back to the clouds, Kira leaned forwards and gave him a slight kiss on the lips—less than a full, passionate kiss, but more than a simple peck. He felt for the briefest moments the softness of her lips, coupled with the slight wetness derived from the constant need to moisturize one's lips in the blowing wind, and was even able to taste the sweetness from that moisture. But when it was gone, and Kira was standing a few feet away, blushing as madly as he, he reacted as appropriately as he thought he could at the time. He touched his mouth, and reddened to a point previously thought impossible. Both youths stood in this fashion for a few minutes, reveling in the strange but nice feelings they both felt from the action.

But finally, gathering the necessary courage in order to tell him the reason for her sudden action, she said with a stuttering voice, "Thank you."

Driven partially from his own blushing state by her confusing words, Naruto asked, "What? Why?"

"I'm thanking you, for all you have done, so far," she said. "I just will never be able to thank you enough for helping me. It's so incredible, that my dream is so very near completion—I just can't express how thankful I am for you, Naruto. It's because of you that I was able to do this. It's because of you that my dream will come true, Naruto." She gave him a smile of the purest joy, followed by a deep bow.

"What you did I will always treasure, Naruto. You helped me give this world a way to bring peace. Thank you. Thank you!"

She then hugged him, tightly, making Naruto's face heat up again. It was a sudden, impulsive gesture, though both enjoyed it for different reasons. Kira felt the boy's warm body, blushing a little because of it; while Naruto noticed just how much Kira had grown, with a dazed, Ero-sennin smile.

"Ahem."

Kira released Naruto with a speed rivaling the _Kazaashi_, and before Naruto could even process the previous sound, she was standing a few feet away from him again, red as a freshly polished apple. The originator of the sound was Matthias Hindenborough, who stood a little ways away from the two teenagers, one eyebrow raised curiously. A minute later, he snorted, and after muttering, "kids" beneath his breath, he walked up to the two. His face, normally kind and charismatic, darkened suddenly, and it was that look that dragged the two from their hormonal daze back to reality.

"Something has happened," he said. "The Stormwind zeppelin tower hasn't responded to our signals, and there is smoke in the distance."

Kira frowned at him. "Are we that close?"

"Aye," Matthias said, pointing towards the bow. "Stormwind's less than an hour that way—we'll be able to see it soon."

Worried, Kira and Naruto hurried to the front, where a significant number of the crew had crowded near the front. They parted for the two youths, and, despite the near-blinding wind raging in her face, Kira looked towards the horizon, where the clouds had parted.

Like the tails of a great black demon, plumes of smoke rose high into the air, twisting and changing in the crosswinds. Beneath them, where a haze of darkness—the metaphorical demon itself, crouched, one could see the spire of the tallest tower in Stormwind castle. Kira's mouth dropped open, and horror seized every part of her body—even her heart seemed to stop for a second, as she gazed at the towers of smoke in the distance.

"No…" she mumbled, not wanting to believe it. "No!"

Though her mind rationalized with her—telling her it wasn't Stormwind, but a section of forest or something to that effect, her heart knew the truth. And as she opened her heart, she felt it—the strongest connection that she would ever have—the bond with her people. She was suddenly overcome with pain, with terror, and with sadness. She pulled her arms to her chest, and began to scream.

"NO! NO!"

She began to shake uncontrollably, almost epileptically, and even when Naruto gripped her shoulders, attempting to steady her, she did not stop. She was crying, but she did not know it. She was staring the whole time at the smoke, and what would inevitably lie beneath it.

On her other side, Matthias watched the scene with cold eyes. Her ordered his crew to move full-speed, and reach their destination as quickly as they could.

Naruto watched the towers as well, as he clutched the fitful Kira, his eyes shadowed with worry and anger.

He could smell the death in the air, long before they reached the great city, which was no more.

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The sight of the city was unbearable.

As they descended through the clouds, amidst the curling stalks of smoke, the ruins that lay before them were heartbreaking, even to those who had known little of it. But to everyone who had seen Stormwind in its glory, this was too much to bear. It was like witnessing the fall of a mighty warrior, cut down cruelly and in his prime, and taking ages to die. Screaming in sad agony, while all those who had loved him watched on, sickened and mortified by his final moments.

To Kira, it was as if someone had torn out, and ravaged her very soul in this manner. The pain was so great that she barely knew what was happening.

They saw fires springing up in every part of the city, in both slums and villas. They could smell the musk of burnt flesh, so strong even a thousand or more feet in the air. It became, along with the smell of burnt timber and melted iron and steel, almost unbearable as they floated down. They touched down just outside the city gates, which seemed remarkably untouched by the destruction beyond. From that, it became clear that this was not the result of a siege.

It had come from inside.

Kira meekly tottered from the zeppelin, led carefully by Kylia and Naruto, and Tsuwabuki up against her side. Matthias and his crew followed, clutching weapons of all sorts, in case the enemy remained. Naruto hurried ahead, and with a few expert leaps, was up and over the gate. He disappeared for a moment, and after some obvious fumbling, Naruto found the gate's opening lever, and pulled it. When the gates began to creak open, each movement caused Kira's heart to move faster. It was as if she believed that once the gate opened, she might wake up. This would all be a nightmare, created by her deepest anxieties. In fact, this had been the worst of her fears—that Stormwind would be attacked before she even got back.

But it was no longer just a fear—a distant worry that some part of her didn't really believe would happen. It was real. And all thoughts that it might be a nightmare were washed away, when the gate had fully opened, and Kira saw the destruction that littered the streets of her city.

The moment that realization struck her, she broke free of Kylia and Naruto, and began to run. She ignored her friend's shouts, and simply ran. The castle, she thought. She needed to get to the castle, and see Benedictus. She needed to find out what was happening.

And as she ran, she stumbled over the bodies of women and children, charred and dead, or fallen Stormwind guardsmen. She nearly tripped over the burnt skeleton of a former shopkeeper. But she did not look at them, because she knew if she did, she would not be able to move.

Kylia immediately rushed after Kira, with Naruto and Tsuwabuki in tow. But unlike Kira, whose direction was set, Naruto couldn't help but notice the death around him. He couldn't help but see, and then quickly avert his eyes, the bodies of dead citizens, strewn about like freshly scythed wheat. The sight was terrifying, and the smell was even worse. Naruto closed his eyes, and forced back the tears that threatened to spill. This was too much. This was worse than anything he had so far seen.

This had not been a battle—it had been a massacre.

----

Matthias and the others, who were no strangers to such violence, were nonetheless shocked by the brutality of the attack. Matthias bent down over a fallen child, barely six or seven, and wished he could close her eyes, which would remain open and staring in terror forever.

He noticed the burns on her body, and knew immediately that they were not the result of normal fires. A much hotter fire had killed her, one that had melted the very skin and muscle from her bones. But what had killed her must have been less, or perhaps more, than human. It had been something that regarded human lives with the same apathy that humans regarded insects, to have wantonly murdered so many in such a disgusting and scarring manner.

Matthias had seen many things in his life, but this was on a completely different level. As he tore a strip of clothe from his jacket, and delicately placed it over the girl's staring eyes, he realized that if such violence existed, then peace could never truly be achieved. He would never voice this to the girl; but he was simply convinced that if something like this could occur, then the world was beyond helping.

A sudden sound—the shifting of some wood and rock, caught everyone's attention. Matthias swung, a hand flying to his pistol, but stopped when he spotted who had made the sound.

Another child, two or three years older than the one he had been crouching over, stood next to a ruined shop. A moment later, a few other children, as well as a few adults, appeared from behind the building as well. They stared at Matthias and his crew unblinkingly, showing signs of neither fear nor aggression.

Walking slowly towards them, Matthias quickly said, "We are not the enemy, we just—"

"That is obvious," said one, and old woman with a dirt-smudged face and a tempered glare. She was dressed in a ragged dress, and her hands hung limply at her sides. "The enemy is long gone."

"What happened?"

The old woman sighed. "We got our comeuppance, I suppose you could say." Her eyes then became unbearably sad, and she spoke no more, sinking to the ground with tears flowing down her face.

----

Naruto stopped suddenly, allowing Kylia to disappear from view ahead of him. As the handmaiden's footfalls slowly vanished, he looked around.

He knew the place around him, recognizing it instantly as the place he had purchased a lot of his supplies, a long time ago, when he had first arrived. The shops where he had bought his weapons and clothes were now almost in ruins. They had been touched by fire, and many including them looked ready to collapse. The area was deserted, save for the dead.

He recognized none of those littering the ground around him. He hoped that the shopkeepers who had helped him had managed to survive. It was a small hope, and rather selfish, he knew, but he didn't want any more to die. He didn't want to see their faces join the sightless dead.

He continued walking, across the square, and down a side road that led towards the castle. On either side were half-wrecked buildings—shops and inns, and actual residences. Many had been consumed by fire, and had collapsed into massive charcoal heaps. Others had been torn apart by some great force, and their debris was strewn about the street, leaving only the foundations intact. Some were deserted; others bore the remains of their former occupants, killed in the most terrible manner, without any chance to escape. Some were still intact—remarkably unburned by fire or struck by the massive force that had demolished the others. But these too were deserted, and Naruto hoped that the occupants had long since left.

He quickened his pace, wanting to catch up with Kira and Kylia, for he felt a sudden foreboding. He ran into another square, but halfway across it, passing a ravaged fountain, he spotted something that stopped his heart a moment.

Tucked away in the corner, as it had been before, almost completely charred, was something that he didn't want to see. He rushed over, Tsuwabuki at his side.

'**_What's wrong?' _**she asked, glancing up at the boy.

Naruto bent down, unable to answer, brushing soot from a half-burnt sign.

"**Stormwind Noodles**" it read.

He looked up at the building. There was almost nothing left. The shop front had caved in, and was a mess of charcoal and cracked stone. Sticking from the wreckage, most noticeably, were partially destroyed tables and chairs. In another section, where the kitchen must have been, were piles of scorched stone, burnt wood, and half-melted metal. Cookware and a partially destroyed oven, as well as masses of shattered porcelain littered what was left of the floor. But what drew Naruto's attention was not the décor.

Sticking from the rubble of the kitchen were two hands, charred to the bone, just visible amidst the destruction. They were far apart enough to be sure that they belonged to two people. Because he had never seen another soul in their shop, he had no doubt that it was them.

Naruto stared numbly at the appendage, at first unbelieving. He saw the smiling face of the girl who had served him—Eliza, who had lived alone with her father, simply running that tiny shop by themselves, not unlike Teuchi Ichiraku and his daughter, Ayame. They hadn't hurt anybody, or had even done anything. They had simply been trying to make their way in the world.

They didn't deserve to die.

Tsuwabuki watched, and felt, her partner's pain. She leaned against him, her long silky tail wrapping delicately around his leg. Naruto's hands automatically moved, one stretching down and patting the vixen on the head, and the other reaching up and moving across his eyes, wiping the tears that were trailing down his face.

He hadn't known either of them that well, and he'd only eaten at their restaurant a few times.

But now he'd never have the chance to get to know them better, or eat at their restaurant again. He'd never get to partake of Eliza's smiling face and kind eyes, or her father's delicious noodles again. He'd never get to see either of them, ever again.

And so he cried for them, and all the meetings that they would never again have.

------------------------------------

Kira reached the castle, and fell to her knees.

In front of her, the mighty castle of Stormwind still stood, but rather than the bastion of power and glory it had always been, it now resembled nothing more than a ruin; a tree that had been set aflame, but still stood, charred and broken. Three of the towers had been completely destroyed, and the rest looked, even the highest, dangerously close to toppling. The courtyard in front was scorched and barren—the flowers and green grass had been wiped from existence. The front entrance was mangled, the doors lying in splintered pieces on the ground.

But the walls around the castle were completely intact.

But Kira hardly noticed that, in her distress. Her weeping began afresh, and lasted until Kylia ran up behind her. Seeing her mistress in such a state, she quickly lowered herself to the ground, and wrapped her hands gently around Kira. Kira didn't turn, but latched onto the girl's arms with all she had.

"I'm sorry, mistress," Kylia whispered, burying her face in Kira's clothing. Tears of compounded pain—for her home, and for her mistress, welled up in her eyes. It was but a moment that the two sat there, in silent tears, before a voice cut into their grief.

"Who is there?"

Kira looked up. A man, clad in the garb of the Stormwind Guard, stood there, staring at the girl with confusion and distrust. His armor was dented, dirty and scorched, and he wore no helmet. He was young, and had sandy hair and blue eyes.

Even in her despair, Kira recognized the man. He had been a guard she had frequently spoken to in her journeys throughout the castle when she was a child. He had told her jokes and whispered to her the best ways to get around without being seen. His name was Eric, she remembered. She opened her mouth to say his name, but was beaten, for he suddenly recognized her with a gasp.

"Princess!" he said. "Princess, is that you?"

She nodded, and began to wipe the tears from her eyes, trying to compose herself. "Y-yes, it's me."

The man stared at her in astonishment for a second, then fell down and hugged her tightly, much to her surprise. His grip was almost uncomfortable, due to his armor, and he almost crushed Kylia's arms beneath his dented breastplate. Beneath the river of tears that flowed down his face, was a wide smile that spoke relief and joy. The smile was heartening, and soon Kira found herself hugging back, despite the situation. He was so happy, so honestly glad that she was back that he had abandoned all pretences of class or relations. And she was glad for simply his presence. Like a single flower growing from the barren earth of a desert, this man was proof that life remained in this place.

When he released her, he stood, and seemed to compose himself. His face still bore the remnants of smiling, but he seemed to have remembered both his station, and the environment they were in. He looked away from her, suddenly ashamed.

His earlier shouts had echoed, and after he pulled away, a group of guards appeared from behind the wrecked castle, and hurried towards them.

"What is it?" said one.

"What's happening?" said another.

Eric quickly wiped his face, and looked at an older gentleman with red hair, who stood in the lead of the group, his obvious senior.

"Sir, it's Princess Kira! She's back!" he cried.

The red-haired man blinked, and then looked at Kira and Kylia, both of whom were in the process of composing themselves. Upon sighting Kira's pretty, purple eyes, ones that he had seen every day for many years, jarred his memory of the girl, and without a second thought, he bowed deeply. The others, seeing their leader bend his head so swiftly, followed suit, until all but Eric were prostrated before Kira.

"Princess!" they shouted to the ground, as if afraid to look at her.

Kira looked at them all, traces of feelings that she didn't believe she could feel in such a time weaving their way into her. She was glad for them, glad of their presence, and their life. Glad that in this destruction, there was still something as she remembered it—these people, the guardians of her city. She could feel their shame, and knew that it was because she had returned to see the city in this state. They had failed to protect it, and for that, they were saddened and ashamed. Nothing she said would take that feeling from them.

But, as their princess, she had to try.

"T-thank you," she whispered, bowing low to them. When she straightened, she brushed some fresh tears away. "Thank you for being here."

Nobody responded, but they sat up, and she knew that her words had heartened them, if even for a moment. But now, she needed them.

"Where is Archbishop Benedictus?" Kira asked, softly but desperately. The red-haired man looked up, into her eyes, so full of terror and worry and pain. He met them only for a second, before looking away, and saying softly:

"The Infirmary, My Lady."

Kira gave them a swift, deep bow, before turning and bolting off in that direction. Kylia was a mere second behind. The two girls were mere blurs when they passed a startled Naruto and Tsuwabuki, who had just arrived on the scene. It took Naruto a few moments to collect himself, and after glancing at the ruined castle and the group of guards, he took off in Kira's direction, Tsuwabuki loping after him. The guards watched them go, two of them getting a nagging feeling that they had seen Naruto somewhere, long, long ago.

--------------------------------------

When Naruto finally caught up, Kira had stopped outside a large building, relatively untouched by the carnage displayed in the rest of the city. It was made of white stone, and about as big as Konoha's hospital. It looked, however, so much smaller, because of the number of people who had crowded around it.

There were people everywhere—fitting into every spare nook and cranny the street and alleyways around the Infirmary had, and so bunched together that it there didn't appear to be an inch of spare space in sight. They lay on blankets or makeshift stretchers, many wounded and unconscious, and many sitting up and being tended to by one of the dozens of healers that peppered the crowd. These healers were doing everything they could—some applied medicine to stinking, gangrenous wounds; others eased pain to those in the throws of fever, using_ jutsu_; more were dishing out food and water to those who needed it most; and still others were pulling white sheets over those who had stopped moving, and would never do so again.

The air was filled with moans and pained grunts. Children cried—whether for their own hurts or their parents'. It was filled with the awful stench of dead flesh, blood, and infections; and the acrid scents of medicine to fight such infirmities mixed into these, creating a disgusting cloud that made Naruto nearly gag, and Tsuwabuki shy away, while Kira and Kylia needed to step back.

But the sight of it—the pain and the sadness that flowed from every person present, was more than enough to motivate Kira. Her first instinct was to help, but it was overridden by her second, which felt more pressing. She started forwards, her eyes beginning to scan the healers for any sign of Benedictus. She looked upon the ground to, but when she did, she grew terrified that she'd find him there.

All the while she searched, she fought to keep from breaking into renewed sobs when she saw a covered body, or an old man or young child in a state that would soon require a white sheet. These were her people! She felt, no matter how faultless others might have considered her in this situation, so terribly guilty. The guilt increased with every step and every sight.

"Excuse me," she finally said desperately to a healer. "But where is Archbishop Benedictus?"

The healer, and aging, matronly woman with large hands, looked at her for a moment. It too took her a moment to recognize Kira, and when she did, she nearly dropped the soup tray she was holding in shock.

"P-princess!" she gasped, stepping quickly backwards, her eyes wide.

"Please," said Kira softly, her eyes imploring the woman to rein her surprise and answer her question.

The woman, who had known Kira ever since she had begun training with Benedictus, composed herself. Her composition, however, was marred a second later by a terribly sad look, not unlike the one the guard had given her.

"Inside, Your Highness. He is on the second floor, room five."

Kira gulped, her fears coming true with those words. Fighting back tears, she thanked the woman and hurried by, and into the building.

Kylia and Naruto, who had been watching Kira since the beginning of her search, now moved after her into the building. Naruto passed each person, wishing that he could somehow help them. He had never once wished so much that he knew some healing _jutsu_. The pain reflected on everyone's faces, and their longing to be free of that pain, was horrible to see, and even more horrible to just walk by, unable to help.

Inside, Kira had vanished. The hallways were crowded with ailing people and healers, all performing the same duties outside. They stopped one, and asked where Archbishop Benedictus was, and then followed their directions up, to where they would find their friend.

When Kira entered the room, and sighted her master lying between crisp white sheets and a heavy ivory duvet, Kira finally did begin to cry. She slowly walked over, and looked upon Benedictus' face.

The old man looked pale and weak. His golden eyes were closed, and his face, once so full of life and power, now seemed lifeless and broken. He looked small, and none of the presence that she had once admired remained in him. It was only by the slight rising of his chest that she knew he was alive.

She fell to her knees, and lay her head near his body, weeping. It had been months and months since she had looked on her master's face, and into his eyes. Now, unable to look into his eyes, and not wanting to look upon his weakened form and face, she could do nothing but weep for him, and her people, for the pain that they had been afflicted with. The flood of tears came out non-stop, and her silent sobs made her body shake like a rattle without its contents.

Her city was in ruins. The enemy responsible was gone. Her people were dead or ailing and in so much pain and despair that no matter where one went, it could be felt. The shock of the situation was long gone, and what replaced it was nothing short of the greatest despair she could have ever felt. This was worse than any nightmare she had dreamed of.

Because it was reality.

"Ahh," a soft voice above her said. "Now is not the time for crying, little one."

Kira looked up.

His face was turned towards her, and his eyes were open. The shining gold orbs that she so remembered were there, and though his face was still sunken and weak, those eyes were filled with the energy that he had always had. In fact, after being away so long, they seemed brighter than ever before.

"Hello, Kira," said Benedictus, lifting a hand, and placing it squarely on Kira's head.

"Master!" Kira gasped, and thrust herself upon the ancient man, wrapping him in a fierce hug that would have surprised a tauren with its strength. Benedictus winced in pain at the suddenness of the movement, and the areas that Kira was aggravating, but he did not pull away. He held her, as she wept again, making small circles on her back.

He smiled warmly, because he was just as happy to see her, as she was to see him.

-----------------------------------------

"Now, now," Benedictus finally chided. "I did not expect this young woman before me to be such a child! Dry your tears, now, won't you? There are things we must discuss."

Kira pulled away, and wipe her eyes again, and removing the wet trails left by her tears. She looked at Benedictus again, but saw that he was looking elsewhere. He was staring at the door, where Kylia, Tsuwabuki, and Naruto now stood.

"Come in," the old man said, gesturing weakly to them. "It is proper that you hear this as well, is it not?"

They came in, with slight trepidation. Kylia because she was in the presence of Kira's master, and one of the most powerful men in Stormwind, and Naruto because he remembered the creepy old man; he had met him just after he had Kira, only briefly. He had been a little strange, and Naruto had not forgotten that.

Benedictus tried to sit up, but Kira, with a sudden gasp, tried to stop him.

He clicked his tongue, and stared at her irritably. "You're more like those nurses than I'd thought, young lady. I'm not so weak that I can't sit up. I'm not that old, you know!" To prove his point, he struggled up with his arms, and finally was in a sitting position. Upon reaching this state, he sat back, clearly exhausted, but triumphant. He cast then, a grave look at Kira and her friends.

"It is unfortunate, my dear, that you came at such a time. Or perhaps, it is fortunate, because you likely missed certain death."

"What happened?" Kira asked, the question having been burning in her mouth for some time now.

The old man sighed.

"I made a foolish mistake, that is what," he said. "I sprung my trap to early, and I did not take into account the direness of the situation. That disgusting snake played me for a fool until the very end, even when I thought I had had her."

"Who?" Kira asked.

"That vile beast—Lady Prestor. Or should I saw, Lady Onyxia."

Kira's eyes widened. Prestor? _The_ Lady Prestor, was the cause of this?

"Lady Onyxia…?" she whispered.

"The daughter of Deathwing," said Benedictus, hollowly. "The leader of the Black Dragonflight of the Dragonmurk in Dustwallow; the one who destroyed Theramore—and also the one who helped kill your father, and destroy the Alliance of before."

Kira's face had gone white. Her thoughts turned back to all the times she had seen and spoken with Lady Prestor. She had been kind, if a bit aloof, and had possessed much of the beauty and dignity that Kira had always wanted to possess. She had commanded the respect of all of the Council, including her father—she had even guided Anduin, when he had been young, before he could legally rule.

_That_ Lady Prestor was the fearsome Onyxia of legend: a dragon of the Black Flight, who had inflicted terror and evil upon the world for thousands of years before? Daughter of the mighty Aspect, Deathwing?

She simply could not believe it.

Benedictus' explanation unfolded from there. He told her all he had suspected, and all the steps he had taken to expose her. He told her of his grave miscalculation, and Onyxia's revelation—that he had driven Mekgineer Thermaplugg to betray the gnomes, and had slowly driven her father to madness with her dark spells. He then told her of her exposure, and the terror that had unfolded after.

Upon shedding her human form, Onyxia had called forth the dozens of Stormwind Guardsmen that she had made into her dragonspawn, as well as Captain Schaun, a Black Drake that was of her personal guard. They had proceeded to ravage the city, killing anyone who strayed into their path. Due to the constant fighting, and the confusion, the people were unable to organize any sort of coherent defense—rather like, Benedictus coldly noted, what had occurred at Theramore. Several were defeated in the ensuing fight, but for every one dragonspawn slain, a thousand or more people had died.

While her minions attacked the city, Onyxia herself had dealt with the Council. Without much trouble, she had slain over half the Council members, while the others either battled to escape with their petty lives or had tried to fight back. Benedictus and Coutrend, along with three other nobles, had fought the Brood-mother of the Black Flight, using skills born from years of experience. It was from this fight that Benedictus had nearly died, not from the wounds, but from sheer exhaustion. It was from sheer desperation that they fought, with tooth, nail, and any technique that came into their minds. The castle had been demolished systematically in this way, torn apart by the wild fighting of man and beast.

By the end, the city was alight with the dark fires of the Black Dragonflight, the streets were strewn with bodies and drenched in blood, and the castle lay wrecked and smoldering. Only Benedictus and Lord Coutrend, along with one of the three nobles who had helped fight Onyxia, remained. They had not been victorious—Onyxia, not by any stretch beaten, but wounded by Benedictus' final attack, had retreated with her flight into the sky, likely to return to the dank, evil swamps from which they came. Benedictus had collapsed then, and had been bedridden ever since. He had seen nothing of Coutrend and the other noble; but from his dealings with the surviving Guardsmen, he knew the state of the city.

Upon finishing his narrative, Benedictus sunk back, and closed his eyes.

"Forgive me," he whispered.

Kira was not sure if he had directed the plea at her, or at some invisible or memorable figure that he was recalling then. But when the silence stretched, she felt she had to speak.

"You have done all you can, master. You've done so much, and if it hadn't been for your discovery, it could have turned out much worse…" she didn't know, even then, if she really meant that. But she felt no anger towards her master—she couldn't.

"Perhaps," the old man said softly, opening his eyes. He turned his head slightly, and looked at her. "But it was not good enough. I was unable to protect and keep things in order, even before this event. Had you returned before this—it might not have been at all different. What is now pain and despair was once violence and fear. And it is because of my foolishness. Forgive me."

"No."

Benedictus looked up, meeting Naruto's eyes for almost the first time. The blonde had stepped forwards, and was looking squarely at the old man.

"I'm telling you, none of this is your fault. You did the best you could do, or else you wouldn't be Kira-chan's master, right?" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, assuming his typical position for this situation. "So like you said, now's not the time for tears or blaming or anything like that." He pointed out the window, to the ruinous city. "It's time to start helping these people."

The old man gazed curiously at the boy. He had only spoken directly to him once before, and from that he had gotten a general idea of the boy's personality: stubborn, rather rude and uncouth; but powerful, and exuberant, and overflowing with determination. And now, from hearing him speak but once more, he saw the thing that had sent that boy around the world and back.

It came in the form of but a simple feeling in his heart, rising up in such quantities that his pain seemed to lessen, and he felt ready to stand up and out of bed. It was a power that could create feeling in the coldest of hearts, and keep it stoked and ready, with but his very presence. And it was at once that he truly saw why Kira had chosen him.

"Ahh," he said, with a kind smile, and at once Naruto was struck by a vision of the Sandaime, smiling a very similar smile. "You are right. Now is not the time." The old man sat up, straighter.

"Of course, we cannot help yet. For, there is something that must be done before that."

Kira glanced at him. "What?"

The man's features were morphed by a sudden shadow, as he said, "We must hunt her down. We must seek Onyxia and her brood, and finish them."

Kira's eyes widened. "What? But we have no way of doing that, master!" She glanced at Naruto. "There is hardly anybody to even take up the challenged, and if you, or even a group of dozens of the city's best, at Theramore, couldn't defeat her, then who else could…?"

"There are many reasons why I could not defeat her," he said, slowly. "I have little attack strength, and in the battle, it was only Coutrend and a few other mages who stood up against her. I provide support, as most priests do, and she is extremely resistant to mental and physical attack. You should know this—you have studied dragons on countless occasions.

"And as to your second point, it is true that Theramore had far more people, but in such a case, that wasn't necessarily a good thing. It was comprised, yes, of many of the people considered to be Stormwind's best, but they were not any sort of organized fighting force. They were those who had proved themselves worthy enough to go—therefore, anyone, whether mercenary, hunter, hedge wizard or wandering priest, who had the skill to accurately take on a force of dragons. They lacked camaraderie, and experience in working in groups—in short, they fought by themselves, despite being part of a small army. Back then, too, Onyxia was in possession of a formidable army of dragons. It would be foolish to think that, even with all her power, she could take on that many warriors alone. And it would be foolish, too, to think that she had not suffered many losses in that attack. Because she claims her eggs were destroyed, and no doubt many of her flight perished in the actual attack on Theramore, she is now weaker than she has ever been. Add to that my own wounding of her. Now is the perfect time to strike, and I have just the means to do so."

"You do?" While worry was still painted clearly on her face, dabbles of intrigue and confusion had appeared as well.

"Indeed," he said, softly, with a kind smile. "And they should soon arrive." He then reached out, and stroked her smooth face. "But now it is time for the lost Princess to return. It is time, now, for Kira Wrynn to make herself known to her people."

Kira's face changed again. She assumed a look that Naruto had seen only a few times before—one that he now realized reminded him of someone. It was clear of emotion, but not hard or cold. It was stern, yet determined and kind, and though within her eyes the pain and worry lingered, she did not let it show through.

Naruto grinned, upon seeing that face, for he knew what it meant, and knew that it would be the fact that greeted those weakened people—it would be the face that brought them back to strength.

----

It was not long after, only a day, in fact, before the news Benedictus had been predicting came.

A courier came to the Infirmary, rushing up with eyes wide and face red.

"Princess, Lord Regent—there is a very strange group here who wish to meet with you."

While Kira looked at her master with puzzled eyes, Benedictus smiled his old man smile, and directed the man to send them immediately to him. The man departed as quickly as he came, while Benedictus struggled out of bed, much to Kira's distress.

"I want to be there to see this," the old man said. "Fetch that boy, Naruto, will you? He will need to be here for this."

A few minutes later, Kira, Kylia, Naruto and Tsuwabuki stood outside the Infirmary, while an aged nurse helped support a grumbling Benedictus. Neither Naruto nor Tsuwabuki knew exactly what was happening—only that Benedictus had requested their presence, for it pertained as much to them as it did to Kira.

"It is the fruits of your labor," the old man said softly, his eyes twinkling cheerily.

And when the courier returned, with a mass of people trailing behind him, Naruto knew exactly what he meant. Had he the jaw of a snake, he would have unhinged it at that point simply to make his mouth open wider in shock.

"Yo! Naruto, it's been a while, hasn't it?" boomed Kaine Bloodhoof, crossing his massive, hairy arms and grinning down at the blonde with his large bovine teeth. Across his back was Cairn's Wartotem, as large and brutal as ever.

"Hey, Naruto, it's been even longer—"

"—hasn't it?" said Linkizzle and Rurizzle, the gnomes that Naruto had befriended ages ago. They bore matching black suits, and wore thick, bright green goggles not unlike Naruto's.

"Aye, ya might've grown a' bit talla', I'd say!" grinned Undrig, who now sported a shiny new set of silvery armor, and a new massive hammer strapped to his back.

"Aya' been workin' on me language, mon," rumbled Gen'rash, making a sunny grin at the blonde from behind his mighty tusks.

"Hmph. Are you less annoying than before, brat?" said Golbarn, his hand on the mighty blade always at his side, and his familiar glare in place.

"Doubt that, eh? I mean, annoyingness just gets getter with age," snickered Fenritt, smirking as best his face could at the orc. "Eh, Myrdraxxis?"

"Unfortunately, he's right," the sullen rogue said, as unchanged as ever.

"But it's his annoying quality that makes him so loveable," giggled Neera, smiling at Naruto as if he had never left. "Right, my lady?"

"Arguably," said Shandris Feathermoon, smiling serenely at the boy.

"So does that mean if I'm as annoying as Naruto, you'd love me?" asked Fen, turning immediately to the elf girl with a makeshift sleazy grin.

"If you grow back all of your skin, and had eyes, yeah, I might!" Neera retorted, grinning at the Forsaken, who pouted.

Kaine cast a look at the two gnomes, the two elves, and the dwarf. "We're outnumbered, Gen'rash, Golbarn!"

"Congratulations, you can count," said Golbarn, raising an eyebrow at the tauren.

"It must have—"

"—taken him the whole way over to realize that, eh?" snickered the two gnomes.

Kaine puffed up, glaring at the little men, and boomed. "I'm not entirely sure what you just said, but I think it was an agreement, you bastards! I'll kick your asses!"

As all this occurred, Naruto began to laugh. He laughed not only with joy, but because he now knew that that dragon lady stood no chance. She could never win—not with his friends on his side. Not with all of them with him.

She would pay.

---------------------------------------

Onyxia screamed.

The cavern seemed to explode with her rage and pain. It shook horribly and fire erupted from the cracks that lined the floor, where molten rock flowed beneath. The walls were shaped with fire unnaturally hot, hot enough to reduce the toughest of metals to pools in mere seconds. They were smooth and perfectly shaped, curving upwards into a dome at the top. They were etched with designs of all sorts, in some arcane language that nobody but the chamber's sole occupant could understand. It was big enough to fit the entirety of Stormwind Castle within, perhaps even more. A river of fire flowed around the chamber, like a great moat, and the floor was littered with broken rock.

In the center of it, the brood-mother screamed and shook and raged. She raged not in the physical pain that she felt—her left bottom leg was grievously wounded, thanks to a final, lucky shot of the Archbishop. The pain came from the memories that now tortured her, burning her more than any physical wound could.

'"**_Why?" _**she roared to herself, liquid fire streaming from her nostrils, her violet eyes blazing. "**_You are not avenged! My children, I can still hear you!_**"

The echoes of her voice were the only response.

"**_I will make them pay! Worry not, my children, my brother! They shall all die! They will wish that I had sent them all to hell!"_**

------------------------------------------

Done.

Not much to say. I'm glad everyone like the revelation, even though I thought it was a little crappy. I hope this chapter is up to standards—it's time to bring back all those loveable characters that we've met up so far. This is the last arc in this part of the story.

Hope you enjoyed it. Seeya next week, I hope! This week is looking pretty busy, but I think I can push out a chapter by at least next Sunday or Monday.

Seeya then!

Corrected Kaine's line—He's no longer so proficient in common.

General Grievous

--------------------------------

Nozdormi –

kweh

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I have flip-flop disease today. Off again.

General Grievous


	59. To the Dragonmurk We Go!

**Disclaimer: A poem:**

**Over and under the hills we go,**

**Riding upon our saintly raft.**

**To find the place that we know,**

**Where I don't own Naruto or Warcraft!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

----------------------------------

They went straightaway—there was no time for socializing or reminiscing. They had to leave, then and there, in order to preserve what slight edge they had over Onyxia and her kin.

Matthias was called instantly, and sent to prepare the zeppelin for take off. When he was off, Benedictus gathered everyone around him, his golden eyes grave as the cold, grey sky. He told them that Onyxia's lair lay where the great southern mountains met the awful, evil swamps of the Dragonmurk. It would not be hard to find—for no doubt what was left of her flight would be guarding it zealously; and in her rage, it was likely the whole region would shake and rumble, feeling the anger and hate that had consumed her. She had abandoned the Prestor visage, and with it, that cold serenity that had made her so dangerous; she was now a wild beast, seeking revenge for what had been done to her.

Benedictus did not tell them much else. Anything else was irrelevant, superfluous. Encouraging words were pointless to a group such as this; or at least, _his_ encouraging words. They needed no instruction in battle, for that would only burden them. With but the words, "Luck, for you will need it," he departed for his room, complaining loudly to the attending nurse the entire way.

The sky was gray and the air tingled with biting cold. The trek to Matthias' zeppelin was made in near silence. For walking among the dead, nobody felt inclined to speak. It was not born from superstition, but respect; for an observer, it would be the only thing in common the group had with each other. A shared belief that the dead should be left in peace and silence, so that they might enjoy their eternal lives without disturbances from the living.

But then again, words were not needed. Though many of them had never met, and whose only connection was through Naruto, they enjoyed the silence, knowing that there friend was so close at hand. He had been away from them (in some cases), for quite a while. Many simply noticed the changes in their friend—it was not simply the change in stature; they felt Naruto wiser than before, and with his normal exuberance tempered, they saw more of the Naruto who had come through for them.

When they came to the gates, Kira stopped.

When Naruto realized his friend had fallen behind, he turned, a question on his lips. But it slipped away, when he saw her face, and he knew exactly her intentions.

She gave him a sad smile. It was a two-fold look—she was sad that she was not going to be with him; but even more was she sad for her people, and it was that look that she was trying to convey to him. She was saying that she could not come with them, for it was her place here. It was her place in her city. She had a duty, one she had long neglected: to begin the process of healing her broken country. With her eyes, and her downcast face, she expressed to Naruto her trust in him, and her belief that everything in this matter would be up to him, and that he would succeed without question. The faith in that look, hidden beneath the pain and grief, was enough to spur Naruto into an action he had made once before.

Affixing a bright, confident smile on his face, he raised a single thumb, upturned, to Kira. The girl was puzzled in part by the gesture, but when she saw the smile, it became clear.

'_It's the promise of a lifetime,'_ he had said, without words. He would, without question, defeat Onyxia, and end her horrible existence on the world. He would not fail this time. He promised both her and himself that. Because he was not going to retrieve a friend, a brother—he was going to destroy an enemy greater than before, with his friends by his side. Though naïve, he didn't care. With his friends by his side as they were—he would never lose.

The action, now fully understood, brought tears to Kira's eyes. She believed him, and would not let doubt slither through the cracks in her rock-solid thoughts. She smiled gratefully to the boy, who after holding the position for a mere moment, turned and followed his friends out. Kira stood watching them long after, her eyes not leaving his form, and at that moment realizing just how much he had changed.

Kylia stood by her side, solid and silent, never doubting in her position. Kira smiled at the girl as she turned, and with but a final glance over her shoulder to the forest, where Naruto and his friends were still just visible, she walked back into the city, which received her once more.

In the background, the low rumbling of the zeppelin taking off filled the air, and a moment later, it was gone, taking Naruto and his incredible spirit with it.

-----------------------------------

"Yeah," Kaine muttered, long after they had departed, to Naruto, whom he stood beside near the railing of the zeppelin. "Granddad started making me learn Common around the time that you left Orgrimmar. It's such a pain!"

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "It isn't that difficult. Orcish is pretty hard, but I managed in a few weeks."

"That's 'cause you needed to," said Kaine, crossing his arms. "Or else you couldn't get by."

"Lord Thrall has implemented a plan to make it necessary for the merchant and diplomatic professions fluent in Common and other base languages," said Golbarn. The blademaster was sitting cross-legged on the ground, a few feet away, his back to some unlabeled boxes. His sword was upon his lap, and he had a tight grip on it, as if the wind would blow it away. "He believes it will be necessary for the language barrier to be broken, in order for this alliance to function."

"And he's right," said Fen, on Naruto's other side, with a skull-grin. "It's probably going to be the easiest one, too!"

Naruto agreed; out of everything that the new alliance might face, it would be the least of their worries. He turned his head, and sought out the others. Linkizzle and Rurizzle were somewhere below deck, no doubt in deep conversation with one of the few engineers. Neera was shivering, but staring it absolute awe at the scenery from the railing, a little ways away from Naruto. Shandris stood by her side, as a mother might watch a child who is too close to the edge of a cliff. Gen'rash was fiddling with some bones that he had spread upon the deck, near the cabin door, totally lost to the world. Myrdraxxis was below deck as well, and had been ever since they had started. Fen said that he didn't like zeppelins too much, and nobody made a comment farther than that. Undrig was almost directly in front of Naruto, resting against the same boxes Golbarn was. In the light from the sun his armor flickered and glowed bright, leading Naruto to question its presence upon the dwarf.

"Ah was promoted," he said, cheerfully, puffing his chest out a bit and stroking his long, black beard. "Ah been trainin' loads since ye left, but it was just recently that King Magni gave me ah promotion, and that gave me a new set o' armor and a nice new weapon," he patted the hammer fondly. "Ah been trainin' in every weapon that evah existed since you left, as well as joined the Order that King Magni's a part of." He grinned at Naruto. "Ah've got quite a few tricks ta show yah, lad. Ah'm no longa a warrior, lad, as you'll soon find out."

Naruto grinned, and said, "Can't wait!"

"Speaking of waiting…" came the distant voice of Rurizzle above the raging roar of wind and engine, "we've got a surprise for you, Naruto, after this is all said and done."

Naruto turned his attention to the newly arrived gnomes, grinning up at him with identical smiles: Rurizzle, with his green hair slicked back and no beard, and Linkizzle with his wild-looking green hair, scarred face, and trimmed green beard; both with eyes the color of metal.

"Whaddya mean?"

"We can't tell," said Linkizzle. "Would spoil the surprise."

Naruto frowned, bending over to glare at the two little men. "What is it?"

"Sorry," snickered Rurizzle. "Can't help you."

"Come on!"

"That would ruin the fun!"

"Just a hint!"

"Sorry!"

As Naruto degraded from arguing to begging with the two gnomes, who seemed immensely pleased with their position, Kaine made his way over to the two elves, who stood slightly apart from the rest.

"Yo," he said, a bit lamely.

"Hello!" said Neera, whipping her head to face the tauren, and then up to meet his eyes. "You're a tauren, right? You're the first I've ever met, you know."

"Really?" said Kaine, puffing his chest out, and feeling rather pleased despite himself. "You're the first elf I've known, too. You live in Darnassus, right? My grandfather told me that the night elves live in the most beautiful forests in the world…is that true?"

Neera's eyes lit up with light of enthusiasm. "Is it! I don't have much to compare it to, but…" And off she went, telling Kaine everything she knew about the world she had lived in for nearly all her life. The tauren sat placidly, listening with great interest to the story.

Naruto saw this, and his countenance visibly brightened. It grew again when, having finished their tempting of Naruto, Linkizzle and Rurizzle were tentatively approaching Gen'rash. Just as Naruto was wondering if they would be able to understand him, they began speaking in very good Orcish to the troll, who responded cheerfully, his amber eyes glittering, to their inquiries as to what he was doing with the bones.

"Da bones ah cast, an' da spirits speak. Ah be listenin', mon, ta dem spirits, who be showin' me what gonna be happenin'."

Rurizzle whistled. "No kidding?"

Linkizzle scratched his tiny, green beard. "Amazing!"

The little men then began peppering him with similar questions, to which the troll answered with the best of his linguistic abilities.

To Naruto, nothing was a more pleasing sight.

Shandris walked over, standing by the blonde, her eyes fixated on the scene as well.

"Amazing, is it not?" she said to him. "That's the first time I've seen gnomes and trolls within ten feet of each other not attack. And I don't think I've ever seen an orc and a dwarf talking to each other with such civility." She nodded her head in Undrig and Golbarn's direction. The two were talking, or perhaps debating, the outcome of a particular battle that had occurred many years ago, before either of them had been born. While each took their respective sides, it remained a light-hearted argument, involving nothing but their words and their knowledge of history. For Naruto it was surprising for them to just get along, never mind their species or histories. But for Shandris, it was a sight so amazing and strange that it would be akin to watching a demon and an Ancient debate environmental issues. It was a sign of both how much the world had changed, and still would, and of how much Naruto had done, in his short time in this world.

"You have done an amazing thing, Uzumaki Naruto," she said, gazing at him fondly.

Naruto was unable to stop a slight blush from rising to his face, but he quickly masked it with his infamous grin. The two had a laugh, which drew the attentions of Fen, Kaine, and Neera, who all wondered what was so funny.

On they flew, across the great sea, towards the noxious world of Dustwallow.

The gnomes made friends with nearly every one on the ship. At one point they even went down to pester Myrdraxxis. When they returned, they had gone white as ghosts, and refused to tell anyone what exactly had occurred. Suffice to say, nobody even thought of bothering the rogue.

Golbarn and Undrig's debates broadened, and eventually others joined in. Those who didn't find amusement in talking about politics or economics or history started playing word games. Fen won every time, without question.

Naruto's question as to how they had come together was answered during the long flight. Benedictus had sent a missive, just following Onyxia's attack, which had stretched to the farthest corners of the world, to everyone who had been initiated, or hopefully would, into Kira's new alliance. It had been a big chance with the night elves, considering that it had arrived not a day after Naruto left, but Fortune had been good to them. The missives had stated the direness of the situation in Stormwind, and implored them to send aid, of any sort.

They had done so, of course. But Naruto found out quickly that he was slightly mistaken. The group with him was only made of the frontrunners; the proof that Benedictus' plea had not gone unnoticed.

-------------------------

"Archbishop! Princess!"

A man skidded into the room, his eyes wide with a combination of fear and awe, panting furiously.

"I'm afraid the young Princess is out now," said Benedictus, calmly. He was sitting up in his bed, gazing at some scrolls that were laid out on his lap. He was looking, however, only at the man at this point. "Is something wrong?"

"There are…orcs! Trolls! Tauren! They've arrived at the coast! Coming in zeppelins and ships to the shore nearest to us! What are we going to do—"

"Nothing."

The man stopped, and stared at the old man in a mixture of shock and fear. "W-what?"

"They have simply responded to my summons; they will be let in. Thank you for the news, however. It is some of the first good news I've heard all day." The old man was smiling, and his eyes shined like suns with the brightness in his features. The guard looked confused for a moment, then departed, walking away in a daze.

As Benedictus struggled to get up, another visitor entered: Kylia. It was rare for her to be apart from Kira, but it was by her mistress' orders that she come.

"Mistress wishes to meet with you, Archbishop," she said softly.

The old man nodded irritably, and struggled out of bed. He held a hand out to the girl, who grasped it, and allowed him to pull himself up and steady himself using her slight, solid form. He then nodded, and directed her to lead.

"Was it you, Archbishop, who sent for them?" the girl asked, as they walked down the hall towards the stairs.

"Oh indeed," he said, chuckling. "Right after I regained consciousness, in fact—it was the first thing I saw fit to do. While I admit it was a gamble, I feel it would have paid off in the end."

Kylia stayed silent. They left the infirmary, walking through the slight gap between the hundreds of ailing people in the street outside. The air was cold, and the sky gray, but it no longer seemed depressing and sad. There was something else in the air, which made it seem more alive than ever before.

Kylia glanced around her, at the wounded and sick.

"Do you think they will be able to help?"

The old man laughed. "Yes, I do. I think that this is the beginning of a new era. The old Stormwind, full of prejudice and stained with the blood of its rulers and people is now gone. While the death that I see around me is indeed terrible, I cannot help but feel that in some way it was necessary." Kylia glanced up at him, a frown upon her features. He smiled at her reassuringly. "Yes, it may seem cruel, but that is what I believe. There was far too much hate in this place, before. Even when Anduin was ruling, hate and prejudice poisoned the masses as terribly as the Undead Plague itself. At the rate that it was going, it would have turned into another bastion of the Scarlet Crusade; where its people were fiercely intolerant of all others, even themselves."

They were in a ruined square now, which was filled with people. They were the ones who had survived, and had not been injured in the battle, or had since recovered. They filled the square beyond its capacity; dressed in their burnt, dirty rags, their dirt-smudged faces, and their puzzled and fearful glances towards the center of the square. They looked nothing like the people Benedictus had described. They looked broken and unsure; it was as if they could no longer feel hate, for if what he had said was true, then hate would be their reaction to what they now saw.

In the center of the square, stood Kira, upon a raised platform that was made of little more than debris bunched into a level and stable pile. She looked quite small compared to the figures beside her, none of whom Kylia had ever seen or met. But there they stood, nonetheless: a mighty orc with a single glaring eye, and a scarred, fierce-looking face; next to him, a grizzled old dwarf with also only one eye, whose arms were crossed and whose face was split by a grin; a mighty tauren to his left, powerful and young, dressed in leather working clothes; a gnome, who only came to the tauren's knee, with a bushy gray beard and bright yellow goggles; a gangly, tall, well-dressed troll with shocking green hair stood beside the gnome, an axe over one shoulder; an elf, tall and beautiful, stood aside him, dressed in robes of forest green; and a cloaked Forsaken, who hid his features from the fearful masses. Kira stood beside them all, as one of them. She was already speaking, telling the people in front of her why they had come.

Some reacted with revulsion and shock at first. Benedictus watched several people back far away from the makeshift stage, making an evil-warding sign towards the Undead and the orc. He heard several whisper to each other, wondering what their princess was thinking, why there were such horrible beasts standing beside her. But the whispers died soon, as Kira's powerful voice captured them all.

"But," whispered Benedictus, to the girl by his side. "Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Stormwind will be born once again. It has gone through its baptism of fire, and from here, it can only go up. It has been destroyed before, and continually rebuilt—but this time, it will be born not by the hands of humans, but by the hands of humans, orcs, trolls, dwarves, gnomes, tauren, Forsaken, and night elves. It will be born greater than ever before, my dear. Stormwind is no longer the kingdom of humans, not anymore. This Stormwind will be the center of the world, where the races of the world congregate." He smiled warmly at Kira, who continued to speak, to gather the attention of everyone present in a way that reminded the old man of her father, and her mother.

Both were there with her, as she spoke.

"The orcs have brought tools of metal, and labor to help us rebuild our homes and shops. The trolls have brought the strongest woods from Stranglethorn to make our houses with. The tauren have brought stone and strength, to repair our roads and walls. The Forsaken have brought medicine, to heal our sick, and to strengthen our healthy, so that they can work harder and faster to rebuild our home. The dwarves have brought the skilled craftsmen, to design and rebuild our castle, which now lies in ruins. The gnomes have brought their technical skills, their gadgets and machines, to help speed our process up. The elves have brought herbs and have their druids to help us re-grow our gardens and return Stormwind to the beauty it once held." Kira's words rang out; each one said with such emotion that they might have dropped out of the air, and struck the ground with bellowing echoes, so that everyone could hear them. Such was the extent of her ability: that one wondered if she was truly as young as she appeared.

"I implore you to look away from the past. Release your grudges, and embrace a future where you will no longer have to fear attack. Where you can travel the farthest reaches of the world without fear of death. This is what I sought to bring you, in my departure! I am sorry that I was not here for you in the past, but now I am! Something has been brought to you that can change the face of this world! So please, just listen to my words: the people of this world are no longer divided, and they, like you, want nothing more than peace. They want nothing more than to live their lives, in their own fashion; just like you! So please! Stay your tongues, and let them help us. Let them help us build a new Stormwind, which we can once again be proud of!"

"So you see," said Benedictus. "This world has entered a new era. One undivided by race—and it will succeed, as long as these people wish it to."

Kira spoke on.

And the people, dead and alive, listened.

------------------------------

They came to Theramore one day later, when grave clouds shrouded the sky, and the wind had ceased to blow.

Matthias and his crew touched the zeppelin down in the very center of the ruined township, and where the air seemed to have perished along with its occupants. It was stifling and hot, and deathly silent. Even the bog, so near, seemed devoid of life. The noxious swamp gases polluted the air, making it especially difficult for those with more sensitive noses to function. There were no insects, which seemed as bothersome as if there were thousands. With no wind, it seemed a mighty tomb—it had the same sense of enclosure, and it smelled distantly of death and decay. The place was dead, and had long rotted to bone—there was nothing left here.

"I won't be coming," muttered Matthias. He stood at the very edge of the ship, near the plank that led to the ground. His face was grave and sorrowful. "I'd gladly join ye all if I thought I'd be helpful; but I'm somewhat rubbish at fighting." He glanced lamely at his belt, which possessed a pair of pistols, neither of which he knew would be effective against a dragon or its kin.

"Don't worry," said Naruto, smirking at him. "Thanks for the lift, though. We'll be back soon."

Matthias nodded, clapping the boy on the shoulder. He smirked. "I won't doubt it. That's a bet I'd lose."

Naruto gave a cheeky grin, and then stepped off the zeppelin along with his friends. Matthias gave him a final wave. He then turned, and returned to his cabin, hoping to escape the scent brought by Death. But he wouldn't leave—he gave a final glance towards the group, as they walked away, and said a silent prayer for them.

The ground was soft and muddy, as if it had just recently rained. For a few moments, the large troupe needed to gain their bearings, for became difficult to walk, especially for Kaine, Golbarn and Gen'rash. Naruto stayed atop the mud by placing chakra into the soles of his feet. The others quickly followed suit.

They walked through the dead town, their eyes flickering in every direction for signs of movement. They walked in a circular formation—it was Golbarn's idea. The orc had produced the plan before they had landed, saying that it was best that they had eyes on all sides. It would be difficult, therefore, for them to be snuck up on. It was a fine, simple plan, and nobody contested it. It was slow going, but they were in no true hurry.

It gave them a full view of the tomb that was once a town. They saw broken, long rotted buildings that had been reduced to piles by fire and rain. Some had sunk deep into the muddy ground, as if the earth was trying to devour them. And they saw remains—of dragons and men, the bones darkened by rot and dirt. Some were half-sunk in the ground, like the houses; but some remained atop, bare for the world to see.

But it was only death they saw. There was no life, good or evil, in the world around them.

They reached the edge of the town, closest to the bog. There was a large bridge, still intact, between two guard towers made of dark stone. The portcullises of the towers remained closed, but they remained functioning, and so it took only a flip of the switch to open them. The towers were as dead as everything around them, at least, at first. For, as they passed through the second gate, and into the proper swamp, an insect buzzed past Naruto's ear, making him twitch at the suddenness of the sound. The croaks of toads and frogs, and soft chattering of various animals, the buzzing of flies and the distant sound of water suddenly came to them, as if they had just stepped out of a soundproof interrogation room.

"Weird…" muttered Neera, voicing everyone's thoughts. It was as if they had stepped through a portal, from the underworld to the living world. It was even more humid within, as if a blanket had covered the world, and was slowly smothering everyone who dared breath in.

Shandris pointed, her eyes narrowing. In the distance, just above the trees, one could see looming mountains. It was there they had to go.

The bog was disgusting beyond all measure. The ground was mucky and soft, and stank worse with each step, despite staying above it using chakra. The water was foul and murky, and they took great pains to move around it, in case the bubbles which rose periodically from the bottom was more than just swamp gas. The trees were low, but their far-reaching foliage blocked the sky, and shrouded the area in a deep green darkness. It was extremely difficult to see, due to the darkness and the foul fog that pervaded the area. They walked through the swamp in the same circular formation; moving as swiftly as they could, not out of urgency to find their target, but to be free of the swamp as fast as possible.

They saw only twice evidence of the black dragons. They stumbled by a large clearing, where the remains of many charred buildings lay. It was completely deserted, yet from all the activity buzzing around them, it was as if it still lived. It was Kaine who noticed the half-burnt symbol of the Horde near the entrance.

"Lord Thrall had several encampments here," Golbarn recalled. "This is doubtlessly one of them. From what I remember, we suddenly stopped receiving reports from them several years ago. Thrall sent a team to discover why, and they never returned. He could not risk any more, so he let it alone, after that, and deemed it best to approach this area with extreme caution in the future."

Golbarn then said a soft prayer for those who had perished, and they moved on.

They stopped a little while later, to rest and plan. The found a small clearing, safely away from the waters of the swamp, where a tree had recently fallen, and now lay half-buried in the mud. It had not fallen by any natural means—something had severed it in two, rather cleanly. A remarkably sharp blade—but a long time ago, as Shandris believed in a close examination of the stump. Several other trees in the area were like that. But there was little evidence to suggest that something still remained nearby. Whatever had done it was long gone. The ground was soft and mossy, and did not attempt to suck in their feet as they took seats wherever they could. But nobody felt especially comforted in their choice of resting place; they would not, however, mention it aloud.

They had formed a plan already, courtesy of Golbarn. However, he had convinced them that it was rudimentary at best, and back-ups would be necessary.

"There will be few left of the Black Dragonflight, according to that old man," the orc rumbled. "But that hardly means we have an advantage. We need surprise, and we need planning."

"Neither of which are definite," retorted Shandris, who was far older than the orc, and far more schooled in battle. "For all we know, she could have already sensed our presence, and I do not doubt it for a second. As for planning, in the heat of battle, many things can go wrong."

"But a plan is better than none," said Golbarn.

"True," the elf conceded. "I am not contesting that. However, it is foolish to think that one can plan for every conceivable outcome. We have a guideline, and that is to eliminate what remains of the Black Dragonflight, and then Onyxia herself. We have not been sent to simply destroy her—we must prevent her and her brood from ever posing harm to this world again. And so to do we have a plan—one that you created. Destroy those whom we encounter first, by leading them into the open air and battling them on our own terms, and then deal with Onyxia. It is a fine plan, and I would not waste time in making any backups." Her eyes shifted to the rest of the group. "The need to exercise caution is great, but I am confident that you all know that."

There were nods all around. Golbarn, annoyed at this disagreement, but nonetheless receptive of the woman's judgment, merely nodded. He fell silent, looking sullen, but perhaps mulling over her words. He was no fool to refuse the advice of someone far wiser than he.

"What about teams?"

It was Naruto who put forth this question, to everyone's surprise. But Shandris had already caught on, and said:

"How many here have the ability to heal in battle?"

Only Gen'rash held his hand up, aside from Neera and Shandris herself. Frowning, the women looked at Golbarn. "We don't have many healers, so I suggest two teams: the main attackers, and secondary attackers."

Golbarn nodded, and started where she stopped. He had almost immediately caught on to her plan. "I agree," he rumbled. He thrust a finger at Naruto, then Kaine, and Myrdraxxis. "You three, including myself, will consist of the main attackers. You have the strongest techniques and are mainly offensive based. I then think—"

"Oi," spoke up Undrig. "Ay'll be mooch betta' off in that team as well." He furrowed his brow and looked hard at the orc, daring him to contest.

"Agreed," said Shandris, before Golbarn could speak up. "That will be five main attackers, who will always be at the forefront of the fight. However, I propose that one of them is replaced with a healer, to allow better recovery in battle."

"I'll switch with the troll," muttered Myrdraxxis, his luminous eyes staring at her. "Fenritt and I work better on a team."

"Fine then," said Shandris. "Then comes the secondary attack—this, in effect, might be even more important. It will consist of—"

"The two gnomes," interrupted Golbarn, "the Forsaken, and the two elves."

"Yes," said Shandris, with the patience of a saint. "The secondary attack team will be the ones who do the most damage—it will be they who strike when the enemy is completely distracted. That is the job of the main attacking team—they will, due to their high offensive abilities and durability, draw the attention of the enemy. They will fight off, and distract them, for as long as they can, and give the secondary attack team the necessary time to prepare and eventually execute a devastating surprise attack—which will hopefully finish off the enemy swiftly. But that means that the main attack _must_ keep the dragons' attention, while we prepare."

Naruto frowned, sitting cross-legged on a stump, his eyes narrowed. "That's a lotta work." He looked at his fellow teammates. "Then we gotta keep them busy, okay?"

'**_I will remain with the other group, then,'_ **said Tsuwabuki, who sat beside his stump, looking up at him. '**_It will give you eyes and ears with them, so you will be able to react accordingly.'_**

Naruto voiced this to Shandris, who was pleased. "That's good." She looked around again. "Let's rest a little longer, before moving on. I also wish to finalize the tactics we are going to be using."

The swamp buzzed, burbled and lived around them, as they made their plans to destroy the remainder of the terrible Black Dragonflight.

------------------------------

They started up a while later, when everyone was ready and knew exactly what they were to do.

The main attackers would always be out in the open; the secondary attack team would make themselves as scarce as possible, and only until they were really needed would they reveal themselves. They would, until then, provide help from the shadows. Gen'rash, a most proficient healer, would be responsible for keeping the attacking force alive until then. In order to better aid them in this respect, the witch doctor in training doled out potions to the attack team—Troll's blood potion. It would allow them to heal minor wounds and stop bleeding faster than normal, making it easier to keep them alive. It was a revolting mixture, but it would work.

Naruto had removed his Kyuubi training seal. He promised himself that he would not use the power during this fight—he probably wouldn't need to, in any case. He was strong enough, he felt, to fight alongside his friends using his own power, not that of the demon's. He fingered his sword as he walked—now that he knew its talent, he would be able to use it far more effectively.

Gradually, the trees started disappearing as they walked, and the sky became slowly visible; it was a sheet of white, though the sun could still be felt through it. But as this happened, they began to hear it—a soft rumbling in the distance. The water rippled and the ground shook with each step towards it.

They felt the rage of Onyxia, surging through the earth.

The awful stink of the marsh gradually faded, and was replaced by the noxious stench of sulfur. The grumbling grew ever louder, as the trees grew sparser, and the ground more solid and rocky. And the teams grew more and more alert, for it wouldn't be long before they reached their destination.

The mountains then loomed above them, as they emerged from the last of the trees, to face a vast stretch of land that was scorched bare of any sort of greenery. The ground was gravel and volcanic rock, full of craters and pits, which spewed smoke and ash in geysers into the stinking air; which was hot and dry, like a desert, and there was no wind.

They had left behind every sound of life behind them, in the marshes.

Before them, at the very base of the mountain, was a massive cave. The mouth had been shaped, crudely, to look like the gaping maw of a mighty black dragon; its teeth were hardened lava, and its eyes seemed to glow, but only because of the fiery light that emanated from deep within the cave.

Around the cave, the bones of hundreds of beasts littered the ground, some so burnt that they were almost indistinguishable from rocks, and others bleached white by the sun and dry air. The beasts ranged from every sort of humanoid—to ogres, orcs, trolls, and humans; to animals of all sizes—kodo and crocolisks, and even sea-dwelling creatures like whales. The rumbles, like thunder from the earth, were strongest here, and it was clear that they had come to their destination.

Without word, Naruto, Kaine, Golbarn, Gen'rash and Undrig made their way down towards the cave. As they did, Shandris, Linkizzle, Rurizzle, Neera, Fen and Myrdraxxis moved away from it. With a few hand seals from Shandris, the group slowly faded from view, their images melting like mirages into the air. But they remained, and began to creep around in a wide arc towards the mouth of the cave, thanks to a spectacular display of light bending that only Tyrande Whisperwind could match.

The "attack" team came to the entrance moments later, and stood at the mouth of the massive cave, where the stone dragon head threatened to swallow them any second. Nothing moved, and aside from the rumbling, they heard nothing.

Golbarn glanced about, his mouth set in a thin line, and his hand tightly clutching the hilt of his sword.

"Get ready…"

"OI!" Naruto suddenly thundered, "COME OUT, BASTARDS!"

Before Golbarn could even think to reprimand the blonde, a black shape exploded from the mouth of the cave.

It was absolutely massive—twice as big as a kodo, with thick black scales on its back, and scales the color of tarnished gold on its stomach; with wings stretching the length of Matthias' zeppelin, and a tail studded with spikes; with a head shaped roughly like an arrowhead, atop a long, winding neck, and fierce orange eyes, and claws as long as Naruto's sword, and teeth like daggers; the mighty black drake came, and landed before them with a resounding crash.

"**_You rang," _**it thundered, baring its teeth and snarling the words.

Only Naruto seemed unruffled. The boy had a challenging glare on his face, and a hand on his sword.

"The service here is terrible," Naruto quipped, for a brief moment affixing an obnoxious smile to his face. "I want my money back."

"**_You'll get what you deserve, and no less, little human!" _**it roared, hellfire in its words. **_ "I shall be my queen's hand, and deal out punishment to all of you!"_**

The beast then roared, long and loud, and filled the area with sound. In that same instant, it seemed to spring to life, as a great rumbling shook the earth, and from the mouth of the cave two dozen jet black dragonspawn—clad in armor made of molten rock and taller than tauren, streamed forth, letting out roars that echoed their leader's. They surged straight towards the group, who snapped into a ready formation.

The black drake, once Captain Reinhardt Schaun, let out a bellowing roar, and took flight. In that same instant, Naruto bit his thumb, made a few hand seals, and slammed his palm to the earth.

"**_Kuchiyose no jutsu!"_** he cried. A swirling cloud of smoke enveloped him, and mere seconds later Naruto was no longer alone.

"Heeeeyyy mannn!"

"Yo! Gamatsutsu!" the blonde cried, grinning widely at the sound of the hash smoking, potato chip-eating toad's drawl. The elephantine toad lifted his pipe from his mouth, and rolled his eyes up to look at Naruto.

"Naruto! What's up mannnn?" He then blinked, and stared up at the black drake, whose beating wings caught his attention, with dazed shock. "Woah…déjà vu."

"Oi! I need your help again, okay?" the blonde shouted, freeing Magni's Pride from its sheath, never taking his eyes from the flying menace above.

"Sure thing man!" The toad took a deep puff on his pipe, then lifted it up and let it rest on his shoulder. He looked up, towards the drake, and let out a great whoop.

"Hold on!"

Grasping to the toad's back with chakra, Naruto was just barely able to remain standing as Gamatsutsu exploded from the ground, shooting upwards with the speed of a flying arrow. The black drake roared, and dove to meet them. They struck in mid-air, Gamatsutsu's mighty pipe crashing against the steel-like claws of the black drake. The battle began in that instant.

Below, the remaining members of the group charged forwards to meet the dragonspawn horde. Kaine swung his grandfather's wartotem at the first dragonspawn that reached them. Loaded with his chakra, the blow struck the beast with the force of a speeding train. It was flung to the side, reduced to a dangling mass of scaly meat and bone, allowing Kaine to meet another, which prevented him from doing the same thing by exhaling a burst of fire into the tauren's face. The tauren stumbled back, his face singed and burned—but his fighting spirit far from depleted.

Golbarn's blade moved as a mere sliver of light. It cleaved through the scales of the first dragonspawn it encountered like butter; but the beast, a veteran of battle, flung itself with the swing of his strike, and was able to make it out with only a minor wound. It hissed at him, snarling words in a language that Golbarn couldn't hope to understand. It then slashed at his face with its glittering claws, but the orc blocked and dodged. Another dragonspawn appeared behind him, brandishing its claws and teeth, smoke flowing from its nostrils. It attacked as Golbarn turned, his blade at the ready.

Gen'rash twisted and dodged, avoiding the many strikes from the dragonspawn all around him. One hand glowed crimson, and with each opening he had, he struck out with it—each strike weakening the scales and bones of his attackers. His other hand clutched a knife of bone, with which he struck each dragonspawn he could, his knife seeming to pass through nothing but air when it in fact had pierced their scaly flesh and molten armor.

Undrig was the most surprising of all—he stood amidst a crowd of the terrifying beasts, only coming up to their waists; yet he held his hammer high, and around him was a golden aura. Any dragonspawn that attempted an attack met one of two fates—if they struck at him where he could see, his hammer would move in a blur, and smash the offending limb to bits; he would then lunge at them, and club their knees and send them to the ground, where he would pulverize their heads. Or, if they struck at a place where he could not see, the aura that surrounded him—the _Aura of Thorns_, would lash out and spear them with a golden lance of chakra, wounding them.

He had been training, as he had claimed. But it had been in the arts of a warrior. He had joined a faction of the Order of Holy Light, and now served Ironforge as a paladin—he had a knack for it, apparently, and due to his prior training in weapons, he needed nothing but training in the paladin's _jutsu_. He was far from a master, like King Magni, but it was enough, to aid his friend Naruto in this endeavor.

Kaine crushed another dragonspawn beneath his wartotem, and hissed when a pair of steely claws tore into his back. He drove his wartotem into the ground, and a second after doing so made a hand seal.

"**_Shadow Clone Technique!" _**

From his body sprang two clones, each clutching a wartotem as he. Letting out twin cries of "Try this, bastards!" He rushed into battle again, now with the force of three tauren. The technique he had learned from watching Naruto was something he had never neglected in his training, and something he would always cherish. And in this battle, one that he had been called to because of Naruto, he would use it to its fullest, to show the blonde that he'd never fall behind. So he fought on, with determination, not desperation, in each movement he made.

**BOOM!**

Behind all of this, Gamatsutsu landed. The giant toad was covered in burns and cuts, and for once didn't seem to be enjoying all of this.

"Dude…that thing is _so_ not cool," he said. He lifted his pipe, which was scratched and tarnished by flame and claw and tooth, as he and his summoner stared at the black drake above them, which seemed triumphant.

"Damn it…" Naruto hissed, glancing about. '_Where are you guys?'_

'**_Coming, just hold on,' _**his spirit partner said, through their unbreakable bond.

The black drake suddenly folded its wings and dove. It streaked towards them, but a black blur in the air, its mouth open and gaping. It belched a gob of magma, and spun to the side. Gamatsutsu grunted and leaped out of the way, once again nearly toppling Naruto. The fight began anew, the black drake spitting its terrible breath at the two otherworlders, while Naruto and Gamatsutsu tried desperately to get in an attack. But the drake was too fast and too smart—nothing like Gyth, who seemed "special needs" compared to this beast. Naruto cursed angrily, glaring at the black demon with all his might.

He wouldn't let this stupid thing, which had so harmed Kira's people, get the best of him!

Gen'rash growled low, feeling a dragonspawn's claw digging into his back. Another was gripping his arm hard enough to remove it, should the creature feel inclined. Though his body healed swiftly, it was being taxed to its limit—there were so many attackers, and each passing moment he received more and more wounds. Glancing about, he realized there was a chance for escape, and took it immediately. He stepped towards the dragonspawn to his side, and upon putting his foot in the creature's shadow; he sunk beneath it, and into the earth. The dragonspawn feebly attempted to hold on, but it as if he was being pulled down. He vanished, their claws no longer buried in his flesh. A moment later he sprang up from behind, and sucked in his breath, spitting a cloud of greenish mist into their faces. They howled in pain as the mist ate away their scales and flesh, and eventually their muscle and bone. They both dropped, but even as they did, more came upon the troll. The Skullsplitter growled again. There were too many.

But on he would fight—fiercely, but not with the primal urges of his ancestors. He would fight to protect and aid, not consume and destroy.

Golbarn snarled as a claw struck him in the shoulder—a glancing blow, but enough to send pain shooting through his body. He gripped the edge of his blade, pushing his chakra into the blade. It began to shimmer blue, and with a resounding cry of "**_Bladestorm!"_** he released it in a swirling tornado around him. His blade and body spun, discharging a torrent of chakra that cut into the dragonspawn around him, and sent them reeling back in anguish, and releasing a cloud of blood into the air.

But even as he finished, more took their place. The cavern spat out a fresh wave of the beasts, and they continued their vicious attack. Golbarn retreated, his arms covered in cuts and burns, snarling in rage and frustration. Their attacks were fast and unending, and for even someone like him, it was becoming problematic. He glanced back, to where he saw Naruto battling the drake. As he did, the plan melted from his mind, and he set himself to keep fighting, as his friend would. He would trust those whom Naruto considered friends, until he was proven otherwise.

Hidden near the wall of the mountain, still covered by Shandris' _jutsu_, the secondary attack team waited. From their position, the battle was turning in the favor of the Dragonkin. Myrdraxxis was the one who leaned in, and spoke to the night elf Sentinel in a harsh whisper.

"It is time."

She gave the barest of nods, and released the technique.

The dragonspawn surrounding Undrig were becoming more and more numerous, and the dwarf was quickly losing chakra. If he wanted to be of use later, he decided he needed a change of tactics. He released his aura, and dove beneath the legs of a particularly large dragonspawn; he came out behind it, and swung his hammer low, shattering its hind ankles and sending it toppling back. But as soon as he did this, another struck at him from behind, its spiked tail hitting him solidly in the back. He fell forwards from the force, gasping in surprise. Rolling over upon hitting the gravel, and looking up, his life would have ended there had the support group not finally made their presence and purpose known.

A flicker of flight flashed above Undrig, level with the dragonspawn's chest, and half a second later, the beast toppled with blood gushing from a sudden wound in that very area. Undrig quickly got to his feet, avoiding being crushed as the dragonspawn fell forwards, displaying the gore from its death upon the grey stone beneath them. Around him, dragonspawn were meeting similar fates.

Shandris' Sentinel blade zipped through the air with the speed of light, piercing through numerous dragonspawn before returning to her hand, still shining brightly, no trace of blood or gore upon it. Neera's blade soared through the air too, but it moved slower; at the same time each blade had been extended by chakra to near three feet, and so it wounded and slew almost as many. The two night elves danced around the gathering of dragonspawn, their blades constantly flying, and their eyes constantly searching for danger to their allies. Neera glanced about for Naruto, and saw him yards away, still in battle with the drake. She relaxed, and then refocused.

But as the dragonspawn began to react to the beginnings of the surprise attack, they were once more thrown off. A pale mist swirled above them suddenly, casting them in shadow; a moment later long, deadly spears of ice, like rain in a frozen Hell, shot with cannon-like force into the army of dragonspawn. Golbarn, Undrig, Gen'rash and Kaine all managed to avoid being struck; there being far less of them, and far more enemies.

"**_Frost Veil: Rain of Unending Winter!"_ **Fen's voice rang out, almost joyfully. The Forsaken stood yards away from the actual battle, his hands raised in a seal, his face a death's masque of glee. Though blood no longer flowed in his veins, he felt that he could feel adrenaline rushing through him. It only served to make him more excited.

Many dragonspawn turned towards this new threat. One such beast was only half-turned, when it suddenly perished as twin blades flashed across its throat, nearly decapitating it. In the very same instant, as a dragonspawn near it noticed its sudden demise, and turned to face it—only to die as well, as Myrdraxxis swiftly moved behind it, with as much skill as the best shinobi. _Poena _and _Tuska_, the Forsaken's terrible blades, seemed to guide his hands towards the blood and death, and he only the unwitting accomplice. The second dragonspawn's head was cleaved in two, spilling its contents across the earth. Myrdraxxis had already moved on—like a ravenous plague he moved, without emotion or preference. Anything with scales in his vision perished under his blades.

And then from the ground, massive iron rods with spherical heads emerged, each of different length—from twelve feet high to but a foot, courtesy of the gnome twins, Linkizzle and Rurizzle. Two of them speared a dragonspawn on their way up, but that was not their true purpose.

Linkizzle stood by the tallest one, while Rurizzle by the shortest. They shouted:

"Out of the way, everyone!" And then performed hand seals in unison, and upon completion, touched the rods with both hands.

"**_Rizzle Bros. Lightning Field!"_**

The metal rods began to glow blue, and crackled with electricity. Lightning exploded from the spheres on top, arcing to every available conductor. It ran straight through many dragonspawn, pumping them full of so much electricity that their hearts stopped, and they fell like rag-dolls to the earth. Linkizzle and his brother had their hands up and out—the special suits they wore conducted electricity without risk to their health, and using their chakra, allowed them to redirect it towards prospective targets.

Tsuwabuki proved herself as adept at combat as her partner—she streaked through the crowd of dragonspawn, her claws slicing at their numerous ankles. Some stumbled, growling in pain from the sudden attack, and would knock into others, throwing them all off balance; some fell, and the ones that did she swiftly put out of their misery, her claws and teeth tearing at their faces and throats as if they were made of steel. She had developed a thrill for battle, just like her partner, and now knew what it was like for Kaine and Naruto, and why they competed so much.

With each attack, the dragonspawn became less numerous, and the survivors began to consider that they might not win. Some attempted to escape, by using their incredibly powerful legs to leap high into the air, in the direction of the swamp. Neera and Shandris, patrolling the outside of the fighting area, made for these ones, intent on not letting a single one escape.

High in the air, Naruto's blade came up, unguided by his hand, and deflected the striking claws of the black drake. It was only due to the chakra that cemented his legs to Gamatsutsu's back that kept him from being flung away. The toad complained loudly with each strike, however, feeling that any harder the beast attacked, and Naruto would rip the skin off his back.

Naruto suddenly had a flash of insight—a plan, one that he had often in times such as this. He called to Gamatsutsu.

"Oi! Can you distract it?"

"Suure thing mannn!" the stoned toad called, hopping away from another of the black drake's magma bombs. Placing the gigantic pipe in his mouth, Gamatsutsu took a deep, long puff, filling his mouth with hot smoke. He launched himself at the black drake, which flew to meet him, and suddenly exhaled, heating the smoke even more with his chakra.

"**_Shuukahaiun no jutsu!"_**

The stream of smoke, black and stinking foully, engulfed the drake as they rushed to meet it. Stunned by the attack, the creature swerved mid-flight, and missed the soaring toad. As it streaked past, Naruto leapt into the air, ejecting himself high using the _air grasping_ technique he had learned from Thrall. The blonde latched on, just barely, to the beast' tail, which swung and flicked as the drake flew, thrashing, through the air.

Gamatsutsu landed a moment later, and called up "Good luck, mann!" before disappearing with a popping sound.

Gripping a pair of spikes with all he had, Naruto held on desperately, waiting for a chance. It arrived mere seconds later, when the beast flicked its tail up. At the zenith of the flick, Naruto let go and flew up, his hands flashing together into a seal.

"**_Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_**

The cloud of Naruto clones fell atop the drake, gripping every bit of flesh they could. Suddenly feeling the extra weight, the black drake whipped its head around to see its passengers.

"**_Whelp!" _**it roared at him, beating its massive wings. The Naruto clones clutching the sides of its wings went flying, but those on its body remained firmly clenched to its body. The original Naruto clung to a large spike on the back of the creature's neck, closest to the head. Holding on for dear life, Naruto called two more _Kage Bunshin_ to the cause, which clung to his arms as soon as they appeared, terrified of falling.

The drake soared up, and twisted around and around. It dislodged more Naruto clones, but still many more remained firm in their positions, never letting go. Despite all it did to shake them off, they remained, like stubborn ticks clinging to a man's flesh.

"All right!" Naruto yelled, "Let's go!"

With echoes of his own voice encouraging him, Naruto threw his two passengers upwards. In mid-air, they locked hands, and made a singular seal between them. Seconds later they vanished in a puff, replaced by a pair of monstrous kunai, connected by a long chain. Naruto himself then kicked off the drake's body, speeding upwards and forwards before it could take a snap at his passing form. He grabbed both kunai, and threw them downwards.

Taking into account Naruto's strength, as well as the speed at which the black drake was flying, and where Naruto had leapt to, the falling weapons hit their intended target perfectly. They pierced the membrane, at the very base of each wing, sinking in halfway and causing the drake to suddenly screech in pure agony. Immediately after, they became clones again, now no longer connected, and with their hands tore larger holes in the creature's wings before they vanished. The drake flailed, beating its wings rapidly, but hardly gained any height.

As this happened, Naruto's clones introduced their part in the plan. Producing from their pouches each a kunai, wrapped around it an explosive note (courtesy of Naruto's own stores, distributed in his summoning of them) they plunged the weapons between the drake's scales, digging in as best they could, before releasing the bit of chakra needed to set them alight.

The clones, and Naruto himself, leapt off at the last second, just as the bombs ignited, all at once.

"**_Naruto Ryuushin Shoumetsu!" _**they cheered as one.

The explosion illuminated the sky, and filled the ears of everyone present. Below, almost at the very moment, the fight on the ground had all but ended. No dragonspawn stood, and all that remained of their group was a pile of carcasses that stretched for several yards in each direction. Two had escaped, back into the cavern—but it wouldn't matter much. There had been no casualties, and that was enough for the teams.

The black drake crashed to the ground, smoking. Its wings were ruined beyond repair, and the force of the numerous explosions had destroyed the scales on its underside and back. Several horrible wounds covered its body, and the impact from the crash had driven all but the last of its life from its body. Naruto landed a mere second later, cushioning his fall by pushing chakra into his feet. Even so, he still nearly fell, and began to gasp as soon as he had gained sufficient footing.

The black drake twitched, and let out a fierce-sounding grunt, and began trying to move. But it would not get far.

The others crowded around it. Shandris and Neera, looking tired and covered in sweat, but barely wounded; Golbarn, with a mass of wounds on his back, chest and arms, but triumphant; Myrdraxxis and Fen, neither visibly wounded; Rurizzle and Linkizzle, slightly winded and dusty, but also unhurt; Gen'rash, covered in blood, but few wounds; Undrig, with tarnished armor and slightly burnt hair, as well as a large gash across his forehead; and Kaine, sporting large wounds on his back and arms, but smiling widely in victory.

The black drake looked about, in its final moments, stunned. It could not speak, but gave a faint, dying roar; its meaning lost to everyone there. It stopped moving a moment later, and the drake that had served six years as Captain of the Stormwind Guard died.

Naruto wiped sweat from his brow, and slumped into a sitting position, on the gravelly, dusty ground, now stained with dragon's blood. His friends fell to rest in their own ways, and they sat there a moment in peaceful silence.

The stench of sulfur and brimstone was almost gone now—replaced by the acrid smell of dragon's blood, full of corruption. The air was still oppressively hot and stagnant, and without any breeze, the smell would linger a long time.

After a moments rest, Shandris stood, and made her way over to Golbarn, the most wounded of the group.

"Relax," she said, at his stiffening. "You need to be healed. We have no way of knowing when, or if, Onyxia might come herself."

The orc said nothing, and relaxed at her gentle touch. Her hands began to glow with healing energy, and she placed them on Golbarn's back, and began to heal. Neera jumped up as well, and hurried over to Kaine. She ordered him to sit, and let her tend to his wounds. Gen'rash finally got up as well, and began his healing upon Undrig.

As they rested there, Golbarn finally spoke up. "What do we do now? Wait?"

Shandris, in the midst of healing a nasty gash on the orc's side, said calmly, "I do not know. We have two courses of action."

"What are they?" asked Rurizzle, swigging some water from a pouch at his side.

"We can wait, and see if Onyxia comes to us—however, the flaw with that is that she may never come, and if we wait too long, our advantage may disappear. The second is to go in, but the flaw there is that she will have better knowledge of her surroundings, and we will be unable to escape once we enter."

"We're going in," Naruto said abruptly, as he absently rubbed Tsuwabuki's soft head.

Golbarn glanced at Naruto. "Oh?"

Naruto nodded, looking at the orc with a powerful glare. "Yeah, we won't get anywhere if we stay here, and besides, either way, she going to be tough. There's not much to lose in just going right now, is there?"

"In this case, I would agree," said Shandris. "Besides, the cave works with us—she will have little way of escaping, just like us. And she will not have much of a space to fly in, which will increase our chances. I would think it much better to go in now, rather than wait."

"But after a fight like that…?" asked Neera. "Will we stand much of a chance?"

"Of course!" Naruto said. "We're more than enough to be able to defeat this stupid dragon bitch! There's no question about it! We'll win, that's what I _know_!" The blonde turned his steely blue gaze towards the cavern, his mouth set in a grim line. His body shook with barely contained rage against the creature that lay within. As he looked into the dragon's mouth, he saw the lifeless hands of Eliza and her father; the dead bodies of the shopkeepers; and so many women and children and innocents, all dead. He could not let something like that go unpunished. It went against his _nindo_, something he treasured as much as his dream.

And he had promised, too. He had done the "nice-guy pose," after all. He could not fail Kira, one of his best friends.

The look on his face and the conviction in his voice slightly allayed their fears. Neera nodded, grinning at Naruto. Rurizzle and Linkizzle bobbed their heads in agreement. Undrig let out a gruff laugh, and Golbarn snorted. Fen smiled wider than he usually did, and Mydraxxis rolled his luminous eyes. Gen'rash chuckled, and Kaine let out a whoop of agreement.

"Then in we shall go," said Shandris, as heartened as the others. "But shall we rest first?"

There was a chorus of agreement.

--------------------------

Within the cavern, deep below the mountain, Onyxia had stopped raging. She lay in the center of her massive lair, staring around her at the eggshells that littered it. Her purple eyes were narrowed, and her mouth closed; she was absolutely still, save for the swelling of her chest in breath.

Two bodies lay by her side—the two dragonspawn that had escaped. Their bodies were horribly mangled, torn to so many shreds that they no longer resembled anything solid, and lying in pools of their own bloody refuse. They had not bee given a chance to escape or defend themselves—and even if they had, it was likely that they would not have used it.

Onyxia licked her chops, and waited.

"**_COME," _**she called. And they would. She had calmed her rage—she refused to let the mortals get the best of her. She would avenge her children.

And she would make her brother proud.

-----------------------------------

Done. It's a bit late, but I had stuff to do this past weekend. An essay and a lab report. Fun stuff!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. There will most certainly be one next week, I promise. It's a week off, so I'll be able to do it all week without fear.

Seeya then!

Thanks to Frankto for the translations!

General Grievous

------------------------------

Moo.

-Noz

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**Spellbook**

**Shuukahaiun no jutsu (Stinking Ash Cloud Technique): **Breathes a nasty smelling cloud of boiling ash at one's opponent. Very dangerous.

**Naruto Ryuushin Shoumetsu (Naruto Dragonkin Massacre): **Impairs a dragon's ability to fly by piercing the wings with transformed (or real) kunai, and then using Kage Bunshin to impale its body with dozens of explosive tags and kunai.

**Bestiary:**

**Onyxian Warder (Dragonkin)(Elite)- **The last remnants of Onyxia's black Dragonflight. Extremely dangerous and powerful, but nothing compared to the might of those who defeated them.

**Captain Reinhardt Schaun/Black Drake (Dragonkin)(Elite)- **In the heircharchy of the Dragonkin, drakes are the warrior caste. They are lean and smaller than proper dragons, and viciously powerful and quick. They possess little magical affinity, other than their breath attacks, but they hardly need it. They are swift and powerful, and can decimate armies simply using hit-and-run tactics. Captain Reinhardt Schaun was one such drake, and was completely loyal to Onyxia, almost blindly so. His relationship to her is that of a warrior to a queen. He possesses a cruel mind, and does not tolerate insult of his mistress.


	60. Onyxia

**Disclaimer: A riddle:**

**What is formless, shapeless, is ever present, obnoxious, and doesn't own Naruto or World of Warcraft?**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

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The air burned, as if it were aflame, as if they had descended into the very bowels of Hell itself. Stepping into the cavern was like opening the door of a mighty oven, and then having the stupidity to continue on, as if the heat was nothing. But the air not only burned, it strangled; it was heavy with smoke and the smell of sulfur, so much so that it made Naruto light-headed. But he was not the only one: Kaine looked ready to pass out, covered in fur as he was; the gnome brothers looked ready to shed their skin-tight suits, and fight Onyxia in their birthday suits than continue to bear the heat; Neera, and even Shandris, used to the cool, dark forests, were oppressed by the terrible heat; Gen'rash wiped his forehead what seemed like very few seconds, and his tongue hung out like a dog's; even Golbarn, who was used to such heat, living in the Barrens, seemed ready to drop. Only Fen and Myrdraxxis seemed unaffected, their bodies and flesh dead, and only a fraction of their sense of touch remained intact. They had no sweat glands, either, and so they alone among the group weathered the heat as if it were not there.

The cavern was massive. It was twice as wide as a city street, and seemed to go on to the very center of the world. Stalactites hung above them, forged from molten rock, dripping from cracks in the ceiling. Occasionally, someone would have to move slightly, to avoid the drops of molten run-off that created them. The ground was firm, though there were many gaps and fissure, some of which exhausted steam in great bursts, which on occasion would cause Neera to give a slight yelp of surprise. The steam was hot and smelled of rotting eggs.

But the cavern was deserted; it was as lifeless as Theramore, despite the distant rumbling, and the hissing of steam and dripping and flowing of molten rock. They had truly eliminated the remaining members of the Black Dragonflight led by Onyxia. It was enough to keep them moving—knowing that they had only one foe (or three, if one counted the two remaining dragonspawn that had escaped their grasp), and that they were in the home stretch.

Naruto strode ahead of the rest, not as their leader, but as the one with the most determination in his step. The fierce passion that had become his trademark had seized him again, and all that ran through his mind was the coming fight, one that would easily be considered his most dangerous yet. The blonde's raging spirit was palpable in the air, and his friends were heartened by it. So as they descended, they became more and more confident, with Naruto by their side.

They had come to see Naruto as more than a friend—each of them had their own special connection with the otherworldly blonde. And it was not just their love of noodles—Naruto had, at one time or another, done something for them that could not be repaid by worldly goods.

For Tsuwabuki, he was a partner; he was something more than a friend, and more than family. She could no longer care to remember her life when she hadn't been beside Naruto, even if it was heckling and making a nuisance of herself in his presence.

For Undrig, he had been an inspiration; a goal for him to reach, so that instead of guarding the gates of Ironforge day by day, he'd be able to fight alongside his allies as a true warrior.

For Linkizzle and Rurizzle, he had been a brother in arms; someone who had come to them in a time of need, and had fought his hardest to bring back a way of life that they had believed lost forever.

For Golbarn, he had been an annoying tag-along, at first; but he had grown on the orc, and soon he had come to realize just how important Naruto was to him, and to his city. Naruto had been an every-ready presence who had risked his life to protect Golbarn's fellow orcs, and the peace that they had held.

For Kaine, he had been a rival; he had been someone, so similar in creed and personality, who had fought like him, for many of the same reasons. Naruto had awakened in him an instinctual need to continually get better, so that he might better be able to protect his friends and allies.

For Gen'rash, he had been a savior; he had freed the troll from endless darkness and brutal fighting, in that arena created by Captain Blood, and had helped his race regain the place of their birth at every cost to himself.

For Fenritt, he had been an eye-opener; someone who had shown him that inaction would get him nowhere, and that in order to secure a life that he had always loved, he had to fight.

For Myrdraxxis, he had been a necessity; he had awakened Myrdraxxis' leader to her true self, and for that Myrdraxxis would always be grateful. He had helped change the order of things in a way that benefited them all.

For Neera, he had been a best friend; who had laughed with her and bore her teasing, who had spent time with her other than just in guard duty or training. He had helped her taste the fruits of friendship, and the world beyond Teldrassil, which she now wanted to see in its entirety.

And for Shandris, he had been a force of change; he had brought to the night elves a new way of life, one unhidden in the darkness, and had given her leader and friend, Tyrande, a way to hold on. He had provided them all with a sunlight that they would forevermore live in.

To all of them, Naruto was an important friend, more precious to them than any gold or power on earth. For with Naruto, they felt like they could do anything. Naruto's very presence made them wish to do their best in every aspect of their lives. And, it made them wish to put their all in him; to put their trust and faith and lives in his very capable hands; and they knew that their trust was well found. Naruto would never let them down; he would fight for them all, regardless of the cost to his own life.

And so, they too would fight, to protect him, and his yet unfulfilled dream.

They emerged from the tunnel, into a cavern that seemed a world unto itself. The ground sloped down, into a large pit, studded with great stalagmites, where the ground was cracked and glowed fiery orange—a testament to the lake of fire beneath it. The walls were perfectly smooth, and embroidered with symbols whose meaning was undecipherable by mere mortals. The ceiling was dome-shaped, and was lined with more cracks—but no molten rock flowed from them, and it only retained the hellish glow that the floor possessed. It was as if the entire cavern was a bubble in an ocean of flames. Around the entire room was a massive river, as wide as a city street, where the water of Hell flowed. They stood at the very edge of this river of superheated rock, gazing at the splendor—or perhaps the horror, of the world crafted by fire and earth that they had just stepped into.

In the center of it all, at the bottom of the slope, in a great arena nearly the size of a city square, the daughter of the Earth Warder lay, crouched on the floor like a great cat. For most, it was their first sighting of a true dragon, in all its splendor and glory. From where they stood, far away, she seemed small; but even so, she gave off a mighty presence that filled the cavern. It seemed to shake around her, and though she remained in her lounging position, she made her rage known by a sudden and violent shake of the earth, which knocked the group off balance.

"**_COME,_**" she called, her voice seeming to come from all sides, as if the cavern itself had spoken.

The group remained stationary. Naruto glanced about him, at his friends, whose proximity was relieving. "_Was everyone ready?_" his eyes questioned.

They nodded, each one a quick, calm movement. Naruto smiled at all of them, and pumped his fist, saying nothing. They all returned his smile, and so as one they leaped over the river, and onto the top of the slope, staring down at Onyxia with a single, determined glare—as if they were all one soul, one entity, separated into many bodies. Their gazes differed in aesthetic qualities, but beneath those, the same spirit was reflected, burning hotter than the cavern they stood in.

But Onyxia was far from impressed. She was no more sensitive to such emotions than a human to an insect's. The dark hatred within her, for these insects, was all that she felt at that moment. She did not get up at their movement, and merely gazed back at them, her violet eyes staring back with false impassivity.

"**_WELCOME," _**she said, despite its untruth. "**_I'M GLAD YOU HAVE COME, THOUGH I LOATHE THAT AMONG YOU, THE LITTLE PRINCESS AND THE ARCHBISHOP ARE NOT. YOU HAVE SLAIN MY GUARDS, BUT I NO LONGER CARE."_** Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth, baring her mighty jaws studded with teeth sharper than swords.

"**_SOMEHOW, DESPITE MY EFFORTS, YOU HAVE COME TOGETHER. THAT LITTLE WHORE FULFILLED HER DREAM, AND AN ALLIANCE SEEMS TO HAVE FORMED. IT WILL NOT MATTER—WHEN I HAVE FINISHED RIPPING YOU ALL TO SHREDS, AND FEASTING ON YOUR BODIES, WE WILL DESTROY THIS PETTY, FLIMSY ALLIANCE." _**Nobody knew what the "we" whom she was referring to meant.

She continued, and steadily began to rise as she did. She kept her massive wings folded to her great sides, and stood straight up, towering as large as the Ventursaurus Rex, perhaps even more.

"**_MY CHILDREN SHALL BE AVENGED, HERE,"_** she said. "**_THEY WILL REJOICE IN YOUR DEATHS, AND EVEN AFTER THAT, THEY WILL PERSIST IN TORTURING YOU IN THE WORLD BEYOND. I SWEAR IT."_**

Naruto unconsciously became aware of something else dribbling into her voice—not hate or rage, but something else, deeper and thicker. It did not temper her rage, but seemed to be the source. It was pain—emotional, not physical. Pain from a wound greater than any weapon or _jutsu_ could inflict. It was almost enough to make him sympathize—but as soon as he thought of that, his mind flashed back to Eliza and her father. He crushed it as quickly as he could. He would not sympathize with a monster like this.

"Hey!" he cried back. "I don't care what you say you're going to do! What you've done I'll never be able to forgive! We'll beat you, and anything you try to throw at us, you stupid bitch!" His shout rang loud in the cavern, echoing mightily, as if Naruto had filled the room with _Kage Bunshin_.

Naruto's friends stood up straighter at the ringing sound of their friend's voice. Courage boiled through their veins, and as his shout began to fade, they unsheathed weapons, and readied themselves in battle stances.

Undrig hefted his hammer onto his shoulder, and glared at the black reptile.

Linkizzle and Rurizzle removed their tiny swords from their sheaths, and placed their goggles firmly over their eyes.

Golbarn bent his knees, and shifted to the side, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, and his eyes began to burn like kindling to create a mighty bonfire.

Kaine held his wartotem under one arm, and with the other made a fist and shook it at the dragon, his eyes reflecting the determination born from Naruto's friendship.

Gen'rash drew his knife of bone, and bared his teeth with feral eyes glinting in the fiery light of the cavern.

Fen cracked his brittle, almost completely skinless knuckles, and grinned. Myrdraxxis twirled _Tuska_ and _Poena_ in both hands, his yellow eyes mere pinpricks.

Neera was slowly turning her Sentinel's blade, breathing deeply with each revolution, eyes steadily focused on Onyxia.

Shandris seemed a trap ready to spring, with her Sentinel's blade in hand, eyes like blades in the sun.

Tsuwabuki lowered herself down, and began to growl low; she flattered her ears, and swished her tail, and readied herself to fight alongside her partner.

Onyxia responded by rearing to her full height, on only two legs. She stretched her wings out, each as long as a train car, and released from her mouth a roar that shook the earth. The cavern rumbled, and the lava flowing beneath the cracks glowed brighter and hotter than before. From the roar, a wave of killing intent washed over the group, temporarily turning their bodies to ice. But it was not the inhumanity of the roar—it was the emotion that flowed in it. It was an emotion that could only be generated by a mother who had lost her children—something that surprised even the hardest among them.

Onyxia began the battle with that roar, and suddenly lunged forwards. She moved with swiftness unbelievable for her size, reaching the gathered group within a second. Her claws flashed out, clawing through the stone floor, tearing up rock and causing molten rock to gush from the ground as if from a grievous wound. But she struck no flesh, of any sort—the group had scattered a fraction of a second before she had struck.

Kaine moved alongside the great dragon. He swung his totem back, but before he could think to start its forward movement, Onyxia's right claw blurred out, and bashed the tauren in the torso. Only the back of her claw struck him, generating a force great enough to turn rock to dust. He flew back, crashing into the smooth wall at the top of the slope, beyond the river of fire.

Undrig came up behind Onyxia, moving as fast as his small legs could carry him. Brandishing his hammer, the dwarf swung it several times into the dragon's hind leg, just below a large gash, where the scales were broken and the skin split and then burnt; where Benedictus had struck with his last available strength. But Onyxia did not react to the blows. They rained on her like a summer downpour, but they hurt as much as one too. She rid herself of the dwarfish nuisance with a swift sweep of her hind leg. Undrig was thrown back, a new dent in his armor appearing.

Onyxia moved around, her great tail swinging in a long arc. Gen'rash and Golbarn ducked beneath the whirling spiked whip, and moved towards her. Golbarn freed his blade from its sheath, mere feet from the dragon's body. It came out, like gleaming silver lightning, and struck the layered scales with enough force to cut rock.

But it didn't pierce.

His blade ricocheted back, the force traveling back into his arms, numbing them for a brief second. Onyxia took that time to turn and claw at the orc. But, in a flash, he was gone, disappearing beneath the ground into a pool of shadows. Gen'rash leapt out and pulled Golbarn along with him, behind Onyxia's great body. They quickly got out of the way.

"**_Doton: Tsuchidaigeki no jutsu!" _**

Onyxia twisted with unnatural speed at the boy's voice, just in time to see Naruto strike the earth with his palm. It surged and burst, like a bubble arising and popping in water, flinging debris towards her. Snarling, she beat the ground with her claw, causing a great, thick wall of dark stone to emerge in but a second, stopping the flying rocks easily. Naruto had little time to be surprised. Onyxia whipped around, and struck the earth wall with her tail. Instead of being destroyed, the wall morphed into hundreds of flying rock spears. They flew towards the blonde, who disappeared in a blur.

'_Kazaashi!'_ The spears crashed into the earth, harming nothing but the cavern in a series of loud crashes.

'_Ah,'_ thought Shandris, who had moved around behind Onyxia with Neera, Fen, Myrdraxxis and the Rizzle brothers, '_she is of Deathwing's brood, I suppose. They were once the keepers of the earth, so it would not be surprising for her to have such control over it.'_

The members of the secondary attack did not attack. They would not, until they had sufficiently discovered her weakness. That was their job. It was as dangerous as the main attack team's job, however—for they had to judge when to aid. If they offered it without discovering a sufficient attack plan, it would put more of them at threat. If too late—then their allies would die.

"She protects herself," whispered Linkizzle, adjusting his goggles to the _chakra_-vision mode. "She uses her _chakra_ to reinforce the strength of her scales; she focuses it all into a single point, where she is struck, for but an instant. And she has so much of it, and such control over it, that I can't even imagine how we'd be able to get in a hit. Her control is almost involuntary!"

"The old human did," rumbled Myrdraxxis. "Just wait and watch. It will come."

Kaine recovered slowly, spitting blood from his mouth and growling as he got to his feet. Onyxia was busy; she was currently swiping at Naruto and a recovered Undrig, who remained in front of her at all times, drawing her attention constantly. The dwarf was always in close, his hammer blurring through the air with each attack, but always repulsed by either her natural defense, or her own assault of claw, tooth and tail. Naruto was in and out; his speed was more than a match for Onyxia's, but even his sword of adamantium could not pierce her skin. But neither could keep the assault up for long.

So Kaine rushed in, a raging bull, raising his wartotem above his head. Onyxia twisted her head, spotting him, and sent her tail whipping towards him, like a sickle at the end of a beefy chain. Kaine swung his weapon down, atop the tail, smacking it deep into the earth with a loud crunching sound. In another movement, he trampled over it, and continued his attack on her body. This time, he struck true—the force of the blow caused Onyxia to stumble sideways, letting out a bellow of pain.

At the same time, Golbarn and Gen'rash attacked. Raising his blade high, Golbarn hissed "_**Mighty Cleave"** _and delivered a wicked strike to her side. Though it did not truly pierce, it drew a line down the scales, splitting a few individual surface scales but going no deeper. Gen'rash sucked in a breath, and exhaled a mighty cloud of inky black smoke, which flowed like a liquid, as if made from pure shadow. Gen'rash clapped his hands together into a complex seal, and the cloud began to disperse into a hundred frightening black, winged creatures that had no definite shape, as if they were the thoughts of an overactive child—they were birds one moment, bats the next; then bugs, and then miniature gryphons; then harpies, and chimaeras. They flew around the great black dragon queen, pecking, clawing, stinging and biting her; they made no sounds, for they were no living creatures.

Onyxia howled and struggled at these attempts to distract and harm her. Kaine delivered a second blow, very near the first. She stumbled to the side, and still being assaulted by Gen'rash's birds, twisted to face the tauren and the other members of the attacking team.

She roared; it was a bestial, wrathful sound, and almost enough to make her earlier words forgotten. The deep pain, for her children now long dead, was devoured by the awesome rage that began to take her. The once majestic eminence of the Black Dragonflight was lost now forever, as Onyxia let loose the primitive instincts of a monstrous beast, the last of her mind seemingly incinerated by heat of her wrath.

She then opened her mouth, wide as it could go, and took a deep, long breath. Her chest expanded, and she raised her head and body up, though her eyes remained focused on the group in front of her.

Naruto's suddenly widened, having seen the very same gesture used by Gyth and the drake he had battled outside.

"Get out of the way!" he cried.

They scattered, just as Onyxia vomited a massive stream of black and orange fire, thick and sludgy like molten lava. It exploded forth, like a boiling geyser, shooting straight towards its prey. The flames set the ground alight, and Onyxia waved her head, spreading it around her in a great arc. The flames were hotter than any imaginable—Undrig found this out when moving away from the sudden wall of fire; the flames leapt out, touching his gauntlet. Almost immediately, it became white hot, enough to make Undrig cry out and fling it off into the fire, where it turned into a pool of molten metal in but seconds.

The secondary attack team stood near the top of the slope, staring down at the inferno. Neera turned to Shandris.

"We need to help!" she cried, desperately. "They won't be able to last much longer, and we aren't being of any help just standing here!"

Shandris didn't speak. Her eyes were focused solely on Onyxia, and her mouth set in a firm line. She wanted to agree with Neera, and rush in to help; but something stopped her. They wouldn't achieve anything through brute force, not with a dragon. They needed to deal her a decisive blow, one that would finish her completely, not simply injure her. Tactics, not power, would win this fight. She knew that Naruto would play his part well, and keep the dragon occupied while they worked this out.

After all, that was the plan.

Still, she tried to push down the tendril of worry that crept through her, growing ever thicker and longer.

Naruto grunted as Onyxia leaped forward, smashing into the ground with enough force to shake the cavern; and at the same time, cause molten lava to erupt from the floor in great bursts. Golbarn, Gen'rash, Kaine and Undrig needed to dance about, avoiding the deadly geysers as well as the raining fire that came from them. Naruto covered himself in a shield of _Kage Bunshin_, not wishing to expend more stamina in using the _Kazaashi_.

Onyxia leaped again, straight towards where Undrig and Gen'rash now stood, side by side. Gen'rash jumped to the side, _chakra_ speeding and strengthening the movement, while Undrig moved back. The dragon struck the ground in front of him, making it shake madly, but the dwarf did not fall. He instead lifted his hammer, and hurtled it upwards. It struck Onyxia between the eyes, hard, but not hard enough to make her do anything but flinch. And in response, the black dragon sucked in her breath and spewed a stream of fire atop the dwarf, engulfing him in flames hot enough to burn the devil himself.

"No!" Naruto roared, seeing his friend swallowed by fire. He found himself suddenly unable to move, and only stare at the pile of flames that had once been Undrig.

Onyxia roared in triumph, and turned, her terrible eyes gleaming with the joy of her first kill. She made to leap again, but suddenly stopped, turning back to the dwarf's apparent remains.

Amazingly, Undrig stood in the middle of the orange and black mass of liquid fire, surrounded by a golden, glowing aura of light. He suddenly vanished into the ground; and Gen'rash appeared beside Naruto, dragging the dwarf up with him from his shadow technique. The dwarf coughed and gasped, shaking all over. Naruto bellowed to him, relief making him shaky, if he was all right.

"Hot," the dwarf gasped, trying to stand.

Onyxia did not give them a chance for rest. She leaped upon them again, her steely claws flashing, her wings fully spread. Gen'rash lifted Undrig up by the waste, and jumped again. Naruto did so too, but not away from her. He held a hand out, and formed a swirling ball of chakra.

"**_Rasengan!"_**

Naruto flipped over the swipe of her claw and thrust the_ Rasengan_ into the dragon's chest, making it grind into the golden scales of her body. But for once, the incredible technique of the Fourth's did not work—Onyxia brought up her claw and knocked Naruto away, leaving only a slight tarnish on the scales. Naruto struck the ground on his back, ten yards away from Onyxia. He coughed and spluttered, the breath stolen from his lungs for a few seconds; then he wiped the blood from his mouth, and got back to his feet as quickly as he could.

"Lady Shandris…!" Neera said again, looking towards her friend and idol with terrible worry. "We need to—"

"Have faith," the older night elf hissed, stopping her again. "Just wait, he will find something. I know it. We can't attack at once, it will only increase the chances for casualty."

"Hmph," said Myrdraxxis, suddenly starting forwards. "Then stay and wait. I will fight—it's what I do best."

Before Shandris could protest, Myrdraxxis was gone, a ghost fading back to the world of the spirits.

Fen shook his head. "Didn't expect him to do that, you know. Someone's been having a bad influence on him, I think. I wonder if it's me or Naruto?" He glanced at Shandris' worried and angered expression. "Don't worry about it. We should settle on getting it right. This will only increase our chances, won't it?"

Shandris glared, but nodded anyways.

Kaine planted a fist, covered with blue-glowing _chakra_, into the ground in front of him.

He cried, "**_Summon: Windfury Totem!" _**and from the ground sprung a small totem, wooden and carved in the shape of an eagle with wings spread. Kaine felt like that eagle, soaring in mid-air as if he were lighter than the air; and with this new speed, he attacked again. He moved straight towards her back leg, where Benedictus had dealt his final blow. Onyxia, who was facing Golbarn and his drawn sword, did not turn, but instead beat the ground with her tail. Kaine's wartotem struck a wall of stone, not flesh, and blasted it apart. But Onyxia was gone before he could follow through; and in leaving, she struck out with her tail, hitting the tauren in the chest and throwing him across the cavern, again into the wall. She swept Golbarn aside with a quick flash of her tail.

Shandris noted this, but kept silent. It was still not the time.

Suddenly Myrdraxxis was there. He appeared like a spectre in the night, his blades flashing out and cutting into Onyxia's durable scales. His appearance was so sudden that she had no time to defend. His blades cut through the scales causing a spray of dark, boiling blood, and an ear-shattering roar from Onyxia, of pain and fury beyond fury. Her tail lashed out, pounding the ground on the spot Myrdraxxis had last occupied: on her left side between her front and hind legs. The pain caused by Myrdraxxis' enchanted daggers was amplified a hundred times over than a simple strike. It was no wonder why he had chosen their names to be as they were.

Myrdraxxis appeared again, this time on her other side, nearest her hind legs. His blades flashed out, striking her flesh—but they did not pierce. The ground suddenly surged beneath him, and but a second later he was air born, thrown up and away by a column of rock suddenly springing from the ground. He landed expertly, but as soon as he did, Onyxia's claws struck out, massive silver blurs, and nearly dismembered the Forsaken. He escaped by a sliver, but was wounded before he could. Emerald green ichor splattered the ground as her claws slashed through his chest. But he was gone before she could rip him in two.

Fen winced at his partner's injury. He wanted to join Myrdraxxis there, but he agreed with Shandris that he would only further complicate the situation. But he had seen something that he thought worthy of note.

"She uses the earth to sense, to feel her opponent coming and react to his presence, as much as to attack," he told Shandris, who glanced at him.

"I see," the night elf said, nodding. It made sense. It stood to reason that she could not be so quick otherwise. Such a massive beast had to have some sort of power that allowed to her swiftly react to attacks, before they even were performed. And with everyone blundering about on the ground, it would be exceedingly easy. She noted too, that Myrdraxxis had been able to wound her for a single reason—it was not that she had not reacted to his attack; it was that he had reacted far faster than she. He had gained the upper hand simply because he had combined surprise and speed into one blow, which had been more than Onyxia could manage.

But now that she was aware of Myrdraxxis' presence, she would not make the same mistake again. That meant that a surprise attack with the power to kill her would not work at this point, when only five members of the group had yet to attack, and none of those five could manage a sufficient stealth attack with enough lethal force to kill a fully grown dragon.

She bit her lip. She wondered how long they could manage to keep themselves out of the fight, now that Myrdraxxis had revealed himself.

With each failed attack, Naruto and his friends were getting more and more exhausted, yet Onyxia seemed an unending well of stamina. Naruto himself was far from done, but he knew that this fight could not last like this. It occurred to him how rare such a situation as this was—the Kyuubi was no longer by his side, and he had no help in controlling its power. By now, he would have undoubtedly used the demon's chakra, if only out of necessity. As hated as it was, Naruto couldn't help but wish he still had such a power.

He glanced up at Shandris and the other group. Onyxia had not attacked them yet, nor even seemed to have noticed them. That was good. But they still needed to find something that could be used against her. She seemed at the moment invincible, forged from diamond. Now Naruto had new respect for all those who had battled the Kyuubi long ago, when it had first attacked Konoha. It must have seemed invulnerable to them, too.

Onyxia suddenly turned; as if reading his thoughts, she swept around to face the secondary attack team. They prepared to scatter, but she did not attack. She stood stock still, staring at them.

Shandris found herself unable to look away from the dragon's eyes. She felt paralyzed. And then, Onyxia vanished, as did the cavern, her companions, everything. She was surrounded suddenly by an unbelievable darkness: thick as a steel wall and so oppressively close that she suddenly could not breathe. The encroaching veil of shadow wrapped around her, strangling and smothering her with its grip; she could not even scream, for the darkness was forcing itself down her throat like a vile cocktail, as it pulled her down into an icy, dark death.

But it was an illusion.

Linkizzle, Rurizzle, Fen and Neera were similarly stricken. The illusion had all of them in its grip, and so powerful was it that Onyxia had no reason to attack them in their weakness. They would die on their own, their minds convincing their bodies to stop functioning.

Tsuwabuki had managed to move out of range. She zipped away, near the perimeter of the cavern, and ran alongside the moat of fire until she came behind Onyxia, where Naruto and the rest of the primary attack squad had gathered. She ran up behind her partner, and informed him of what Onyxia was doing.

They struggled to throw off its effects, all the while cursing their choice of position. It had been foolish to stand where there was a chance of collateral damage, Shandris raged mentally, even as she struggled to free herself. She summoned all of her will, and began to slowly stop her _chakra_ flow. By disrupting her _chakra _pathways, she could stop movement of the dragon's chakra through her. The illusion wavered, but it did not break; it was too powerful. It felt like trying to swim out of tar, and with each passing second, her body became slower and more exhausted. She was dying; all because she could not convince her body that it was not real.

Onyxia returned her focus to the main attackers, who saw the plight their allies were in. Biting back a curse, Naruto screamed to his friends, "Get them free! Now!" As his friends quickly responded, Naruto bit his thumb, and made a familiar string of hand seals. He then thrust his hand onto the hot ground.

"**_Kuchiyose no jutsu!" _**he growled, from pain and desperation.

A cloud of smoke arose instantly, covering the blonde and expanding outwards to such a size that it could have obscured Onyxia herself. The dragon queen glared at the sudden appearance of the billowing fog; but suddenly she came to herself a second later, some of the animalistic rage driven back by sheer surprise.

What stood there was a horror that not many could imagine. It was as large as Onyxia, and possessed the same general shape and figure, but there the similarities ended. For, where Onyxia had layers of thick, black scales, this creature had only bone and ligaments. Where Onyxia had a heaving stomach and powerful muscular legs, this creature had a bare ribcage filled with cold mist, and legs nothing but grey bone, covered in a sheen of awful, cold light. Where Onyxia had ghastly wings, stretched with leathery skin, this creature had only the general structure, which looked like a pair of frightening weapons attached to its side, from which hung frosty, transparent skin, loose like hanging curtains. Where Onyxia had a tail, powerful and whip-like, this creature had a bony spiked club attached to a chain of bone. Where Onyxia had claws like steel, this creature had claws like ice. Where Onyxia had eyes filled with purple fire, this creature had sockets filled with the blue frost.

The frost wyrm, chief summon of Sylvanas' own undead contract, called Boreagos, chilled the boiling air with his awful roar.

"**Who summons?"**he boomed with a voice like an avalanche. He twisted his skeletal neck to spot Naruto, who stood between the undead dragon's wing appendages. "**You? A mortal human? Ah! You are the one Lady Sylvanas spoke of." **Before Naruto could even respond to this, the creature twisted its head back around, to face Onyxia, who had reigned her shock.

"**_YOU!" _**she cried, her thunderous voice shaking the ground once more. "**_VILE CREATURE! CORRUPTED, DEGENERATE SPAWN OF HELL! RETURN TO YOUR FROZEN WASTES, SCOURGE, AND LEAVE ME TO MY REVENGE!"_**

Boreagos' laugh crackled like breaking ice, making the air seem colder with each breath. He lowered his head and seemed to sneer at the living dragon counter to him. But even so, his words were to Naruto, not Onyxia. "**You were wise, mortal human. I would normally demand payment for your summoning of me; but I detest the Black Dragonflight as much in death as I did in life. I shall fight with you free of charge—but remember in the future, child, that you will need adequate payment to use my services." **Then, to Onyxia, he crowed. "**Come then, whore of the Old Ones! Let us see if your fire can melt my ice!"**

Onyxia responded by belching out a monstrous stream of her liquid flames. Boreagos laughed, spread his mighty wings, and leapt into the air. The loose skin, clear as ice, that hung from between the bones of his wings flapped, but captured no air. He did not fly, merely used his monstrous strength to lift himself high into the air. Naruto let out a shout of surprise as he flew up, looking down as Onyxia spread her wings and took after them, roaring madly at the insult. They clashed at the very top of the cavern, at the very center of the dome-shaped ceiling.

On the ground, the members of the main attacking team sought desperately to free their new allies from the grip of Onyxia's illusion. Gen'rash was doing it most effectively, using his _chakra_ to stop the flow of theirs, and finally breaking them from the endless, strangling darkness. Neera dropped to the ground first, gasping in relief, clutching her breast over her heart, as if afraid that it might stop beating. Shandris freed herself next, and with but a moment's recovery, was up and helping to break the remaining three from the grip of Onyxia's illusion. Linkizzle and Rurizzle thanked the troll who freed them with silent, gasping words; but Fen seemed unfazed by the damage—after all, he did not breathe the same as the others.

When all were free, Shandris looked up, to where the two dragons, one living and one dead with a human upon its back, fought. She then glanced about her, to all the rest of her new companions—friends of Naruto, and former fellow Allies. Seeing them all in one place once more struck a cord within her.

"Yes…" she whispered. And as she looked at them, a plan began to form. She glanced ahead of her, to the forms that stood a little ways in front of her, all freed from the illusion. They still had a chance, she realized.

The cavern shook as Boreagos landed, striking the ground as hard as a meteor. The frost wyrm was laughing.

"**Years has it been since I battled another dragon!" **he screamed, words like falling ice. "**I have tasted your fire—now taste my frost, whore!"**

The frost wyrm roared shrilly, and took a massive breath. Upon exhaling, the staggering heat of the cavern dropped so quickly that it was almost painful. A stream of air, cold enough to freeze the very blood in a man's veins, burst from Boreagos' mouth, flying in a great, white cloud at the same speed Onyxia's molten breath did. Onyxia, still beating her great wings, met the stream with a blast of her own breath. They hit in mid-air, causing a great explosion of white steam. Onyxia stopped her attack, and swooped away suddenly, as a mass of solidified molten rock struck the ground. Boreagos laughed at this as well.

Naruto, meanwhile, had grafted his hands and feet to the exposed spine of the frost wyrm, and held tighter to it than a frightened cat to upholstery. He stammered protests to slow down, but the former dragon refused to listen. He moved as if Naruto were not on his back, which was exceedingly painful to the blonde, but no matter how hard he tried, the dragon did not acknowledge his presence.

A big mistake.

Boreagos flapped his vestigial wings and laughed in that shrill, horrible way of his, before launching himself at Onyxia, his icy claws stretched wide. The black dragon rose to her full height, and lashed out with her own steely talons, strong enough to shatter even the bones of the frost wyrm. Boreagos was quicker; lifting himself onto his hind legs, he lashed out with his claws, and before Onyxia could capture them with her own, they bit into her chest—or tried to. Instead of piercing the deep black scales, they glanced off, causing not even a slight mark; it seemed that even the claws of another dragon could not pierce her _chakra_ reinforced hide. Onyxia pushed Boreagos back, and counterattacked with the gleaming blades given to her by nature. Boreagos blocked them, and the two stood, each trying to overpower the other.

It was then that Naruto decided to show the wild frost wyrm that underestimating him was a very bad thing to do.

"**_Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_**

A hundred clones popped into existence at his words. They leapt upon Onyxia's back, suddenly, and their sudden appearance caused the black dragon to rear back. At the same time, the clones planted palms against the dragon's body, and gathered into them explosive, manipulated _chakra_.

"**_Kaenhira!"_** a hundred voices cried, as they released the built up bursts of _chakra_, suddenly engulfing Onyxia in a brilliant, great ball of fire and smoke, with multiple sounds of detonation suddenly filling the room. The dragon cried out in agony from the collective attack, flailing backwards, allowing Boreagos to push forward, and slam a set of claws into her breast. This time, they were true—they sunk beyond her scaly hide, and deep into her flesh. She toppled back, Boreagos throwing his full weight upon her as they fell. The Naruto clones scattered, leaving Onyxia still shrouded in smoke as she crashed to the ground.

"**See, corrupted bitch! It seems my ice is stronger!" **He twisted his skeletal neck, and glared at the Naruto the remained on his back, breathing heavily from exhausting so much _chakra _in one go. "**Perhaps you are worthy after all, brat!"**

"**_SILENCE._**"

Boreagos whirled his head back, and saw Onyxia's brilliant eyes, like daggers forged of purple jewel, staring back at him with teeth bared. He tried to twist away, but found that he could not move. Those his claws had pierced her seemingly invincible armor, they would not come out. Onyxia was holding them there, using only her _chakra_ and tolerance for pain.

The frost wyrm did not seem at all perturbed. His amusement was rekindled, and he began to laugh as Onyxia sucked in her breath and spat a ball of fire the size of her head at Boreagos'. It quickly engulfed the frost wyrm's skull, and with the force of its flight, tore the head clean off its neck and into the air. It burst apart on the ceiling, flinging shards of bone in all directions.

Naruto gave a shout, and leaped away as Onyxia violently thrust the frost wyrm's body off of her. Its claws came free from her chest easily, and with a loud roar and some vehement flapping, she righted herself. The top half of her body seemed unaffected by Naruto's attack, and seemed only slightly tarnished by the compounded efforts of a hundred Naruto clones.

But Shandris' keen eyes told her differently. She suddenly knew what to do. She looked at Kaine, who smiled. She then made a hand seal.

At the very same time, Naruto noticed it as well. He grinned.

Now back on her feet, Onyxia snarled at the frost wyrm's headless, immobile body.

"**_FOOL_," **she said. "**_A SHADOW SUCH AS YOURSELF CAN NEVER MATCH THE POWER OF A TRUE DRAGON."_**

The headless body moved at her words, and seemed to shake with silent laughter. Behind him, the fragments of what once had been his skull began to congregate into a single pile of scorched bone, which resembled nothing more than a pile of coal. It began to take shape, becoming more and more like it once was. The black faded away, becoming a cold gray, like the color of steel, and slowly returned to the skull of a blue dragon, which began to laugh as soon as it could move its jaws.

"**Ha!" **Boreagos bellowed. "**So the whore can fight in her own territory! I am most impressed. Brat!" **he directed this at Naruto, "**Perhaps we will fight together again in the future…but remember my words."**

Both the skull and the body vanished at that instant, in whirling puffs of white smoke. Naruto now stood facing Onyxia alone. His hair was matted with sweat, and his clothes clung to his body. He freed _Magni's Pride_ from its sheath, and held it out in front of him, at the ready.

'**_Shandris has a plan,'_** sent Tsuwabuki.

Naruto nodded. "Got anything to do with what I'm thinking?"

'**_Very much,' _**the fox retorted, and went silent.

Naruto grinned, and summoned a group of clones. They stood by him, on either side, mirroring his stance as he stared into Onyxia's flaming eyes. The dragon did not seem bothered by the new wound in her chest; she was too far gone, too far drawn in by the bestial instincts given to her by the ancient corruption of her Dragonflight. She folded her wings, and began to stalk towards the blonde, like a monstrous panther having cornered its prey. She noticed his friends behind her. She could smell them, stinking of blood and sweat, and most prominently, the blood of her minions. But she could also feel them, through the earth around her. There movements were so clunky and easy to read.

She knew their plan; she had been around far too long to be taken in by such an obvious tactic. They would attack all at once, now. But she did not care—let them, she sneered. They would come, and they would die. But she would start with this boy—this little brat who could summon frost wyrms and gave off a stench so vile that it sickened her. It was human, so disgustingly human that she knew now why her brother hated her visits so. She had never noticed their stench when she had taken their form. She would not eat this boy, she decided—she would rip him to shreds, and burn each shred separately. She would keep him alive as long as she could.

Because, out of all of these miscreants, this one stank of the creatures who had killed her children. He stank of the past—a horrible, revolting past that she would end here. With this boy's death, and all the rest, she would make her children's screams finally stop. And then she would be at peace.

And then, she would join her brother once more.

She smacked the ground with her tail. It shook, and from it columns of liquid fire arose, shooting out in mighty streams. She stomped her foot, and the earth grew up in massive walls around her and Naruto. The blonde did not seem bothered by this. He and his doppelgangers simply stared back at her, with the same powerful glare. It was a disgusting look, and Onyxia resolved to remove it from his face before she killed him.

Behind her, Shandris watched as Onyxia stalked towards Naruto, gradually creating a prison as she went. She glanced about her. They would strike now—everyone was ready.

Kaine hefted his wartotem, and wiping blood from a wound in his cheek, he began to perform a _jutsu_.

Linkizzle and Rurizzle sheathed their swords, and readied hand seals as well.

Golbarn held his blade out, clutching it tightly with both hands.

Undrig slung his hammer onto his shoulder.

Gen'rash held his knife of bone, which glowed dark red.

Neera whirled her Sentinel's blade in hand, her lip firm and set.

Fen grinned at Myrdraxxis, who stared forwards, his blades bared.

Shandris nodded at all of them, and began to run; with them by her side, each step she took. The first wall they encountered, they leaped over, as easily as one leapt over a garden fence. The second was just as simple, even though it was higher than the last. Onyxia lay beyond two more earthen walls, and had nearly reached Naruto himself.

Naruto stood defiantly, as Onyxia neared him. Her breath was hot and foul, stinking of blood and brimstone. It had widened into a gaping, terrible smile full of dagger teeth from which a long, forked tongue—like a snake, writhed out. The violet suns contained in her skull glared down at him with hate beyond hate—an emotion that words could never do justice.

Naruto's companions scaled the final wall, and fell down upon Onyxia with all their might. In that moment, Onyxia attacked; she rammed her claws deep into the ground, and the walls of earth around her exploded in a monstrous cloud of debris. The force of the shockwave was so great that even though in her mid-air, Naruto's companions were thrown back, in all directions across the cavern. Naruto himself was flung back, his clones following him with cries of surprise and dismay, but he regained himself with a burst of _chakra_ from his feet, lighter than air, which sent him careening back to the earth; to which he fastened himself to using one of the first control techniques he had ever learned.

When the sounds died down, Onyxia glanced around, her mouth twisted into a devil's grin. His companions lay in shambles around her cavern—unconscious or barely moving. This fight had been won, she knew, as she lumbered towards Naruto again, her tail swinging around violently behind her, her eyes growing madder by the second as she neared him, and inhaled his stench once more.

But then she saw his eyes, so confident and determined; and then felt a tremor through the earth, slight, but enough to alert her.

She glanced around again. Naruto's friends were gone, and only the remnants of their being were several curling puffs of smoke.

And then she felt them, so quickly and suddenly that even as she started to react, they had already struck.

Kaine's wartotem slammed into her hind leg, straight upon the gash created by Benedictus. Pain burst into being in her leg, and as Onyxia started to cry out, rearing up, another attack struck her.

Gen'rash, clutching his knife of bone, which now glowed crimson, sank it into her other leg, discharging its deadly effects into her body. Though nowhere near potent enough to affect her entire being, it did not matter—her leg was enough. The _Hex of Weakening_ blossomed through her other leg, and unable to bear the full weight of her immense body, broke so suddenly that Onyxia was falling before she had even felt the pain.

Then, two strikes hit her on each side. Myrdraxxis returned; his blades engulfed with _chakra_ the color of her eyes. It surrounded both _Tuska_ and _Poena_, and lengthened both blades by at least a foot. He plunged his blades into her side, and violently cut to both sides. They pierced deep into her body, through the thin layer of _chakra_ that she had thrown up in defense, but not enough to enter her organs. They sliced muscle, and send waves of agonizing pain throughout her body.

Fen's attack hit her other side; the Forsaken mage planted his glowing hands onto her scaly body, and discharged from them a sudden burst of _chakra_, in the form of an arcane blue light, shouting gloriously, "**_Arcane Explosion!" _**The _jutsu_ burst forth, shattering a great deal of the first two layers of scales on her side, and making her writhe sideways.

But even after all this, the attacks did not stop. They began before the previous attacks had even finished. Undrig appeared by her right front claw, his hammer swung back in preparation for a powerful attack. With a murderous cry of "_**Hammer of Justice!"** _the dwarf swung his weapon, wreathed in golden light, into the dragon's leg, right at the joint. It shattered scales and sent a burst of chakra through her iron-strong bones. But despite their strength, her body was already off-balance. She had already divided her _chakra_ so much to protect against the other attacks; and so pained and stunned was she that it was near impossible to mould chakra with enough certainty as to protect against an attack. To be sure, the thin layer she used to strengthen her bones and scales against Undrig's attack did absorb damage—but all they truly did was stop her bones from being blasted into shards, rather than simply snapped. She buckled sideways.

Neera and Shandris appeared on her other side, throwing their blades with the greatest accuracy. One a mere sliver of light, the other a deadly star covered in _chakra_, bit into Onyxia's flesh. Again, they bypassed her flimsy barrier, weakened by so many simultaneous attacks. One severed the tendons in her leg; the other did not quite cut her leg bone in two, but weakened it so much that she could not bear her weight upon it. She fell forwards.

And to add to her helplessness, the gnomes arrived, one on each side of the fallen dragon. Thrusting their hands onto the ground, the two brothers shouted as one: "**_Great Iron Claws!" _**In front of them, the ground burst up and there appeared two great, iron rectangular columns, as tall as two men, each studded with wicked-looking spikes on one side. The giant metal structures suddenly bent forwards, on hinges exposed slightly above the earth, and slammed upon Onyxia's flailing wings, pinning them amidst her pained roars to the ground.

Her tail lashed up, suddenly, ready to hammer the ground and destroy them with what power she had left. But she could not, for as it rose, Tsuwabuki appeared. The silver fox sunk her sharp, _chakra_-enhanced claw into the dragon's tail, right at the starting point. Tsuwabuki sliced back and forth, her extended claws slicing through the bone, made weaker by the remnants of Gen'rash's hex, and severed the bone that allowed the tail to move. It fell limp and dead, and Onyxia screamed all the more at it.

She stared forwards, unable to do anything else. She saw Naruto standing there. The blonde was clutching a glowing ball of chakra, and a clone stood by him, slowly gathering more and more chakra into it. The spinning ball began to change in size and color, darkening until it was almost red. The clone was straining mightily, and so was Naruto.

Seeing the clone, Onyxia suddenly realized what had happened.

No! It couldn't be true!

They had tricked her!

It all fell into place. Those whom she had attacked with her illusion hadn't been real! They had been doppelgangers, similar to this! And the ones whom she had supposedly defeated with her last attack were the same! It was why she had been unable to detect that Forsaken—he hadn't simply entered the fight from the sides, he had been hidden, along with all the rest, and had used that to his advantage!

Shandris had chosen well. Naruto had been the one to suggest the idea—the secondary attack group would remain hidden like last time, but Naruto would use clones, transformed by _Henge no jutsu_, to replace them. They would still not attack, but Onyxia would have no idea whether they were real or not, because she would be too busy with the others. She had still managed to affect the real group with her illusion, but Naruto had thought quickly, and distracted her with summoning Boreagos. It had been Shandris' split second decision to have all of them attack—sending all of the clones (some provided by Kaine), while the true attackers grouped together, hidden by her _jutsu_, and waited for the perfect opening.

A remarkable strategy, Shandris thought, which had gone splendidly.

Onyxia began to howl. She howled with everything she had, and made the earth rage around her. Naruto began to run at her. The _Rasengan_ in his grip was distorting and growing, filled with a mix of his own, and the dangerously unstable Kyuubi's_ chakra_. The clone was gradually controlling, while he slowly let some of the _chakra _trickle in to the spinning sphere. But it was only half the technique Naruto intended, as he rushed towards Onyxia, his eyes forward, his teeth grit, and triumph in his heart.

He would let her know the pain she had caused all of Stormwind, with this last blow.

Onyxia was screaming, and her words could be felt in the earth around her. Each one was filled with the utmost desperation and pain—half of her had accepted her death, but the other half was now fighting furiously to free herself; a captured animal fighting against its captors until it is finally put down. The effect was pitiful—she sounded mad beyond coherency, and as terrified as a wounded puppy.

"**_BROTHER!" _**she wailed, so horribly that one could almost see tears in her eyes. "**_BROTHER! HELP ME! HELP ME, PLEASE! I CAN'T DO THIS ALONE! PLEASE, BROTHER! PLEASE! PLEASE, SAVE ME!"_**

Her words ended as Naruto leaped up, and slammed the glowing ball, not into her face, but straight into the back of her neck. He leaped over her, as she could do nothing but turn her eyes up, and see the blonde in a different light. The blonde's eyes followed her all the way back, before he struck down with his attack.

Naruto suddenly released the floodgates. He let a massive surge of the Kyuubi's _chakra _loose from beneath the seal, only giving it a direction, as the _Rasengan_ ground away her scales.

"**_Ookokuha Rasengan!" _**

The _Rasengan _grew in size, swelling up like a massive water balloon, the inside full of fiery chakra. It grew until Naruto's control was not enough. Then it burst—exploding in every direction in a massive whirling blast of red, black, blue and white _chakra_. The terrible force of the attack shook the cavern, and flung everyone around the dragon back with a great blast of wind. It tore the ground asunder, as it ripped completely through Onyxia's body, decapitating her. The force was so strong that not even Naruto could bear it—he was flung away from its origin, as the _chakra_ expended itself in obliterating the earth around and beneath Onyxia's body—as well as the body itself. For a moment, the cavern echoed with the roaring of earth being destroyed, and _chakra _spinning like a great tornado, until it was all gone.

Before the _Rasengan_ annihilated her neck and ended her time in this world, Onyxia recalled Naruto's face, and his eyes. She could not quite recall what she had seen in them. But it hadn't been hatred, like she had expected. It had been something else; something that she couldn't explain, because it made no sense.

As she died, and her brain began to shut down, everything suddenly went silent. The howls of wind and the sound of breaking rock disappeared; the rumbling of the earth, all around her—the sounds of molten lava rushing through hidden canals and brushing against rock; the sound of falling stone, and the last ringing cry of her destroyer, all gone.

Even the sounds of her screaming children vanished. They simply were gone, like that, and with their absence something filled her.

A glorious peace, a serenity that she had never known in her life as a member of the Black Dragonflight—something that she had never felt, and yet knew exactly what it was, from the very moment it came to her.

She laughed, as the feeling washed over her.

And not even the last images she saw—that of her brother's smoldering orange eyes, glaring at her with disgust and hate, could rupture the feelings that she now felt.

Onyxia, daughter of Deathwing the Destroyer, died in absolute peace, released from the corruption that had been thrust upon her before she had even been born.

Released, finally, from the torture that only a mother can know.

-----------------------------------

High atop a mountain, far across the world, sitting upon a throne made of black iron, a man sat, staring upon at the red sky with eyes like burning coal. He was listening to the earth, which passed along to him a plea from someone far away from him.

"**_Disgusting, Sister. Go Quickly To Your Death, To Spare Me From Your Final Whines."_**

-----------------------------------

Done.

Wow. I didn't know I had that in me.

Hope you enjoyed it, and everything was clear to you. I hope that I kept you in suspense until the very end! For those of you who may have had suspicions of Naruto's plan, then good job, you're very good readers!

Sorry about the lateness—been doin' lots of stuff this weak, and I didn't want to rush such an important chapter. Hope you enjoyed it!

Seeya guys next week!

General Grievous

Thanks Frankto for the translation!

My brother got lazy this week, so I checked it myself, hopefully it's up to quality nonetheless. Give him props anyways, since he probably has his own stuff to do that doesn't warrent interruption. Ahh, high school! How I'll miss you!

**Spellbook**

**Ookokuha Rasengan (Great Dark Wave Spiral Bullet)- **Fills the Rasengan with an enormous amount of demonic chakra, great enough to burst and cause extreme damage to the opponent, at the cost of damage to own person.

**Bestiary**

**_Onyxia (Dragonkin)(Boss)- _**Queen of the Black Dragonflight, Onyxia possesses a vast range of incredible abilities—she can, for example, control earth to an extreme degree, seeing as how she is daughter of Deathwing the Earth Warder. She possesses powerful illusion weaving abilities, and can make herself almost invincible using her chakra to empower her scales. She can fly, is immensely fast due to her ability to sense vibrations through the earth, and possesses a cruel streak that only her brother, Nefarian, could match.


	61. Burial and Revelation

**Disclaimer: A limerick:**

**A limerick proper is hard to make**

**With such limited knowledge I take**

**And still end this little rhyme**

**By saying that I'm,**

**Not the owner of Naruto or Warcraft, for God's sake!**

Here's the next installment of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

--------------------------------

It began to rain.

Naruto and his group left the sweltering heat of the cavern, and were met by the falling of a heavy but warm rain, which when it struck their flesh in little plopping sounds, they found to be quite cool. Anything would be, one might feel, after being in a place comparable to the fiery Underworld itself. It was a refreshing rain, which washed the soot and blood from their bodies as they exited Hell and returned to the living world.

Yet, as Naruto stood there, letting the rain cleanse his body of his own as well as draconic blood, he couldn't help but feel that it was fitting. For despite their victory, it seemed that there was nothing to rejoice over. Though Onyxia was dead, nothing had come of it. He felt as if the world was not celebrating her death, but indeed, crying for it—as if it, too, had lost one of its children.

The rain was warm, like tears.

"So it's over, huh?" said Kaine. His fur was matted with rain, and parts of it remained stained with blood. He would continually glance back towards the gaping maw of the cavern, as if afraid that Onyxia would emerge any moment and exact her terrible revenge. But he didn't sound afraid, only confused. Indeed, he was wondering why he did not feel like whooping for joy, or taunting the now perished dragon that had killed so many. It didn't feel appropriate, and that was something that he was unfamiliar with.

"Aye, lad," muttered Undrig, glancing about him. He looked ready to collapse, but did not if only to show the rest of the group that he was capable of doing anything they could. The rain made pinging noises as it struck his armor, dented and scorched. He felt strange, disconnected—he felt like he should be celebrating, but because no one else was, he was not able to free himself from the shock. And Onyxia's final words, and the look of peace on her dead face, remained engraved in his mind, like a fresh epitaph.

The ground around the cavern was still littered with the fallen bodies of dragonspawn, now drenched in rain. Their faces retained looks of animalistic fury; the primal hate that had driven them to massacre thousands of innocent people. There was no peace in their looks.

"Time to head back, yeah?" Fen said. His hair hung down into his face, soaked in rain, like lifeless snakes growing from his skull. He recognized the somber mood, and for that reason kept his normal enthusiasm down, but he found it incomprehensible. He could not fathom why they would not at least acknowledge their victory over the Black Dragonflight. They had won, and Onyxia had lost; and more to the point, they had all survived. What wasn't there to celebrate? He glanced around, and noticed that nobody seemed to share his feelings.

"Yes," said Shandris. She looked about. "Where's the tro—Gen'rash?"

Naruto suddenly noticed that the mohawked giant was not there.

"Where'd he go?" asked Neera, perking up a little. She looked beautiful with the rain cascading down her body, washing away what was left of the soot and grim that had gathered upon her during the battle. But her eyes were troubled, and her face lowered, as if in mourning. She had been most silent since the battle had ended. During their return to the world above, she had not spoken a word, or even made a sound. It was truly her first major victory, but she could not shake Onyxia's dying words from her head. The pain with which the dragon had released in her last moments had been unbearable. But only half of her felt this—the other half urged her to remember the many women and children who had perished due to Onyxia's malicious attack. The result was an entirely neutral feeling—one that she did not like. So she stayed quiet as she attempted to sort out her feelings.

"Back into the cavern, about halfway up," Linkizzle said.

"He needed to do something," said Rurizzle. "Or at least that's what he told us." Water dribbled from both their goggles as they spoke. They had yet to remove them, as if ignorant of their presence. The two elder gnomes felt no joy in their victory, either. But unlike the younger group, they knew exactly why. Though she had deserved her fate, they new that Onyxia could not truly be blamed for her cruelty. After all, she was simply revenging herself for the deaths of her many children, at the hands of the humans. They felt her death necessary, but nothing to lord over. The death of a dragon was a terrible thing—even if it was a creature like Onyxia.

"Here he comes," rumbled Golbarn, staring back towards the mouth, where a figure shrouded in darkness had appeared. When he stepped out of the cave, into the rain, they saw it to be Gen'rash, covered in slick, black blood. He was carrying something over his shoulder, large and obviously heavy, for he slouched a great deal, and took a while in reaching them. It resembled a great black cloak, and could cover most of his body had he not folded it over twice. But it was unmistakably a great section of Onyxia's skin.

"Why did you do that?" asked Neera softly, staring at the hide without any discernible emotion.

"Dragonhide be rare," the troll said calmly. "And she id givin' it up, girl. Ah no' thief."

"How can you tell?" said Linkizzle, frowning. The gnome and his brother were standing, and had glared affixed upon their faces. "She's dead, and you probably took it from her body!"

"Aye," the troll retorted, simply. "But it come off easily, and she be at peace—her body no longer hers. Her spirit be free, returnin' to de eahtha, from wer' it came."

"Spoils of war," said Golbarn, calmly. He stood by Naruto, drenched in rain, the blood from his earlier wounds slowly leaking away in red trickles down his arms and back. His hair was wild and drenched, and no longer tied back by its strip of leather. He saw no fault in Gen'rash's actions. It was a preferable action, especially for slaying something that might provide such rich materials. Though, in a way, he could see why they would be offended. It was hard now, with her final words ringing in his ears, to classify Onyxia as a beast anymore.

"He is right," said Shandris. The elf woman's face was smooth as hardened clay. It was perfectly calm, and she held herself high, all the dignity that she had ever held still present in her features. She weathered the rain without moving. "Dragonhide is one of the most durable substances in the world. It should come in very useful in the future, whatever it is made into." She then glanced at Naruto, wanting to know his thoughts on the matter.

The blonde had been silent this whole time. But, at her look, he shrugged and said, "I don't care." He then crossed his arms, and looked back at the cave. "But there is something I'd like to do before we go. I hated that stupid dragon bitch for what she did," his fiery voice returned for a brief moment in his saying of this, "but she's dead and gone now." His voice lowered at this, and the rest of the words were soft. "She's paid for her deeds, so we can't bear anything towards her anymore. And besides, the people of Stormwind played a part in this as well. I don't know what she was like before her children died, even if she was bad, nobody deserves what she got." He glanced around.

"I can only say this 'cause I've now got one, but it seems to me like family is important for everyone. She was a bitch and a monster, but she was a mother, too. I don't know what it would feel like…but I can't think of anything worse." He thought then of the hateful stares of the villagers of Konoha—the stares filled with frozen rage, or hot, slowly simmering hate trapped beneath a mixture of fear and the desire to stay true to their morals; the stares of those who had lost their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, fathers or mothers, and all the rest, to the attack of the Kyuubi. The source of those glares had been the very same inner pain that Onyxia had felt: a pain of loss greater than they could handle, and one that in order to escape, they had to focus and redirect it onto another medium. The villagers had chosen Naruto, and Onyxia had chosen Stormwind. He could not sympathize with it, but he could understand it. And he could forgive it, too, now that she was dead.

"So instead of just standing here, we need to do something about it."

"Such as?" said Myrdraxxis, quite suddenly and unexpectedly. He stood crouched on a clear patch of ground, the drain dribbling down his body and through the numerous crevices in his face and body. Water poured from his eye sockets, yet it did not look like he was crying; and the rain blurred his yellow pupils, like searchlights in the distant darkness obscured by rain. He looked quite frightening, Death given form, so much so that Neera inched away from the Forsaken a little after he spoke.

"We're gonna seal that cavern. We're gonna give them all a proper burial, okay?"

"Of course," said Shandris, showing emotion for the first time with a tiny smile.

"Yeah," said Kaine, deciding that would be fine, and would probably help him through the confusion he now felt. "Let's do it."

"Okay," said Neera, her voice regaining some of its former lightness.

"Whatever," said Fen, giving an agreeable nod, while Myrdraxxis said, "Fine," a second after him.

"Aye, sounds fine," said Undrig.

"Okay," the gnomes chorused. It was a simple agreement; each culture held respect for the dead (some more than others), and could recognize the truth in Naruto's words to some degree. Though his conviction sent them to work with gusto, they would have done it anyways.

Naruto nodded at their answers, and they went to work. It took them but minutes, using Naruto's _Kage Bunshin_, to drag or carry the bodies of the fallen dragonspawn into the mouth of the cave. The black drake was more difficult to move, but in the end, they were able to drag it in with all the rest. When they had finished, Naruto glanced at Kaine, and asked him to move to the left of the cavern mouth, while he moved to the right.

For a moment, Naruto bowed his head, as if in prayer. A vision flashed across his mind—the dead citizens of Stormwind, Eliza and her father's bodies, everything he had seen when he had returned to Stormwind. He promised them that he would return, and be there for their burial as well. But they could rest easy now, for they had been avenged, and now their family members still living would be safe.

With that, he thrust a hand into the side of the mountain. He cried, "**_Doton: Tsuchidaigeki!"_ **and caused the earth surrounding his hand to explode. Cracks, great and small, blinked into existence in every direction from where Naruto had released the _jutsu_, and continued to grow wider and thicker with each second. At the same time, Kaine, knowing what to do, smashed the mountain wall with his wartotem. It created an echoing boom, which combined with Naruto's _jutsu_ and from the inside out destroyed the cavern entrance completely. The force traveled through, tearing the rocks free in a single jarring second, and sending them crashing to the ground. The dragonic entrance of the cavern collapsed a thunderous crash, sealing its entrance forever.

When it was done, Naruto and Kaine returned to their friends. None of them glanced back, and simply turned and walked away, back towards the forest and the swamp. They had completed their mission—and never again would they have to return to this place.

Tremors suddenly began to streak through the earth beneath their feet, and with a symphony of distant muffled booms and great thundering roars, of rock being pummeled to dust and magma spewing out at high pressures into a monstrous cavern, Azeroth reclaimed Onyxia, back to the place that her kind had been birthed from. The earth had accepted their offering of a final resting place for the dragon.

But tears still fell from the sky, long after they had departed.

-----------------------------------

Matthias smiled a brighter smile than he had ever managed to conjure when he saw Naruto and his friends walking towards the zeppelin. They were soaked from the rain (which had stopped falling a few minutes before they had arrived), and covered from head to foot in mud and slime from the swamp they had just traveled through. All of them had recovered from the confusion that had possessed them after Onyxia's death—perhaps it was the swamp air, or the life that had buzzed around them as they walked through that had brought them back into reality.

Linkizzle and Rurizzle were busy asking Gen'rash what he was considering turning the dragonhide into. The troll would just give them a toothy grin and say "it gonna be sometin' speciale."

Myrdraxxis trailed behind the group, given a wide berth by everyone save Neera, who had chosen him as her current object of fascination. She was firing questions so rapidly at the Forsaken ("What's it like to have no eyes?" or "How do you breathe if your lungs don't work?" to name a few) while he silently bore all of it, and occasionally answered with a snappish, sullen word or two that had no effect in getting Neera to leave. Fen, who trailed a little ways in front of him, beside Naruto and Kaine, couldn't stop laughing.

Undrig was tiredly tramping alongside Shandris, who was continually asking him if he were alright. He would always flush and answer yes, embarrassed that he was showing weakness in front of a lady. Golbarn stood on her other side, and whenever Shandris wasn't talking to Undrig, she would discuss things with the orc—mostly history of the orcs, something she was finding herself increasingly interested in.

"Oi!" roared Matthias, stepping off the zeppelin onto the muddy ground. "Admit I was a bit worried, lad! I thought the tea I just made was goin' to go cold afore ye got back!"

Naruto puffed out his cheeks in annoyance. "That's what you've been doing while we were gone, idiot? Were you even worried about our safety?"

Matthias opened his mouth, then closed it, and thought a moment. "'Course I did, lad! Without you around, things might've gotten a bit boring! I was worried whether or not I'd be able to find someone as fun to challenge as you!"

"Bastard!"

The crew secretly watched in amusement as the blonde launched himself at their captain, and chased him up on board. They began to chuckle, along with the rest, when Matthias, still running, began to chastise the boy for getting mud all over his deck.

"Hey, lad! You get the deck any dirtier, I'm gonna make you clean it!" Matthias shouted.

Naruto snickered in childish amusement, and to annoy the captain further, began to kick his feet, flinging mud in every direction. Matthias gave a cry of dismay, and lunged at the blonde, who danced away, and the chase began anew, reversed this time.

"They're like children," Golbarn rumbled, sighing, as the rest of the group gathered down by the zeppelin.

"One of them is, you forget," said Shandris, chuckling.

"Let's get this show on the road, I'm hungry, wet, tired, and hurting pretty bad here!" bellowed Kaine, with a look of bullish annoyance, to Undrig, as the dwarf slowly ambled up the walkway to the zeppelin.

"Stop complaining, yet great lump!" muttered Undrig. "I was covered in fire fur a coupla' seconds, so don't complain!"

"I can complain all I want!" the tauren retorted, glaring with a petulance that did not at all befit his appearance, as he started up the ramp after the grouchy dwarf.

"I remembered tauren as being a lot calmer, don't you?" said Fen, turning back to Myrdraxxis.

The Forsaken did not respond, for he had not heard the question. Neera was still talking, behind him, and was tapping him on the shoulder and asking him whether or not he ate human flesh. Fen, upon seeing his look, immediately stepped out of the way, for the look on Myrdraxxis' face was akin to the glare of a once sleeping wolf awakened by an annoying, hyperactive cub—only thousand times more hellish. Fen swore that Myrdraxxis' eyes had changed red, and any moment he would round on the elf girl and show her just how far he was willing to go to make her stop talking.

Golbarn grunted to himself as he walked behind the chattering night elf.

"And I thought the brat couldn't be more annoying."

Behind him, Shandris smiled, and said, "She's young. She's never met a Forsaken before, let alone one that will not injure her. Were you not curious when—" Shandris suddenly stopped, and glanced to the side, where something flashed—a deep black, in the corner of her eye. It was so swift, and so dark, that she nearly panicked. Her hand went to her Sentinel's blade, by her side, as she whirled to face the distant swamp behind her.

But there was nothing.

There were nothing but ruined houses, half-trapped in mud; pools of water from the recent rain, glittering in the setting sun; their own footprints, deeply imprinted into the sodden earth; and the distant, lively swamp—whose sounds could now be heard, buzzing and chirping, adding a whole new life to the graveyard of Theramore. Nothing moving, nothing black—perhaps it had been a trick of the light? She could sense nothing: no _chakra_ tickling her mind, even the slightest bit; or movement, on the earth or in the sky.

"What's wrong?" Golbarn said, now behind her.

"Nothing," Shandris said, softly and immediately. There had been nothing, she told herself. She nodded, and turned back to the zeppelin. In the midst of her spin, however, she felt a prickling in her mind, and stopped. She was facing the sea, where in the distance, she could see a tiny island. It was but a forest of darkness from what she could see, shadowed by the bright orange sun as it sunk beneath the waves. She stared at it awhile, and felt nothing more. She then walked up the ramp, and though it lurked still within her mind, a uneasy presence, she paid no more heed to it then.

"Up we go, then!" shouted Matthias, his and Naruto's chase finally ended, with Naruto sitting on the deck gasping for breath, having depleted far more energy in the past day than Matthias had in the past week. The captain surged with excitement—their mission had been a success, Naruto wasn't dead, and he'd be getting paid, quite handsomely, very soon!

The crew set to work, and in moments, the zeppelin began to steadily rise from the ground. Naruto crawled to the railing, and peered over the edge, as he often did.

Theramore shrunk until it was no bigger than a dinner plate, surrounded by miles of sea, and next to a great green land that seemed brighter than ever. He smiled, feeling that the spirit of life would soon return to the dead town.

And knowing that when it did, humans would not be the only ones to return.

But even as he watched, and the zeppelin rose into the clouds, he could not feel a pair of eyes upon him—staring from the green undergrowth of the swamp: two ashen orbs, pale as bone, staring wide, and seeing all.

----------------------------------------

"They've returned," said Benedictus, with a curious casualness, to Kira from his bed, where he sat with piles of stacked papers that told him in the dullest way what was wrong with Stormwind.

Kira, who had just entered with room with Kylia in tow, stopped suddenly and looked at him in confusion.

"What?"

"They're back," the old man repeated, now looking at her. "I received a messenger not five minutes ago, just before you came in. The zeppelin has just landed, a little ways outside the city limits. It seems that they were successful. Good news, isn't it?" Benedictus did not express once ounce of joy or pleasure all the while he spoke; it was as if he was simply informing her, patiently and calmly, that she had left the kettle boiling, or something to that effect.

Kira's eyes widened, and a great smile spread across her face. "Really?" she cried, excited. "They did it? Is anybody…?"

"My dear, I have been confined to this bed since I awoke—and if you would like to tell me just how I could find out without getting up, and hobbling halfway across the city to meet them, I am all ears." Now, he was smiling a tiny smile, filled with good humor and tainted with a light sarcasm.

With a hot glare in his direction, Kira spun around at once, and again with Kylia at her heels, she rushed from the room, excitement in every movement. When she had gone, Benedictus rolled his eyes, before glancing back down, in distaste, at his papers. '_Perhaps,' _he thought, '_that choice would have been better.'_

Kira rushed across the street in front of the infirmary—now far less filled, so much so that it seemed almost empty in comparison to just three or four days prior. In that time, the medicines and medical expertise of the elves and Forsaken had cured most people of their afflictions and wounds. What remained were either those who had nowhere else to go, or those who could not be healed so quickly. In time, they would be moved to the larger infirmary that was currently in construction, thanks to the architects of the dwarves, the laboring of the orcs, and the supplies of the tauren and trolls. Kira had seen it two days ago, and already it was beginning to take shape—only a few more weeks would be required to complete it.

She and Kylia turned a street, and ran down it until they reached the great square that she gave her almost daily speeches in. It was already a hive of activity, where the other races of the New Alliance met to discuss matters involving the restoration of the city, but also to socialize in general. She saw all manner of peoples as she ran through: a crowd of orcs who were in vociferous (yet good-natured) debate with some humans over how the construction of a certain house should go; a pair of trolls talking to a group of elves about the handling and cutting of the wood their race had brought from Stranglethorn, which if treated well, could last far longer than any other wood in the world; some dwarves talking to two Forsaken who were delivering a cartload of medicines—presumably giving directions; a group of tauren standing before a tiny gnome, who was pouring over blueprints of some structure or another and carefully dictating plans to his awaiting workforce; some humans shaking hands with a few other races, and making simple chat with them, or praising them for a job well done; to Kira, no sight could be greater.

"Everything's going well," Kylia said behind her; the quiet girl had a soft smile on her face, her happiness knowing no bounds for her mistress. Her stutter had long disappeared. She did not know when it had left—but she suspected somehow, that Naruto had something to do with it.

"Yes," said Kira, her smile so wide, and her eyes filled with tears of emotion.

They ran through winding streets—no longer covered in the bodies of the dead, which had all been gathered and set apart. They were to be buried much later, when the portion of citizens in the care of the Argent Dawn had returned. They would be able to identify the bodies far easier that way—and Kira wanted her people to all be together, when they finally sent the dead on their way to the afterlife.

The streets had been cleared of debris too, and were now populated again—this time by orcs, dwarves, elves, trolls, Forsaken, tauren and gnomes, as well as humans. Shops were being rebuilt, and people were working together to accomplish such in great earnest. No human was without a job—to recreate their homes and lives, they would accept the help of these others. That is not to say that they fully trusted them; but they would learn to.

Kira finally reached the massive main gates of the city—they lay agape, displaying the outside world to the crowd of peoples who had gathered to watch it. Twelve figures were currently walking through it, and by the time Kira and Kylia had made their way to the front of the crowd, they had stopped.

"Mornin', Kira-chan!" Naruto said, waving to the young princess.

They were all there—even Matthias Hindenborough; each looked like having gone two or three rounds of wrestling with a wild boar in a puddle of mud, yet emerging victorious nonetheless. Looking like this, they radiated the aura of victory, so powerfully that the sun behind them seemed to wrap around them with its life-giving light, illuminating the invisible aura. Her body moved quite instinctively—and only because he was the closest did Kira suddenly throw herself at Naruto, wrapping him in a powerful hug. Naruto stumbled back from the force, his arms hanging limply by his side in shock of the sudden action. But he could not stay in such shock for long, because he now new what to do. He lifted his arms, and returned the hug. Kira seemed to sink towards him, and to his surprise—it felt nice.

"You're back," she said, quite unnecessarily, voice muffled by his jacket.

"Yep."

"And what about…?"

"Gone," Naruto said, his voice slightly softer. "She won't be bothering this place anymore, I guarantee you that."

"Good," Kira said, seeming to relax in his arms. A weight had lifted from her heart—now Stormwind could truly be restored, and no shadow would remain cast over it.

"Ahem," a voice behind them said, as Shandris took a step forwards, smiling calmly. Finally noticing exactly where she was, Kira suddenly pulled back, her cheeks the color of warm blood. She hung her head a little, not meeting Naruto's eyes, while a few of Naruto's friends chuckled. Matthias gave the boy a wink and a raised thumb. Linkizzle and Rurizzle snickered into their hands, making an obvious show of it. Gen'rash was smiling a toothy grin. Undrig grinned wryly from behind his smoky black beard. Neera had a sly look on her face. Fen was tittering behind a hand, making himself as absurd as possible. Golbarn and Myrdraxxis remained indifferent, in staunch refusal to even acknowledge the teenagers' embarrassing scene. Naruto rubbed the back of his head, blushing intensely. Some of the onlookers gave catcalls and a variety of whoops, which made the scene all the more hilarious and, indeed, cliché.

"I-it's good to have you all back," Kira said, attempting to compose herself and looking as royal as possible. She gave them all a nod and a bow. "And I thank all of you, with everything that I have, for the service you have done this city."

Accompanying her words, the crowd behind began to cheer and applaud. The majority of them would not find out until later what exactly they were applauding for, but the sincerity in Kira's voice drove them to honor the group anyways.

The cheers rang throughout the city long after the crowd had departed—and as they returned to Kira and Benedictus' base of operations, they noticed the mark change in the atmosphere of the city. A life had returned to it—one briefly thought lost in wake of Onyxia's attack.

The phoenix that had arisen was growing up once again. And it was in everyone's thoughts what it would look like when it had matured.

"What happens now?" asked Naruto, as they walked through the main square, heading towards the infirmary.

"We wait for things to change," said Kira. "We wait and we work hard—this alliance has to be built on trust and camaraderie; something that does not form so quickly, especially with such prejudices impeding it." But she was smiling. "But I believe that we won't have to wait long." She looked around as she walked, and seemed to smile even wider. "This city has already become the center for the New Alliance—and I know that by the time that it is complete, and the Stormwind has returned and even increased the former greatness it possessed; then nobody, not even the Lich King, will be able to stop us." She finished, by glancing at him. In her eyes, there were more words, which she seemed too embarrassed to say.

'_And I hope that you will be with us, every step of the way.'_

"Oi," said Linkizzle, suddenly. "Didn't we have something to tell Naruto, bro?"

"That we did!" said Rurizzle, smacking his little fist into his little palm. "But what was it?"

Naruto glanced back at them, frowning. He was immediately remind of their earlier words on the zeppelin, and felt the familiar need to know surge up. Had they stalled any longer, he might have gone to his knees and begged.

"Well," said Linkizzle, with a large, smug smile on his face. "Think back…"

"…A long time ago, when you first arrived at Ironforge…" said Rurizzle.

"…and you met our brother, little Furnizzle."

"And you made friends with said sibling…"

"…to the point where you promised him something."

Naruto frowned, cocking his head slightly to the side. He did remember the promise they had made, and when he voiced this to the two, they seemed delighted.

"Now," said Linkizzle, "think back…"

"…to the day you left Ironforge," said Rurizzle.

"…when our dear little Furn' saw you off."

Again Naruto thought. He remembered vaguely what had taken place, but the words they had exchanged were lost to time and the fallibility of human memory.

"Well," said Linkizzle, "think of…"

"…the words he said," said Rurizzle. "Do you remember?"

Naruto thought a moment, then shook his head.

"Well," said Linkizzle, "his words…"

"…typical of our baby brother, telling people things that he himself…" said Rurizzle.

"…can't really do by himself…"

"..were thus (or so he has told us): '_I ask you…'"_

"'…_from the bottom of my heart…'"_

"'…_to help my people, Naruto.'"_

"'_If you do…'"_

"'…_I will do everything in my power…'"_

"'…_to help you find a way back…'"_

"'…_to your world.'"_

Naruto, as if frozen by a Gorgon's glare, had stopped and was looking wide-eyed at the gnomes, who continued on as if he had no reaction.

"And you'll never guess," said Linkizzle, "what he has done."

"Never," said Rurizzle, "guess that he has, with the help of so many of our colleagues…"

"…including High Tinker Mekkatorque himself…"

"…indeed, devised a way for you to return…"

"…to the very world of your origin."

By now, the entire group had stopped—standing just outside the entrance to the infirmary. They were all looking at Naruto, who was white as a ghost, and the two grinning gnomes, who having finished their exciting news, were waiting for Naruto's inevitable reaction. It came but seconds later, in the form of a metaphorical explosion.

"WHAT!"

And, in that anticlimactic moment, Naruto found out he was going home.

----------------------------

"How is everything?" asked Furnizzle: the younger brother of the Rizzles, with his pitch-dark hair and clear green eyes, He was glancing at the goggled, white-bearded High Tinker Mekkatorque, who stood beside him on a raised platform that allowed him to reach the higher parts of the massive rectangular column of metal he stood before, and apply the blow-torch to it. It was one of six such structures, surrounding a single metal platform about twenty feet in diameter. The columns arched at their zeniths, curving until they almost met in the center, forming something like a cage over the entire structure. The platform had the emblem of the gnomes painted upon it, and there were was a large panel sitting next to it, glittering with all sorts of buttons and knobs whose purpose only the gnomes could know. The columns shined with their recent polishing, as did the platform. The design was almost flawless in appearance—in stark contrast to the usual gnomish way of doing things. The entire structure was sleek and metallic—not clunky or geometrical, as many of their inventions tended to be. The amount of detail and refinement that had been put in clearly meant it a very important project, by almost any standards.

"Well enough," said Mekkatorque, pulling the torch away and turning it. "There isn't much more we can do, other than wait for now."

"The other team, do you think they arrived alright?"

"Of course, of course," said Mekkatorque, waving away the younger gnome's doubts, despite having quite a few of his own. "It is unlikely that they arrived anywhere other than the world the boy did—after all, the medium we used, the one that transported Naruto here, likely has a definite connection to his world. I have no doubt they arrived—I just hope they arrived somewhere safe, and not in the middle of a lake, or even a city. It wouldn't do to have to build the other end of the transporter there."

"Yes," said Furnizzle, feeling slightly relieved at the other gnome's words. Then, in his squeaky voice, he asked, "I just hope they were able to find food, and shelter. Considering how long it took us to build this," he gestured all around him. "Do you think they are close to finishing?"

"I would conjecture so," the other gnome said. "They have had almost a month, so far. Taking into consideration the food gathering and the number of people we sent, the amount of time to build, as well as the necessary calibrations that must be performed upon the device, I would say that at the most, a month or so more—again, that is given the fact that they run into no unnecessary troubles in their term in that place. It is a shame that the boy isn't here—I'm told that he can use his summons to communicate with the other world. That way, we might be able to get definite confirmation of their whereabouts."

"Do you truly believe they are alright?" Furnizzle said again, looking troubled around him."

"Of course," said Mekkatorque, glancing at him. "If there is one thing I learned from the brat, it is faith."

----------------------------------

"How much longer, do you reckon?" said a pink-haired gnome with bright blue eyes, and a nose a little too pointed, named Gimmi.

"I don't know," said a gnome with bright green hair and wearing tinted red goggles, who carried quite an expanse of weight around his middle, named Tiggle. "A couple of weeks, maybe even a few months—its difficult to work under these conditions."

"Too true," said another, a female whose hair was blue and whose face was red boiled red by the touch of the sun, named Anni. "I don't know how anyone could stand this—its just our luck that we ended up in the middle of the desert, huh?"

"It's fortunate though," said another, also female, with coal-black hair and wide brown eyes and a squashed little nose, named Karenia. "That we were able to find that city, and purchase food and supplies. Else we would have died long before. There's also the fact that not many people will find it. The desert, though open, is the perfect place to hide such an important device. We're lucky that it didn't appear in the middle of a city or a river or something."

"I suppose we should be thankful for the little things, right?" said Gimmi, smiling a little.

"If you could call those things little, then yes," said Tiggle, rolling his eyes beneath his goggles.

They were all dressed from nearly head to foot in cloaks, which obscured their bodies and gave them protection of the wild sun of the desert. They were crowded around the device that they had all helped build in Ironforge—a transporter device which would allow one to travel through space in whatever dimension it was calibrated to. They had no real name for it yet, but several working titles: The Dimensiotron, the Instant Spatial Relocation Device (ISRD), or simply The Device (merely to keep it simple). They would decide on the name when, and if, they returned to Ironforge. For, their device was only half built—not for lack of materials, merely time and working conditions. The desert, where heavy toil was extremely taxing in any situation, and the sun made it almost impossible to truly think, was impeding their process a great deal. That was not to say that they wouldn't be able to complete it.

They'd just need a bit of time.

"Hope Lord Mekkatorque and Furnizzle can keep themselves busy while we're gone. They'll probably get really worked up about it," said Anni.

"Maybe Furnizzle, but Lord Mekkatorque will probably keep a level head, if only to keep that greenhorn's pants on," said Karenia.

"After all, he'll have infinite patience where that kid is concerned."

"Which one?"

"The human boy—Uzumaki Naruto."

-----------------------------

"We haven't heard from Naruto in a while, have we?" said Sakura, glancing at her master from her position, crouched near a low table in Tsunade's private quarters, where dozens of scrolls were laid out; depicting painstakingly drawn diagrams of the _chakra_ highways of a man, or line after line of difficult theory on _chakra_ manipulation and medic-nin studies. Tsunade sat prostrate upon a large, comfortable leather chair near a massive window, and was gazing out it until Sakura spoke.

"Nope," said Tsunade, unconcernedly.

"You're not worried?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not particularly. Are you?"

Sakura gave a slight shrug. "No more than normal, I suppose. But after his last message…"

Tsunade shook her head. "Don't worry about it. The little brat is probably doing his best to get by the problem that the new seal presents him. Would you expect him to do anything less?"

"Of course not," said Sakura. "And I suppose you're right…besides, I have a good feeling."

"About what?"

"That he'll be back soon. I don't know how, but I can almost feel it."

Tsunade glanced at the girl, showing no emotion, before giving a small half-second smile, gone in a blink, which Sakura could make no meaning of. The Hokage then shrugged, and leaned back again, staring out the window.

"Well, when he does return, there's going to be someone here to meet him."

Sakura frowned at the woman, her eyes asking what her mouth would soon say.

"A new teacher; part-time, at least, to help him get some control over this new hurdle of his. Kakashi came up with it. It'll make you that much closer to getting the Uchiha boy back."

Sakura's eyes followed her teacher's outside, where the sky was blue as a freshly painted canvas, with a gleaming sun whose presence gave Sakura a hope that she had not felt for some time. She could already hear his voice, shrill and loud, echoing throughout the city. It brought a warm, pretty smile to her face.

But even as she heard his words, she saw another face—one shrouded in black, with a pair of eyes that struck fear into her whenever she saw them, in dreams or in reality. Eyes too, shrouded, whose intentions she could not, or perhaps would not, contemplate.

-----------------------------

"Orochimaru-sama," a voice said, cold like a dagger of ice, yet sweet as a cane of candy. In the candlelight, which reflected off his gleaming spectacles, Kabuto prostrated himself before a figure whose face was only barely lit. His skin was pallid and slimy-looking, as if it was covered in scales so fine that no human high could see them. His hair was limp and black. It was a mantle of darkness on his long, well-shaped head and covering his face, which while well-formed—with high cheekbones and unblemished skin—was still thoroughly disgusting to gaze upon, as if a snake's head was set upon a man's body.

A figure whose eyes were the color of gold, but shaped like a snake's, and which reflected a murderous lust within that would terrify most men.

"What is it, Kabuto?" the man hissed, his voice—high in pitch and with a tone of boredom, slithering from his mouth like a serpent.

"It's Sasuke-sama," Kabuto continued, pushing up the round spectacles on his face, and brushing some of his silver-white hair from his eyes. His mouth—normally twisted into a cruel, sadistic smile that completely reflected his inner nature (despite the ease with which he could assume other roles), was set into a straight line. He didn't dare cross Orochimaru.

"What about Sasuke-kun?"

"He has been demanding that you teach him another _jutsu_," he pushed his glasses up again, for they had once again slipped down when he quickly ducked his head to avoid Orochimaru's eyes. "Despite all I have told him—that you are busy, he seems to be growing rather irritable."

"Let him," the other man said, softly, his lips curling into a smile. "The stronger he is, Kabuto, the more fit he will be when he becomes my container." Orochimaru gestured behind Kabuto, to a wall of drawers with many labels upon them. "Choose something he might like—a new earth _jutsu_, or a powerful water _jutsu_, perhaps? Tell him I will join him later, if he has not figure it out by then. He is a smart boy—and driven, as well. I have never seen a more willing student than he. And his personality quite stimulating, too."

Kabuto nearly laughed, but instead gave a calm smile. "Personality? I was under the impression, my lord, that you had already driven that from him?"

Orochimaru laughed softly, each burst of sound like a hundred snakes hissing horribly. "Indeed—I thought you would have had the sense of humor to enjoy that jest, Kabuto. After all—it will give him the ability, should it ever happen, to defeat his brother."

"About _Akatsuki_," said Kabuto, again pushing his glasses up. "Do you know when they intend to strike?"

"No," said Orochimaru stiffly. "But it doesn't matter. We've had this conversation—we will deal with it as it comes, Kabuto. Are you worried?"

"Of course not," said Kabuto, smiling. "I was actually looking forwards to seeing my old master, Sasori, again. Figuratively, of course."

Orochimaru nodded. "Go, Kabuto. You would not wish to keep Sasuke-kun waiting. You know how cranky he gets, don't you?"

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama."

--------------------------------

The cavern was black.

Not dimly lit, or even dark. It was completely shrouded in blackness—as if it had swallowed the night sky above, and now refused to let it go. There were no stars above, and no bright moon. It was a world of darkness.

"This makes the second time in what, nearly two years, since we have met…yeah," the voice was deep and powerful, but light and almost cheerful, and came from a figure that blended in perfectly with darkness enshrouding him.

"I hate these meetings," said another voice, like rocks tumbling to the earth, the words were so heavy. The man spoke with boredom in his voice—suggesting a man who was not easily entertained.

"It was necessary," another voice said, this one softer, but filled with command and strength. Of the two who had spoken, this man was clearly the stronger. "We had to gather once more before we begin fulfilling our goal."

"I can't wait," snapped a voice, irritated and loud—suggesting a brash character, but tinged with cruelty—suggesting a man with a fiery, murderous personality. "I haven't killed anything for a while—it's not even the time of year for fasting!"

"Shut up, moron," said another voice, deep and thunderous, yet possessing a covetous tone—suggesting a man who was severely greedy, and terribly vicious. "I can't believe I was partnered with you."

"Hey, shut up Ka—"

"Quiet, both of you," said the commanding voice, and both fell silent.

"Heh, so what did you really call us hear for? To plan?" said another voice, powerful and cocky, but polite and cultured—suggesting a man of great strength, but of cultured personality.

"To assign you your duties," the commanding voice said. "To assign you your _jinchuuriki._"

"Already?" began the brash, cruel voice. "But we don't even know where all of them are! Besides, how the hell are we going to get that Kyuubi _jinchuuriki,_ anyways? He's in a freakin' capitol city!"

"That doesn't matter," said the commanding voice. "We know where he is."

"_Target located and identified._" This voice was soft and polite, no emotion weighing the words down—suggesting a man who did not feel what was there.

"**He'd just killed the dragon bitch," **snarled another voice, picking up immediately where the previous had left off. It was snarling and wicked, like a monster's. Each word was like a bite—suggesting a man, perhaps not all there, who loved to kill. "**He was with a bunch of the Outraces."**

"That place is fun," said the brash voice. "The trees there are fun to cut down."

"Shut up, moron," the covetous voice said.

"You shut up, bastard!"

"Quiet!" the commanding voice snapped again. They fell silent. "We have a lot to plan—our goals won't fall into place so easily."

"If he was with the Outraces," another voice said—again, this one was soft, yet unlike the emotionless voice, possessed an almost feminine quality to it. His words were spoken factually, and instead of not possessing emotion, it was withheld—suggesting a man who was in complete control of himself. "Then have our fears been confirmed?"

"We have nothing to fear," the commanding voice said. "This new alliance is just another obstacle in our goals—come the time, we will simply need to destroy it."

"And Orochimaru?"

"Fast is approaching the time when his threat will become negligible. We are growing stronger by the day, and once we have the _bijuu_ in our possession, there won't be a single force—in either world, that can stop us.

"We will defeat any enemies in our path—whether it is Orochimaru and his little tool, Konoha, this new Alliance, The Lich King or the Burning Legion—we shall destroy them all, and achieve what we set out to do.

"Akatsuki will triumph over all. Now we must begin our preparations."

--------------------------

A wind blew. There was not a sound upon it, and nothing moved.

A figure stood in a mausoleum of ice, before a monstrous palace of black ice, willing the wind to blow around it—lightly in moments, but swiftly and powerfully in others.

It listened to the world surrounding it—from the peaks of Stonetalon to the tropics of Stranglethorn. It listened in every city, every street-corner, every house and every room. It listened to everything, and took what it needed.

"**_On, on, you go," _**it said. "**_Dance for us, work for us! We will watch you, for now, little ones. But there will come a time when we face you—and already, our bones tingle with delight, in the knowledge that we might fight you."_**

It laughed, like a god of death, and made even the ice shiver in revulsion from it.

The Lich King laughed, and the world grew ever darker.

------------------------------

_Fin_.

Or at least, this part is.

How'd you like it? I had to give you some previews for the next part, which will be coming out next week. I hope you have enjoyed the story so far, and continue reading for the next part!

Just a question—should I create a new story, or just keep adding chapters onto this one? I think I should just do the new story, but I'll ask you guys first.

Hope you enjoyed it, and see you next week with the beginning of

**PART TWO OF: **_The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!_

_-----------------------------------_

My vote rests with a new story.

Also, I'm a firm Kira/Naruto supporter right now. GG is gonna have to do something spectacular to wrest that away if he rests with Naru/Saku…

-Noz


	62. Author's Note

A Belated Author's Note.

This is very quick. For all of those who don't already know it, as I have been getting complaints from others who have just discovered it, I have continued on the story of _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto_ in another, separate story. Look for it on my author's profile, or search for _The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto: Soul of Fire_ in the search feature.

Thank you all, and I hope you continue to enjoy my story.

And don't forget to review it!

General Grievous


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